Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir

 

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry  272 pages

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

I did not know how much this man suffered. It was a depressing read and eery because we know the end.

You Ought to Do a Story About Me: Addiction, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Endless Quest for Redemption by Ted Jackson

 336 pages / 10 hrs, 15 mins

"In 1990, while covering a story about homelessness for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Ted Jackson encountered a half-naked drug addict sleeping under a bridge. After snapping a photo, Jackson woke the man. Pointing to the daily newspaper by his feet, the homeless stranger looked the photojournalist in the eye and said, “You ought to do a story about me.” When Ted asked why, he was stunned by the answer. “Because, I’ve played in three Super Bowls.”

"That chance meeting was the start of Ted’s thirty-year relationship with Jackie Wallace, a former NFL star who rose to the pinnacle of fame and fortune, only to crash and lose it all. Getting to know Jackie, Ted learned the details of his life, and how he spiraled into the “vortex of darkness” that left him addicted and living on the streets of New Orleans. 

"Ted chronicles Jackie's life from his teenage years in New Orleans through college and the NFL to the end of his pro career and the untimely death of his mother—devastating events that led him into addiction and homelessness. Throughout, Ted pays tribute to the enduring friendship he shares with this man he has come to help and also look at as an inspiration. But Ted is not naïve; he speaks frankly about the risk that such a relationship poses: Can a man like Jackie recover, or is he destined to roam the streets until his end? 

"Tragic and triumphant, inspiring and infuriating, You Ought to Do a Story About Me offers a rare glimpse into the precarious world of homelessness and the lingering impact of systemic racism and poverty on the lives of NOLA’s citizens. Lyrical and evocative, Ted's account is pure, singular, and ambitious—a timeless tale about loss, redemption, and hope in their multifarious forms."  --from the publisher

This is a thought-provoking and heart-rending story. It includes some unique insights that (I think) would make it interesting and worthwhile for most readers. I cannot recommend the audiobook read by Christopher Grove--check out a print copy instead. I give it four out of five stars.

Carrie Fisher: Life on the Edge by Shelia Weller

Carrie Fisher: Life on the Edge by Shelia Weller, 367 pages

This was one of the best biographies I have read in a long time.  Shelia details every aspect of Carrie's life, year by year, month by month.  What she writes about Carrie is so shocking and very revealing.  Shelia also details Carries brushes with death and her severe mental problems and drug addiction.  This was a great book especially if you are a fan of Carrie Fisher.

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
(National Book Award Finalist)
320 pages

"In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka's teacher asks him to draw his family, with a mommy and a daddy. But Jarrett's family is much more complicated than that. His mom is an addict, in and out of rehab, and in and out of Jarrett's life. His father is a mystery... Jarrett lives with his grandparents -- two very loud, very loving, very opinionated people who had thought they were through with raising children until Jarrett came along.

"Jarrett goes through his childhood trying to make his non-normal life as normal as possible, finding a way to express himself through drawing even as so little is being said to him about what's going on. Only as a teenager can Jarrett begin to piece together the truth of his family, reckoning with his mother and tracking down his father.

"Hey, Kiddo is a profoundly important memoir about growing up in a family grappling with addiction, and finding the art that helps you survive."  --from the publisher

This is a masterful telling of his life's story.  Most of us can get our point across given enough time and words, but Krosoczka manages to use outstanding illustrations and very few words to communicate the pain and hope that colored his childhood.

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance

Hillbilly Elegy : A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance, 272 pages

This biography tells how a Kentucky hillbilly, raised in Ohio (yet still a Kentucky hillbilly) went against the odds of both his upbringing and his environment to become a military veteran and a Yale Law graduate. Raised by many a father, a physically and mentally absent addict mother, and an always steady grandmother and sister, J.D. could have taken the track many have in his position. But seeing the hard-working example of his hillbilly grandfather, he knew he had to work to get out of his situation that wasn't of his making. His trials along the way helped him form his opinions on rural living and politics. A fascinating read. 

Sweet by Emmy Laybourne

Sweet by Emmy Laybourne  272 pages

The luxurious celebrity cruise launching the trendy new diet sweetener Solu should be the vacation of a lifetime. But Laurel is starting to regret accepting her friend Viv's invitation. She's already completely embarrassed herself in front of celebrity host Tom Forelli--the hottest guy ever!--and she's too sick to even "try" the sweetener. And that's "before" Viv and all the other passengers start acting really strange. Tom knows that he should be grateful for this job and the chance to shed his former-child-star image. His publicists have even set up a 'romance' with a sexy reality star. But as things on the ship start to get wild, he finds himself drawn to a different girl. And when the hosting gig turns into an expose on the shocking side effects of Solu, it's Laurel that he's determined to save.

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins, 665 pages

Fallout is the third and final book of the Crank series. Unlike the first two books, written from Kristina's perspective, this book is entirely written in the perspective of her children.  In the first book, Crank, Kristina gives birth to her son, Hunter.  In the second book, we find out she is expecting a second child, which is revealed was a daughter.  The story continues with another daughter and two more sons.  Only the two youngest live with Kristina. Hunter seems to have the most stable life being raised by Kristina's parents. His other siblings were not so fortunate. Drug addiction is not only the problem of the addict, but it also adversely affects everyone in the family.  It is never one person's problem.  Kristina's children have to fight their own addictions, all the result of Kristina's lifelong addiction to meth.

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

Glass by Ellen Hopkins, 681 pages

In her follow up novel to Crank, Ellen Hopkins continues with her story of Kristina and her battle with meth addiction in Glass.  After the birth of her son, Kristina stays clean for a little while, but she can't fight her cravings.  After landing a job at 7-Eleven, she scores some money for her new found addiction, glass.   Glass is a more powerful, purer form of meth.  Kristina's addiction proves so strong she is kicked out of her house and loses custody of her son. Finding a new love with Trey, Kristina falls into a deeper path to destruction that eventually lands her in jail. This novel was very powerful and shows how drug addiction can destroy a young life.

Fearless by Eric Blehm

Fearless by Eric Blehm -257 pages

The subtitle, "The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team Six Operator Adam Brown," makes it clear this is a biography of a man who was admired by his peers. Brown's story is unique for several reasons. He lost his dominant right eye in training and still became a sniper using his left side. He also nearly lost the fingers of his right hand. Brown was known for mentoring new guys instead of hazing them and giving hundreds of shoes to Afghan children. But what makes this book an inspiring read has little to do with Brown's membership in an elite military unit. Incredibly, Adam Brown reached the top tier SEAL unit after years of hard core drug addiction as a civilian. The book details how he was able to overcome a destructive life to become a selfless teammate and family man. In a sad postscript, several of Brown's teammates who paid tribute to him in the book were killed before it was published when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan in 2011.

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

176 pp. One of several candid memoirs written by Carrie Fisher, she details her childhood growing up the child of Hollywood stars, her addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs, and her bipolar diagnosis and subsequent electroshock therapy treatments. Tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating, and witty.

Valiant by Holly Black

Valiant by Holly Black  313 pages

When seventeen-year-old Valerie Russell runs away to New York City, she's trying to escape a life that has utterly betrayed her. Sporting a new identity, she takes up with a gang of squatters who live in the city's labyrinthine subway system.

But there's something eerily beguiling about Val's new friends. Impulsive Lolli talks of monsters in the subway tunnels they call home and shoots up a shimmery amber-colored powder that makes the shadows around her dance. Severe Luis claims he can make deals with creatures that no one else can see. And then there's Luis's brother, timid and sensitive Dave, who makes the mistake of letting Val tag along as he makes a delivery to a woman who turns out to have goat hooves instead of feet.

When a bewildered Val allows Lolli to talk her into tracking down the hidden lair of the creature for whom Luis and Dave have been dealing, Val finds herself bound into service by a troll named Ravus. He is as hideous as he is honorable. And as Val grows to know him, she finds herself torn between her affection for an honorable monster and her fear of what her new friends are becoming.

Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines, by Nic Sheff

  Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines, by Nic Sheff, 336 pages

This could also be subtitled 'growing up on all of the drugs,' because Nic Sheff leaves no drug unabused.  This is a brilliant portrayal of addiction- his actions are SOOO frustrating, but that is just the nature of drug abuse.  He is a likable guy, with so much potential- but going on the journey with Nic will really try the reader.  If you've never had an addict in your life, though, I really recommend reading this- I think it's a really realistic depiction.

His Bright Light by Danielle Steel

His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina by Danielle Steel, 399 pages

In His Bright Light: the Story of Nick Traina, Danielle Steel shares the heartbreaking story of her son Nick Traina's struggle with mental illness, depression, and drug use. Danielle writes from the very beginning of his life of how Nick's father struggled with drug addiction and drifted in and out of Nick's life.  It is a very sad story as it follows Nick growing up as a conflicted teenager.  Nick is adopted by Danielle Steel's husband John Traina and is brought up in a privileged household with six biological siblings.  Danielle Steel details her many struggles trying to get him help. She also includes some of his personal journals.  He committed suicide in 1997 at the age of 19.  This was a very sad story.