The East Side of Addiction

by James DiReda, Henry Grosse, Jack Maroney

The East Side of Addiction tells the story of how drug addiction ravaged a working class immigrant enclave in Worcester, Massachusetts and the close-knit group of young friends who lived there—and how several of the lucky ones managed to survive. Raised on the East Side, Jack, Hank and Jim “JD” learned to idolize not the hardworking citizens of the neighborhood, but the thugs who ran gambling and loan operations for mobsters. Still, they might have escaped lives of crime but for one addiction. In the late 1960s, drugs took the East Side by storm. There, drugs found a neighborhood weakened by the collapse of traditional culture and a group of young people struggling with America’s cultural upheaval and the pain of adolescence. When Jack discovered alcohol, he found a way to overcome his shyness and find his place in the group. And for JD, the first taste of prescription cough medicine stolen from his parents’ medicine cabinet eased the pain of his father's abandonment. Hank discovered gambling and drugs as a way to fit in. These ventures soon led to addiction, but Jack and JD were not alone. Beside them were their childhood friends from the East Side. As they descended into heroin and prescription opiate addiction, these young men, with names like Fudgie and Kid Paz, Stevie the Sailor, and The Crusher completely lost control of their lives. As the parents of the East Side watched helplessly, their children became hardened criminals. JD moved from selling stolen cigarettes and busting open vending machines to ripping off pimps and consorting with the kingpins of the Vegas Mob. Jack, and Hank, along with other East Side kids smuggled loads of marijuana and cocaine from Mexico and South America. As long as they had drugs and money, the boys from the East Side thought they had it all. But as they descended further into addiction, things began to fall apart. Week by week and year by year, the toll mounted. Anthony and Dumbo died from heroin overdoses. Joey was arrested in a pharmacy robbery. Johnny’s girlfriend Terri ended her life at the end of a rope. Dope-sick and terrified after ripping off the Mob, JD fled back to East Side searching for refuge. Jack found himself in prison, charged with felony drug charges and attempted murder of a state trooper. Still, he refused to admit to his drug problem. But even in these darkest moments, redemption was possible. Hank, utterly beaten by opiates, discovered it first. In the grimy halls of a Dorchester detox, and later, on Boston’s bucolic North Shore, finally got clean. JD and Kid Paz soon joined him. And one by one, their East Side friends began to once again reunite at 12-step meetings and informal gatherings, a miracle happened. The strength of decades-long friendship created a recovery community that would help many others to escape the ravages of drugs. A story of addiction, recovery, and the power of lifelong friendship and deep, abiding faith, The East Side of Addiction is the story of thousands of communities, and of millions of American families ravaged by addiction.

308 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2016

Reviews

[Sharon Robidoux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lot's of insight into the world of addiction. Interesting for me-as I grew up in Worcester and I'm the same age as these folks..
Watched the addictions in my own family..

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories of these people really held my attention. Longitudinal tales of a whole generation in a neighborhood of Worcester MA and their struggles with addiction starting with their recall of their first drink or drugs as children.

[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I related to these men, even as a female, but I did have trouble connecting to the style of writing. The story and the lessons are wonderful, and I do think this book has values on those lost, hoping one day for the road to recovery.

[Beth DePasquale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

As a recovering person I enjoyed this story immensely. Also I know many of the characters and the setting personally which made it even more intriguing.
Faults were minimal, in that as a teacher I noticed things like typos but they were easy enough to figure out. I highly recommend this book.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated by this true story from page 1. The stories of three men's struggles with addiction are chronicled in a way that makes you feel like you're following along on their journey with them. Being from the Worcester, MA area, I also found the descriptions of the East Side of Worcester (which is where all these men grew up) to be fascinating. I will never look at "restaurant row" quite the same way again! Although the content in the book is heavy and the destroying of lives and families is not sugarcoated, the underlying tone is one of hope and survival. It's amazing to think of the lives these men led and the struggles they endured, coupled with the inspiration of how they made life better for themselves and the people around them. One thought provoking point was that abstinence and sobriety does not equal recovery. There were snippets periodically that discussed the scientific aspects behind addiction and recovery which I found helpful as well. I plan to share some of these informational pieces with my students taking mental health nursing.

[Judy Verdini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing life voyage from addiction to recovery

I grew up during the same time, and know the authors. I was a lucky kid from "The Street" because I escaped the alcohol & drug scene. Because of my choices I have fond memories of Shrewsbury St, East Park, and Mt. Carmel. My wish for JD, Hankie, and Jack is continued success. Thanks for sharing the painful twists & turns.

[Marcia Nygard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Great read. Thank you all for writing this insightful look into the world of addiction. One day at a time we can all recover.

[Sarahmaria]

Easy read. Story focused on the substance use rather than recovery. I would rather have read about how the authors got clean.