The Addict

by Dan Wakefield

Edited by Wakefield, with essays by William Burroughs and Nelson Algren, et al.

Genres: Nonfiction, Drugs

191 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

Reviews

[Murgatroyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant commentary on the uselessness of the drug war, and a scathing critique of self-centered conservatives and the way the have demonized addicts. The cover is a nice bait and switch.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book over 20 years ago because the cover was very compelling. Very dark and overwrought. It was at Powell's Books in a section where they have original pulp fiction protected in plastic wrappings. All paperbacks with most originally selling for less than a dollar but at the time cost ten to twenty dollars.

This book is actually very good. It includes a selection of articles from academia, government reports, from journalists working for the Village Voice and The Nation and fiction book excerpts of tales of opiate addiction.

Many authors talked about the need to characterize addiction as a medical issue and not a moral or criminal concern. I liked that even in the 50's and early 60's, when most of the inclusions were written, the authors addressed that heroin addiction is treated much more harshly for BIPOC addicts then wealthy, white addicts who are abusing pain pills through a prescription.

This book surprised me for the depth of coverage and variety of analysis included. Glad I was out of books to read and gave this a chance.