If you love memoirs and stories of addiction, then this book is fine and dandy. If, however, high quality writing is more important to you than the actual biography, then I suggest skipping this title. A true story, written by a former addict. It is an interesting life that Zalkins exposes to readers, but the terrible writing choices can be distracting at times...I *cannot* understand how the book was published as is, full of juvenile writing and overuse of exclamation points!!!! As if I am yelling all the time!!! Didn't this book ever see an editor in the publishing process? I know Todd Zalkins is not a professional writer by trade, but some of these choices would not have done well in a high school classroom, let alone in an actual published book....Read this one for the STORY, and NOT for the stellar writing techniques. --Jen from Quebec :0)
Interesting read...the whole first 3/4 of the book is about Zalkins' downward spiral through addiction, first to alcohol and cocaine and then progressing to various prescription pain meds. I kept waiting for him to hit his rock bottom and restart his life in rehab, but unfortunately when he got to rehab and stayed, there was no real processing of the event, it was like, in and out, and when he came out of rehab, everything and everybody were beautiful and blessed by God to be on this lovely and amazing planet.