Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines
by Nic Sheff
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.87 You Save: $11.12 (65%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.91 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines
Book Review: Less Helpful Then Frey's "A Million Little Pieces"
Summary: 1 Stars
Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines While perhaps entertaining for the armchair voyeur, Tweak is inherently unhelpful to those suffering from addiction, or to their families and support systems. What Tweak does provide is insight as to how many millions of chemically dependent people are so poorly served by traditional group treatment programs; programs that all but ignore the physiological components of addiction and rely instead on folklore and punitive, authoritarian measures to address a complex problem. Perhaps one of the causes of long addiction term is addiction treatment itself.
For those suburban armchair quarterbacks that "understand" urban issues by reading the newspaper, this may be an interesting tome. But the amateurish writing style proves the brilliant writing capabilities of James Frey who did a much better job of creating a pseudo-fictional insiders view of the life of an addict.
Book Review: Hard To Swallow...
Summary: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book, it is a "very few holds barred" (I won't say no, because I'm sure there are things he failed to mention) account of someone's addiction (although, I won't agree with the title when it says to "meth", it was more or less to anything he could afford/get). What I liked about this memoir is it helps us understand what an addict is going through (because those of us with addicts in our lives know they usually don't tell those they care about a no holds barred account of what they went through). There were some things I didn't like - I don't like Nic's dad (even though I did read his book). He reminds me of an arrogant prick who is too busy with his new family to be bothered with Nic and his troubles. I am rooting for Nic to stay strong in his recovery, but I must say I am very skeptical about his ability to do so. At any rate, this is a good book for a first book, but his writing talents aren't what his father makes them seem and I don't know if I'd read anything fiction that he wrote.Book Review: Compelling and Worth Reading
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this book gave me added insight into the mind workings of an addict. That alone was very helpful. Understanding why and how an addict (or someone with a bipolar disorder) thinks made me more empathetic to them and their situation. If we assume we have full control and responsibility for our thoughts and actions, this book reveals that when we are not in control of our own mind or we are unaware of ourselves and our tendencies, we might not make good choices. I highly recommend this book to everyone, because most of us know someone with addictive inclinations and bottom line- who could all use more understanding and awareness! From a more protective/pessimistic viewpoint, this book can help you become more aware of thoughts and behaviors that are drug-induced, and you can know to steer clear of people and situations that might be unsafe. An excellent companion read is David Scheff's book called Beautiful Boy (he is the author's father.) I also applaud the author for his authenticity and courage.Book Review: Interesting glimpse into the mind of an addict
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this book after finishing "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff, mainly because it's pretty rare to get to read both sides of an addiction story. I found this book to be somewhat manic in its retelling of events (expected), raw in its content (appreciated), and very, very candid. What I liked best about this book was how there was no sugar-coating. Nic Sheff wrote about his experiences and didn't hold back a thing, and I think this was what made this book so good. It's rare that we get a firsthand idea of what it's really like for an addict in the throes of needing to feed their demons but also trying to get rid of their demons, and getting this inside view really made me start to view addicts with a lot more compassion than I maybe would have prior to reading this book. As with David Sheff's book, I found myself rooting for Nic, rooting for his family and friends, and I really hope that Nic continues on his path of sobriety because I think he has more to offer people than even he realizes.Book Review: Not Even Worth Checking Out from the Library
Summary: 1 Stars
This book really sucks. There's nothing about Nic Sheff's life story that hasn't already been covered in many other addiction memoirs.
The one difference here is nepotism, in this case, the addict is the son of an already published author who recently banged out a book on the same topic.
At least Daddy Sheff had some originality, as the first to address methamphetamine addiction from the perspective of the addict's parent.
Yet even Dad's book, Beautiful Boy, suffered from a major plot spoiler that also applies to the son's Tweak: you know from the outset that the kid is currently alive and sober. All suspense dies upon arrival.
Maybe this review reflects some of the bitterness I feel about the memoir genre as a whole. Too many of the book deals in this category go to inexperienced scribes who are banking on something other than writing skill and experience. All of this diverts opportunities from people who do know how to write well.