Long Way Home

by Cameron Douglas

A “gripping" memoir (Rolling Stone) of one man’s descent into the depths of addiction and self-destruction—and his successful renewal of family ties that had become almost irreparably frayed. On the surface, Cameron Douglas had descended from Hollywood royalty (son of Michael Douglas, grandson of Kirk Douglas), he was born into a life of wealth, privilege, and comfort. But by the age of thirty, he had become a drug addict, a thief, and—after a DEA drug bust—a convicted drug dealer sentenced to five years in prison, with another five years added while he was incarcerated. Through supreme willpower, a belief in himself, and a steely desire to alter his life’s path, Douglas began to reverse his trajectory, to understand and deal with the psychological turmoil that tormented him for years, and to prepare for what would be a profoundly challenging but successful reentry into society at large.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Audiobook, Drugs

381 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 22, 2019

Reviews

[Holly Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in a day. I found it a compelling story of a boy surviving a lonely childhood that fueled into a self-loathing serious drug addiction. It took Cameron for a harrowing ride though years of destruction and darkness. Only he could pull himself up by the bootstraps and turn his life around. The parents went through 17 years of hell trying to figure out a way to help him. In the end they were relegated to the sidelines to provide love and support while he suffered the devastating consequences of his actions. One can surmise several things from this story. 1) Money and fame do not buy happiness. M.Douglas was in his 30s when he marries a young, beautiful and naive 20 year old college student who came from a completely different background than her husband. Before long he’s morphed into a mega star and she’s left home to raise a child by herself. She searches for happiness by spending her husband’s money on excess and beautiful homes. He’s home very little and Cameron is tries to make sense of his mother’s unhappiness and his dad’s occasional visits home to play father. 2) all children, esp. a precocious child needs stability and structure. Cameron was a child that could easily hang w/ adults and fit right in. He watched his father party with drugs and alcohol and his mother attempt to fit in w/ the Hollywood lifestyle. He was shipped to boarding schools of which he was expelled for drugs and mischief behavior. He was allowed a lot of unstructured freedom that fed his desire to find meaning. When parents are absent (physically and/or emotionally) children look to their friends for affirmation and meaning. 3) addicts are NEVER far from a relapse. I wish Cameron the very best and I sincerely hope that he will continue in his recovery by staying very active in the different recovery programs. He has just started living his drug free adult life and he will face many setbacks in his career and life. We all do as life is messy! We’ve witnessed many Hollywood stars relapse and lose their sobriety and sometimes their life. Best of luck, Cameron. Please don’t ever let your guard down.

[Marika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed emotions after reading this. It is very well written and deals primarily with Cameron's drug addictions that sent him spiraling. Absorbing details about his prison life, and the politics that rule the prisons. I have mixed emotions due to his bravado. But maybe his bravado is what kept him alive in prison. A one day read.

* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.

[Cathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

For Kaska-boom!: I just couldn't get into his story -- and I WANTED to. It is possible that I didn't stick with the book long enough, but I just couldn't get into it.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on audio which was read by the author telling of his life growing up with Michael Douglas as his father, his parents divorce and his spiral into addiction. He recognizes that he was born into wealth, privilege, and comfort and feels that his need to create a separate identity has led him to a life of drugs and crime.
Sparing no one--least of all himself, the author gives a honest recounting of his journey down the rabbit hole road to sobriety.
My only complaint, was I could have done with a few less stories of debauchery as they were repetitive of each other and basically the same tale with just a different date and location.
Finally, the media's desire to categorize people as Hollywood Royalty is almost as absurd as the author's desire to be a bad-ass criminal. Living in a 10,000 square foot home, having access to anything and everything and above all being named "Cameron" thoroughly erases any element of gangsta.

[Christine Farmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Battling addiction is horrendous and he shares his story honestly. The multiple timelines were engaging and I loved his bond with animals. I was bothered by a few disparaging, throwaway references to characters who were not critically important to the story, but were still humans - comments about weight, class, disability. I was surprised and disappointed.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed emotions reading this one. Did anyone else wonder what happened to Erin?

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This book was a little hard to listen to. It was read by the author and I was just a little annoyed at his way of reading …. I would liked it better by actually reading the hardcover.

Son of Michael Douglas, the author served quite a bit of time in jail for drug possession and selling. His descriptions of the prisons he was in, and the people he met in each, is eye opening. He seems to have his life together at present time and is thankful for the help he has received from his dad, the encouragement from his grandfather and his mother.

[Mediaman · Rating 1 out of 5]

How to become a druggie and dealer, by a rich bad boy whose parents always bailed him out of trouble. Over half of this incredibly bloated 375 pages are devoted to his trials and time in forced lockup for being a thug who made a fortune selling drugs. Most of the rest is him giving details about his own drug abuse, of which he doesn't seem ashamed nor remorseful. A few small sections mention his dad (some of it negatively) and then there are a couple dozen uninspiring pages near the end that are supposed to show us he's now a reformed good guy.

Ultimately this is the sad story of a rich kid who was the son and grandson of famous actors. He was lonely, bitter, and bored at a young age, so drugs became the only consistent positive thing in his life. Nothing about how he was raised or acted is relatable to the average person, and the book is too detailed to be used for something positive (he gives specifics about how to smuggle drugs into prison, etc.).

He tries to blame his parents throughout, and they certainly should accept it for being emotionally distant and abandoning him due to their divorce, but Cameron Douglas wanted to act like a big shot when he was 13 years old and by the time he became an adult he was already so damaged that he needs to take responsibility for most of his bad choices instead of blame-shifting.

Skip it, it's a long way from being worth reading beyond a few insightful things about the unhappiness of being the kid of a rich celebrity.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book from Goodreads. So happy that I did.
Cameron Douglas, born into the famous Douglas acting family, seems to have it all: grandfather, Kirk Douglas; dad, Michael Douglas; and all the benefits of the glamor of Hollywood. However, all that doesn’t guarantee success and this book details his slow fall into a life of drug use, drug abuse, and, eventually, crime and jail.
The author tells that, once he hits rock bottom, he slowly finds his way, not only out of drug dependence, but to his family. A must read.

[Noreen Hurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, and you certainly wish this young man good fortune as he moves forward. Parts are interesting, but it becomes very repetitive as he struggles to find a way forward. His famous father and grandfather add an interesting perspective to the story.

[Leila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Douglas puts it all out there; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Especially the bad and ugly. He owns it and that is the point of sharing one’s story and I appreciated the raw and gritty details that often made me shudder and shake my head with disgust. His journey was enlightening and I appreciated his willingness to share with the reader. The most compelling theme is his final understanding of what it really means to be a man and the rejection of his previously misguided and juvenile notions.

[Meri Levine]

A really enjoyable audio book giving insight to growing up with divorcing parents, and a famous lineage. What life as an addict could be like and what living in prison is like, even from the perspective of someone coming from privilege, absolutely fascinating.

[Lee Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, really was a page turner for me.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great read. Well written and engrossing. I still don't feel like I entirely understand how someone with so much privilege ended up in such an awful situation, which is why it is a 4 star instead of a 5 star read. I guess it's impossible to understand unless it is you.

[John Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories about personal redemption and this is one of the best I've read.

Cameron's story is astonishing and the book is very well written.

[Georgette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Another outstanding memoir by the son of actor Michael Douglas. He's very upfront about growing up in a life of privilege and blowing it all for a drug addiction that ended him up in prison. Still, it is refreshing to see it is possible to turn one's life around.

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

The book is a memoir about Douglas' upbringing, young adulthood and time in prison. It centers on his addictions and jail time, mainly.

Cameron Douglas isn't a very likeable guy. While on one hand complaining about being compared to his father and grandfather, and trying to distance himself from his last name and 'be [his] own man'. On the other, he is supported for nearly his entire addiction by his father's money and feels slighted when his father cuts him off. Then expects to be given certain opportunities when he gets out of numerous stints in prison, because of his father's name. Says he's going to sober up, use his time wisely...but takes Xanax, drinks and smokes weed to 'take the edge off'. He clearly has some issues that may require prescribed drugs, but is denied those by the prison system's doctors...and takes to self medicating.

There is no remorse for his crimes...at least any that come through in the writing. Only remorse for getting caught. Then he seems to blame just about everyone else for his crimes and addiction, except for himself. He's immature and because of his upbringing seems quite out of touch despite his addiction, crimes and attempts to be 'real'. It got tiresome throughout the book. His prison time isn't really all that revealing. You can get most of his viewpoints from any number of books written by former inmates/addicts.

The actual writing is pretty good...just the content that is a struggle. I didn't find anything redeeming or likeable about him and found it hard to actually care what happens to him. Unless you are a Douglas family fan...or celeb addiction memoir fan...I'd pass on this.

[Lorraine Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am about two thirds of the way through this book and I keep waiting for the author to be humbled or to realize or even admit that dealing crack and crystal meth destroys people, families and communities, if your a dealer your complicit in ruining lives and killing people. Plus the danger he brought to his own family being around them while he was dealing and using. I don't see that addressed in the book, I will keep reading, hoping the author changes my mind.
Honestly I dont feel inspired or uplifted by the book at all (reviews I read on Amazon by readers), in fact I see an imature guy who hasn't grown up, an addict who's blaming others for his situation, including the government and the federal penal system. The part about the sweat lodge really bothered me as a Native person, attending ceremony or building the lodge while he's high on heroin, he doesn't understand the meaning behind the religion (you can't really benefit from ceremonies if your high, he has no understanding of Native American culture or cosmology). There were some rambling bits I skipped so the writing was ok.
Disappointed and wished I could have gotten it from the library instead of buying it!

Just finished, I gave him another star. I still dont think he understand how easy he got off because of his families money and what he really put people through and they are still there for him, hes a lucky guy. Gratitude and a little more humility would have made the book better.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long Way Home is a powerful story of a man's journey through the darkness of addiction and self-destruction, all in the shadow of a famous family. Throughout the book, Cameron details so many life losses that made an impact on him emotionally—his manny leaving, his pet ferret getting eaten by his dog—as well as near-death experiences and his struggles to make amends with his family.

This is the kind of book that will help so many other people who are struggling with addiction. It's a fantastic gift when someone can share their story so openly to help others.

To listen to my interview with Cameron, go to my podcast at: https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/cam...

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the autobiography by the son of iconic actor Michael Douglas, and the grandson of the iconic actor Kirk Douglas. For many years, his life wasn't very pretty. I thought it was going to be too much of a rich kid gone bad story, but it turned out to be pretty interesting and told a good tale.

He writes about his upbringing, albeit in an annoying interleaving way. So he writes about life as a kid, then a chapter on how he messed up, then another chapter as a kid, etc. Eventually, when he gets tossed in jail, the timeline converges. I am not really sure why the interleaving was necessary. Maybe because from his teens until he passed 30, he was a real screw up, with almost no good things to say about his life.

He spent time in all kinds of juvenile detention places, from California to Minnesota. They put him into detox a few times and even tried one of those "tough love" programs, where he spent a month in the desert wilderness. But nothing could break him of first his cocaine habit (including shooting it up) and then his heroin habit.

Eventually his drug dealing days caught up with him and he got tossed into jail. That didn't fix him either, and he kept digging himself further and further under, including spending plenty of time in "solitary" (often with a violent roommate if you can believe it).

But eventually, he starts to come around and finally cleans himself up. He stays focused on himself, stops making excuses and eventually gets out of prison. Although, to be honest, the daily or even hourly checkins of the halfway house sound even worse in some ways than prison. The book ends with him still on prison rehab, but with a girl friend, a daughter and a plan. And according to his recent interview on Preet Bahara's podcast, things are still going strong.

I almost didn't continue with the book. His was definitely the typical story of a guy who had everything and just kept pissing it away. I imagine it is well nigh impossible to have anything approaching a normal childhood in his situation, but the number of "second chances" he got was laughable. But he told his story in about as honest a way as you could hope for, harder on himself than anyone else, although he does recognize the unique difficulties he has.

Even in the included pictures, he looks like a jerk. Always with an insolent tilt of his head. Always looking for trouble, it seems. But the book becomes deep and dark when he gets to prison. I understand we don't want it to be a country club, but it sure doesn't sound like anyone is interested in rehab for these criminals. Even the son of a famous white guy keeps running into roadblocks as he tries to straighten himself out. I can't imagine what it must be like for a poor black guy!

So I think the book is worth it. You do get some insights into the lifestyles of the rich and famous and he is brutally honest. I am glad to see he seems to have turned his life around and it is an insightful, if frustrating in a few different ways, book.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Get thee to a psychotherapist “. That’s what I said to myself as I read Cameron Douglas’ gritty memoir, “Long Way Home”. And that referred to most of the major players in Cameron’s story. Cameron, now 41, spent most of his life addicted to drugs and general bad behavior. He spent 6 or so years in various prisons, in his 30’s, finally coming to terms with his crimes and the effect on others, particularly his immediate family.

Cameron is the son of Michael Douglas and the grandson of Kirk Douglas. That’s a lot of acting legend to live up to, and for Cameron, life was difficult from the beginning. His mother, a 20 year old socialite named Diandra Luker, was not ready for motherhood, or marriage, either. Michael Douglas was not ready, either, for the responsibility of fatherhood, and he had his own ongoing problems with drugs and drink. Cameron bounced between the two as their marriage disintegrated, basically being allowed to do what he wanted and who he wanted to do it with. Where was the responsible parent in Cameron’s life? Non-existent, it seems. He should have been in therapy from an early age, with someone to help him navigate the complexities of life without decent parenting.

The years passed and Cameron continued to live recklessly, often high on drugs. He became a dealer and traveled the world, building a career as a DJ...and a drug dealer. Every so often, his parents would swoop in and rescue Cameron with monetary help. Eventually, he wound up in prison and one of the most interesting parts of the book involve his jail experiences. He also finally kicked his drug habit and left prison a changed man. Will he keep up his newly clean life? He now has a partner and daughter and a renewed acting career. He’s also in therapy.

Will Cameron Douglas remain on the straight and narrow? Living without drugs is certainly hard for an addict. I sure hope he’s able to continue his recovery. He shows awareness of his life and has written an interesting account which spread the blame among those who should be blamed. But he does accept his own part in his own story.

[Joel Cigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read Long Way Home by Michael Douglas’ son, Cameron and it was on my book list for awhile. Unfortunately, it was not the memoire I was hoping for. Most of the chapters focused on Cameron’s drug use and his stints at various security prisons, halfway houses, boot camps etc. You feel a sense of dread with his life of reckless abandon considering he was born into one of the most affluent Hollywood families of them all with palatial mansions all over the world including a compound in Mallorca, Spain.

We never learn really what motivates Cameron to boil heroin, if I’m not mistaken in a spoon and draw it through a cotton ball filter only to shoot it in his leg at a sub-overdose dosage which he said is the best high. Drugs were Cameron’s life and best friend and it seems he has taken them all from meth to coke to crack and mushrooms. It was said that he was an adrenaline junkie and there are chapters where he is sticking up liquor stores as well as crashing his car into the Santa Barbara pier setting it in flames. He mentions that he can also do 2,500 push-ups in 2 hours during a time in prison which I questioned.

I think the take home message perhaps is that Cameron’s father, Michael Douglas, who suffered from sex-addictions, always told Cameron that he was his father but NOT his friend. Cameron always was hoping for a father-son friendship and he never really got this until the end of the book when he finally makes parole and returns home to cultivate his acting career through his experiences being locked up. He settles with a girl named Viviane and they have a healthy child which was shocking considering his addictions.

I was hoping for something much different from this book and I never got it but I was glad I finished it nonetheless. I wonder what Cameron is doing now? Has he squashed his demons?

[Clay Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating, intriguing life story of celebrity offspring Cameron Douglas, son of Michael Douglas, as he became, if this book is to be believed (I largely do but there are some parts in the latter half of the book, where my red flags went up) a cigarette-smoking, drug-abusing user turned petty thief turned drug-shipping mogul to drug kingpin, who eventually goes to prison for 7 years, largely because he refused to cooperate with prosecutors because of the "bro code" amongst prison inmates.

Throughout the book, which is indeed a page-turner, Cameron makes one reckless, dumb decision after another. And at 379 pages, after awhile, his dumb decisions become tiring and repetitive. (In fact, the book could have lost about 30 or so pages along the way) And he mentions so many people in this book that it is hard to keep the non-famous people straight, especially once he starts running with addicts and later prisoners. "Who is this again," I kept asking, then just kept reading because it was easier that way.

Neither one of his parents come off very good here. Michael Douglas seemed to be trapped in a marriage he didn't want, with a spoiled, privileged woman who kept a leopard as a housepet who attacked both Michael & Cameron, so he ran off to make various movies and smoke dope and bang other women. Cameron's mom, not wanting to be left out of the action, would leave Cameron home alone when he was still in single digits so she could go out and party and have affairs.

Is it any wonder Cameron turned to drugs?

But his book does have a lot of heart, and he realizes all his mistakes and bad decisions near the end and his tale does become both a cautionary tale and an inspiring one.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've got to say, this book held me, even when I didn't want it to. Cameron Douglas gives a very detailed take on his life. I feel like he put it out there, honestly. Taking you through his troubled youth and his excuses for everything he did,, to finally waking up to the reality that this is his life, and what do you want to do with it? That's kind of generalized, a lot, but there it is.
I was struck by how many and how much drugs he did and managed to walk away with minimal damage. He was lucky. I have some people I know that took that same path. They are still trying to find what Cameron finally figured out
Sometimes there is some really ugly things in here, but that's the reality he was living. Luckily he had a family that never gave up.
I was almost finished with this book yesterday, when I heard on the news that Kirk Douglas had passed away. Turning the page and seeing the family photo of Kirk with Cameron and the family, I had to put the book down and walk away.
I finished the book today. I was glad to read that Pappy and Cameron have gotten to spend time together. Years and years ago, I read Kirk Douglas's book about his life. He did not have it easy. I was struck by Kirk's and Cameron's books and how much the men are a like.
I'm so happy for Cameron and his family, to have ridden this nightmare to the end and come out the other end with their family in tack. May you always find peace Cameron, and love.

[Roni Blanche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like hearing the horns blaring, the screech of tires, then the inevitable explosion of metal, you want to turn away from the wreck but you can't. You get sucked in. Same with this book. Told in straight up raw detail -- really makes me wonder how junkies that messed up recall so many gritty details -- you see inside the sweet life of a celebrity's kid that went bad. Big time bad.

Sometimes I wanted to slap the crap out of Cameron at blowing all of the chances he was given. I have family members living with addiction and making regular trips to jail/prison and, believe me, chances like Cameron got don't come along for everyone. But I kept going because the reason I started reading the book in the first place was Illeana Douglas's book "I Blame Dennis Hopper" (no relation to Cameron, excellent book BTW) and what a nice kid she said he was. Plus, if you've read any of my other reviews, you know I like to learn while I'm being entertained, and I learned a ton about the suck of addiction and how various drugs make you feel. Made me damn glad that cigarettes were my deepest addiction. So I finished the book and I'm glad I did. Despite the harrowing twists and turns of his bad boy behavior, he finally got his act together and created a better life for himself. I hope he still has it.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this after seeing Cameron in a 20/20 interview with his dad.



This story is the journey of a heroin addict. Cameron takes the reader through his growing up as part of an iconic Hollywood family. The impact his parents long-term broken marriage had on him and his drug abuse. His need to prove his toughness. How he began robbing motels and eventually selling drugs to pay for his own habit and that of his then girlfriend and his best friend.

Douglas discusses how his choices impacted his relationship with his parents, grandparents and younger siblings. How his parents always supported him and how things are post-prison.

He was very real about what goes on in prison and his "romance" with it when he first arrived. From time in solitary, to which table one has to eat at based on the color of their skin. The friendships he made. It's all there in engrossing detail. He shares how he got through and the kicking of his heroin habit.

I was taken by Cameron's honesty. He owns up for his mistakes. He shares his choices and the impact they had to those around him and those he is closest too. Nice read which provided honest insight into a heroin addiction.

[Patty Montoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book and hearing Cameron's voice made this even more of an emotional book. I was hooked on his story for the first chapter. Some of the book was very hard to listen too and imagine in my mind. Addiction totally tears people apart. This must have been so cathartic for him to write this book. The fact that he took up reading and writing in prison saved his life. I wish him well in any of future projects and he should keep writing.
















































I listened to the audio book and hearing Cameron's voice made this even more of an emotional book. I was hooked on his story for the first chapter. Some of the book was very hard to listen too and imagine in my mind. Addiction totally tears people apart. This must have been so cathartic for him to write this book. The fact that he took up reading and writing in prison saved his life. I wish him well in any of future projects and he should keep writing.

[Janet Barsorian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long way home

Is an excellently written and has a depth, a truth and soul you can actually feel. Money can't buy love or happiness and in some cases not even your way out of jail. Growing up around Hollywood elite, and born to continue the Dynasty. There was always "talk" of competition among the "Senior Douglas men"
Cam like it or not was born into that. He was a young man that had everything and could of had so much more. I think Cameron is a brilliant, yet insecure, out spoken and as tough as nails. The road home was long, but it was a journey he had to take. God bless The entire Douglas family. You can feel the love they always had for Cam and helped him countless times.
Its a very interesting look to know that "celebrity" or even just sharing the name CAN get you treated differently, and that isn't always a good thing. Cam made this journey back home with help, treatment, love and support. However, be very certain of one thing Cameron survived on the inside, because he has the heart and soul of a lion. God bless you.

[Jaimie]

This was a really good memoir by Michael Douglas’ son, Cameron. I think he did a good job of being honest with his past. For much of the book I kept feeling really irritated with his decision-making and the reasons behind what he was doing and the path he was traveling. I like that he told that part of his story as the present, to really be honest with the ugliness, instead of telling it from the point-of-view of his enlightened self. It made it more real and I honestly wasn’t sure how it would end. I’m happy he used his prison time has a growing experience and he’s such a smart guy, a deep thinker with a lot of heavy emotions. It just took the hard road for him to be able to deal with all of that, I guess. I also appreciated the look into the prison system in the US. It truly is a different ecosystem, with a culture all its own and that was eye-opening for me.
Highly recommend for memoir-lovers or anyone who has a friend/family member going down a similar path of drug addiction.

[Thebrook78 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finish this book feeling nothing but respect, admiration, and great hope for the author. He succeeded in revealing the full range of experiences that come with the illness of drug addiction, including the positive ones which are necessary if the reader is to gain even an iota of understanding and insight. Cameron Douglas holds nothing back; he is as unafraid to show his lowest moments as he is pleased to share his proudest. His honesty is humbling, and his journey deeply satisfying as he travels a full arc through an extraordinary life. For me his writing is most engaging when he dives into the beauty and pain of family relationships; his own family might be rich and famous, but the vagaries of family love are universal.

If his editor had been a bit more stringent in helping him shape his rich and voluminous material this book would have earned 5 admiring stars from me. I look forward to seeing Cameron Douglas grow as an artist and a human being. He has earned our respect as both.