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The Gangster's Guide to Sobriety: My Life in 12 Steps
As seen on Good Morning America
A darkly humorous and inspiring first-person account of the larger-than-life exploits and ultimate redemption of an Irish gangster-turned-actor-turned-sober-storyteller—written in collaboration with the creators of Silicon Valley .
Richie Stephens is an actor who often plays hardened gangsters and criminals. This is easy for him because he was a drug trafficker, kidnapper, drug addict, alcoholic, and all-around criminal himself. His life twisted and turned in harrowing self-destructive adventures that took him from his native Ireland to San Francisco, Australia, and finally, Los Angeles, coalescing into a classic tale of a man trying to run from his problems by moving to new and more exotic locations—a hard and painful realization that comes at a point in which he’s about to take his own life. The only reason there is a story to tell is because he did not. Instead, he found help, and in doing so, found himself. More than that, he found that help comes in different forms, and oftentimes it just takes the right thought to hit at the right time for it all to make sense.
The Gangster’s Guide to Sobriety chronicles Richie’s descent into the abyss of crime and dependency, and how his personal understanding of freedom allowed him to become the functioning positive force he is today. Richie’s story is sprawling and epic, but the key to the book is the same key to his the 12 Steps. With his own flair and original understanding of life and the world, he followed the 12 Steps to find the clarity he needed to save his own life and evolve into a positive force for others. As Richie says, “Hopefully if people see that someone as fucked up as me could change their life, then there is hope for anyone.”
The Gangster’s Guide to Sobriety is gripping in its honesty and openness. Even at its darkest moments, there is a keen understanding of the absurd nature of life as the author comes to grips with his failings and his faith, while also entering a place of self-acceptance. This is a story of redemption and the power of the human spirit, and how sometimes you have to turn to something greater than yourself.
A darkly humorous and inspiring first-person account of the larger-than-life exploits and ultimate redemption of an Irish gangster-turned-actor-turned-sober-storyteller—written in collaboration with the creators of Silicon Valley .
Richie Stephens is an actor who often plays hardened gangsters and criminals. This is easy for him because he was a drug trafficker, kidnapper, drug addict, alcoholic, and all-around criminal himself. His life twisted and turned in harrowing self-destructive adventures that took him from his native Ireland to San Francisco, Australia, and finally, Los Angeles, coalescing into a classic tale of a man trying to run from his problems by moving to new and more exotic locations—a hard and painful realization that comes at a point in which he’s about to take his own life. The only reason there is a story to tell is because he did not. Instead, he found help, and in doing so, found himself. More than that, he found that help comes in different forms, and oftentimes it just takes the right thought to hit at the right time for it all to make sense.
The Gangster’s Guide to Sobriety chronicles Richie’s descent into the abyss of crime and dependency, and how his personal understanding of freedom allowed him to become the functioning positive force he is today. Richie’s story is sprawling and epic, but the key to the book is the same key to his the 12 Steps. With his own flair and original understanding of life and the world, he followed the 12 Steps to find the clarity he needed to save his own life and evolve into a positive force for others. As Richie says, “Hopefully if people see that someone as fucked up as me could change their life, then there is hope for anyone.”
The Gangster’s Guide to Sobriety is gripping in its honesty and openness. Even at its darkest moments, there is a keen understanding of the absurd nature of life as the author comes to grips with his failings and his faith, while also entering a place of self-acceptance. This is a story of redemption and the power of the human spirit, and how sometimes you have to turn to something greater than yourself.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published May 24, 2022
14 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 4, 2022
A memoir of a former gangster, drug addict and alcoholic about getting to hell and back. Well-written (Richie Stevens had an excellent help from his co-authors, professional writers), concise and sincere, without blaming and self-pity. I'm not sure how useful it could be in helping others on their way to recovery, but for me it was an interesting insight into the life experience that is very different from my own.
Listening to the audio book version narrated by the the author himself really enhances the impression of the book.
Listening to the audio book version narrated by the the author himself really enhances the impression of the book.
January 8, 2024
Highly recommend the Audible version. Stephens’ accent really adds a unique hue to the colorful language and Irish euphemisms. He also is a master at doing different voices, which helps with a few of the more ramble-y anecdotes.
The book provides depth and a personal narrative of the 12 steps of AA that I found relatable and easy to empathize with, even though I’m not an Irish gangster doing eight-balls of coke. There are things to takeaway and apply to one’s own life regardless.
And definitely some laugh out loud moments. On the whole, something to learn, something to admire, something to enjoy.
The book provides depth and a personal narrative of the 12 steps of AA that I found relatable and easy to empathize with, even though I’m not an Irish gangster doing eight-balls of coke. There are things to takeaway and apply to one’s own life regardless.
And definitely some laugh out loud moments. On the whole, something to learn, something to admire, something to enjoy.
July 7, 2022
After hearing Richie on the Rich Roll Podcast, I had to read this book! It kept me bopping along.
October 15, 2022
Richie Stephens tells his story of trying to find himself through drugs, alcohol, sex and crime and after years of living in a haze of addiction that brought him from Ireland to America to Australia and back to the USA where he has found inner peace by abandoning his old habits and adopting a clean and sober lifestyle. The turnabout has given him a career in the movie industry which was never in the cards when he started out as a shy teenager in Arva, Co Cavan.
November 30, 2022
An addiction diary that's both insane in the way Richie tells his life story, and in the contents of that story. He'll often be like, "I was on the way to have my girlfriend abort her baby when my wife showed up with her pimp to jump me." (This didn't happen, but he does talk about pissing his wife and girlfriend off a lot, while doing the craziest art heists and shit.)
But still an addiction journal with insight and wisdom.
But still an addiction journal with insight and wisdom.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews