Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction
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- Create Date：2021-06-18 08:55:02
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：David Sheff
- ISBN：1471177939
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Summary
What had happened to my beautiful boy？ To our family？ What did I do wrong？ Those are the wrenching questions that haunted every moment of David Sheff’s journey through his son Nic’s addiction to drugs and tentative steps toward recovery。 Before Nic Sheff became addicted to crystal meth， he was a charming boy， joyous and funny， a varsity athlete and honor student adored by his two younger siblings。 After meth， he was a trembling wraith who lied， stole， and lived on the streets。
David Sheff traces the first subtle warning signs: the denial， the 3 A。M。 phone calls （is it Nic？ The police？ The hospital？）， the rehabs。 His preoccupation with Nic became an addiction in itself， and the obsessive worry and stress took a tremendous toll， but as a journalist， he instinctively researched every avenue of treatment that might save his son and refused to give up on him。 Beautiful Boy is a fiercely candid memoir that brings immediacy to the emotional roller coaster of loving a child who seems beyond help。
David Sheff traces the first subtle warning signs: the denial， the 3 A。M。 phone calls （is it Nic？ The police？ The hospital？）， the rehabs。 His preoccupation with Nic became an addiction in itself， and the obsessive worry and stress took a tremendous toll， but as a journalist， he instinctively researched every avenue of treatment that might save his son and refused to give up on him。 Beautiful Boy is a fiercely candid memoir that brings immediacy to the emotional roller coaster of loving a child who seems beyond help。
Reviews
Ranette
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A true to life expression about drug addiction and the struggle young people go through to kick that habit。
Danielle Rodriguez
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This book was educational and at parts a good read。 I would’ve edited out about half of the book though！ There was just way too much that didn’t have to do with what the book was about。 As a teacher， I’m always telling students to add in more details and more descriptive words。 I felt this book had overkill。 I don’t need to know every single side dish that was served at a bbq you went to at your friend’s house。 Even more than that， the details seemed inauthentic because who remembers all of that This book was educational and at parts a good read。 I would’ve edited out about half of the book though！ There was just way too much that didn’t have to do with what the book was about。 As a teacher， I’m always telling students to add in more details and more descriptive words。 I felt this book had overkill。 I don’t need to know every single side dish that was served at a bbq you went to at your friend’s house。 Even more than that， the details seemed inauthentic because who remembers all of that years later？ Same when he was recounting events that OTHER people experienced and he wasn’t even there。 How are you telling me exactly what this person did and experienced？！ I was getting notes toward the end of the book and just wanted it to end （if you couldn’t tell lol）。 。。。more
Angela
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I had to read this for a class I’m taking， but it was excellent and I highly recommend it！
Leticia
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some outdated takes， but overall really beautiful writing。 i could just sit here and listen to David’s descriptions of the world around him， the people he most treasures， the things he most hates， for hours。 really beautiful writing， informative but also beautiful？ not that those two things need to contradict but he melds them well。 i want to meet nic！ highly recommend to anyone who even remotely liked the movie。
Britney Gonzalez
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This book really shifted my perspective on addiction。 I find myself always coming back to this book。 A true story that will break your heart and educate you the disease that is addiction。
Lisa
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Interesting and heart wrenching。 I learned a lot that I didn’t know and that’s always a good thing。
Becca
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I read this alongside Nic Sheff's companion memoir 'Tweak' （which I would highly reccomend anyone interested doing）， and honestly these two books together create such a strikingly honest picture of what living surrounded by addiction is like。 In 'Beautiful Boy'， David talks about how his sons addiction affects his entire family and he is extremely candid about what he thought along the way， not shying away from the very low moments he found himself in。 This book （both of them really） is one whic I read this alongside Nic Sheff's companion memoir 'Tweak' （which I would highly reccomend anyone interested doing）， and honestly these two books together create such a strikingly honest picture of what living surrounded by addiction is like。 In 'Beautiful Boy'， David talks about how his sons addiction affects his entire family and he is extremely candid about what he thought along the way， not shying away from the very low moments he found himself in。 This book （both of them really） is one which is so important and should be more widely read - it is utterly compelling and generous of the author to write on such a personal and harrowing topic。 Thank you David and Nic Sheff for sharing your story。 。。。more
Melissa Hancock
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I was impressed by the vulnerability of David Sheffield。 I also really enjoyed how he intertwined his stories of Nic， the very different stories of his other two children， and his research into meth addiction。 The book flowed seamlessly。
Michelle Wyche
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I had to read this for my class that I am currently taking。 This was a heartfelt memoir that portrays both sides of a battle with addiction: those battling the disease and their family who doesn't know what to do and who blames themselves and goes through many emotions I had to read this for my class that I am currently taking。 This was a heartfelt memoir that portrays both sides of a battle with addiction: those battling the disease and their family who doesn't know what to do and who blames themselves and goes through many emotions 。。。more
Lizzy Hanks
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Top Three Takeaways:- Everyone makes their own decisions， none of which are inherently correct or incorrect。 Individuals must rely on their own intuition to make choices， which means parents don't have the power to decide whether their children choose life or death。- Addiction is an all-consuming， viscious disease that masks individuals' souls。- Some joys are too miraculous and some miseries are too devastating to exist without divinity， whether that divinity stems from God， a higher power， or m Top Three Takeaways:- Everyone makes their own decisions， none of which are inherently correct or incorrect。 Individuals must rely on their own intuition to make choices， which means parents don't have the power to decide whether their children choose life or death。- Addiction is an all-consuming， viscious disease that masks individuals' souls。- Some joys are too miraculous and some miseries are too devastating to exist without divinity， whether that divinity stems from God， a higher power， or mere faith。 "God is a concept by which we measure our pain" （John Lennon） 。。。more
Erin Allen
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Heartbreaking and enlightening at the same time。 I read this book quickly and it has helped me in my own story as well as to understand stories like that of Nic and David Sheff。
Sara
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Why does it help to read others' stories？ It is not only that misery loves company， because （I learned） misery is too self-absorbed to want much company。 Others' experiences did help with my emotional struggle。。。-Sheff Why does it help to read others' stories？ It is not only that misery loves company， because （I learned） misery is too self-absorbed to want much company。 Others' experiences did help with my emotional struggle。。。-Sheff 。。。more
Faith
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incredibly informative on the impact of families that deal with drugs。 it was deep and really told the emotions and struggles that happen。
Marstxles
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'He says "It dawned on me。 I have gotten my morals back" Nic and I look at each other with。。。what？ Tentativeness。 And for the first time in a long tine， tenderness。' 'He says "It dawned on me。 I have gotten my morals back" Nic and I look at each other with。。。what？ Tentativeness。 And for the first time in a long tine， tenderness。' 。。。more
Julia
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I love David Sheff's writing style but there were times where it seemed like he was too much into detail over and over again。 I love David Sheff's writing style but there were times where it seemed like he was too much into detail over and over again。 。。。more
Jess Harker
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Both heart-wrenching and enlightening， this book allows you a back row seat to one man’s painful journey through seeing his son through drug addiction。 Sheff not only shares intimate glances into his family’s lives， but brings popular research to shed light on the effects of drugs on their victims。 I laughed and cried with Sheff through each chapter， and feel I now have more empathy and respect for both drug addicts and their loved ones’ journeys。
Kyle Feuerbach
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Beautiful and terrifying story。 This book ripped my heart out several years ago， but re-visiting it again， this time as a father， was almost unbearable。However， it is so honest and sincere that I felt compelled to see it through to the end。 Just like the first time， I loved this book， despite the emotional torture experienced while reading it。
Bernadette🌻
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Not a good as I hoped it would be。 I am very sympathetic to the struggles this family endured but I the author very unlikeable。
Trevor Nez
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A good friend who works at our local library recommended that I read this incredible novel。 I’ll have to thank her because it did not disappoint。 Before reading this book， I had no clue what methamphetamine was。 I have family members who suffer from addiction; David， I feel your sympathy with wanting to help and end up feeling helpless。If you have read this book， I recommend that you check out the son; Nic Shaff's novel， Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines。 A good friend who works at our local library recommended that I read this incredible novel。 I’ll have to thank her because it did not disappoint。 Before reading this book， I had no clue what methamphetamine was。 I have family members who suffer from addiction; David， I feel your sympathy with wanting to help and end up feeling helpless。If you have read this book， I recommend that you check out the son; Nic Shaff's novel， Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines。 。。。more
Jessica
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“Fortunately I have a son， my beautiful boy Unfortunately， he is a drug addict。 Fortunately， he is in recovery。 Unfortunately， he relapses。 Fortunately， he is in recovery again。 Unfortunately， he relapses。 Fortunately， he is not dead。” This quote sums up a lot of the hardships talked about in this book。 I think the book Beautiful Boy by: David Sheff was a beautiful rendition of the harsh story many families have to face。 This story truly makes you think of how the use of addictive drugs can affe “Fortunately I have a son， my beautiful boy Unfortunately， he is a drug addict。 Fortunately， he is in recovery。 Unfortunately， he relapses。 Fortunately， he is in recovery again。 Unfortunately， he relapses。 Fortunately， he is not dead。” This quote sums up a lot of the hardships talked about in this book。 I think the book Beautiful Boy by: David Sheff was a beautiful rendition of the harsh story many families have to face。 This story truly makes you think of how the use of addictive drugs can affect not only the ones using it but also the ones closest to them。 The main character， Nic goes back and forth through recovery and relapse and you are truly able to sympathize with his character because of the fantastic imagery the author uses。 I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind a sad story and wants to learn more about the struggles of addiction。 。。。more
Anne
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This shows so accurately the helplessness of those close to an addict， while also showing the beauty of a father’s unconditional love。 A new favorite of mine。
Peyton
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this was such an amazing read。 i’ve had many people in my life who’ve dealt with addiction and this book helped me see situations like this from a different perspective。 beautiful！！
Eamon
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I don't think giving this book a starred review is appropriate。 This book is heartbreaking but it is filled with courage and love。 I am glad that David and Nic shared their story with the world。 I don't think giving this book a starred review is appropriate。 This book is heartbreaking but it is filled with courage and love。 I am glad that David and Nic shared their story with the world。 。。。more
Shirley Mytnowych
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This was a 3 star read up until past the halfway point。 I felt like I was wading through too many words to get to what actually was happening。 I would have preferred less description。 I felt like the author was very arrogant in the beginning of the book， but as the story progressed， you could hear the humility eventually develop as the realization of his lack of control over the situation became clear to him。 My personal experience is more in line with Nic's perspective and I know I would never This was a 3 star read up until past the halfway point。 I felt like I was wading through too many words to get to what actually was happening。 I would have preferred less description。 I felt like the author was very arrogant in the beginning of the book， but as the story progressed， you could hear the humility eventually develop as the realization of his lack of control over the situation became clear to him。 My personal experience is more in line with Nic's perspective and I know I would never want to be a parent in the author's position！ 。。。more
Samantha Buchheit
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If I was judging it holistically as a nonfiction book， I would give it 5 stars because I think it is great for that genre。 Overall， though， I'm giving it a 4。 That's not to say the book isn't eyeopening and informative， but it's simply not my favorite genre。 I loved this movie and had to read the book。 It took a while to get through because there were so many facts but it was still a beautiful and tragic story that made you really care for the Sheff family。 If I was judging it holistically as a nonfiction book， I would give it 5 stars because I think it is great for that genre。 Overall， though， I'm giving it a 4。 That's not to say the book isn't eyeopening and informative， but it's simply not my favorite genre。 I loved this movie and had to read the book。 It took a while to get through because there were so many facts but it was still a beautiful and tragic story that made you really care for the Sheff family。 。。。more
Lily Mathys
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Ik heb dit boek gelezen voor school。Ik vond het prachtig verhaal maar zo het niet uit mezelf lezen
Jill Antonowicz
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quick read and i love memoirs so 10/10。 very emotional story though and doesn’t have a happy ending but that’s life
Gregory Eckert
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It was an interesting story。 Kept me going。 Gut wrenching for the family。 Super sad loss of potential。 Probably read it from the stand point of trying to keep my kids from going down that road。 Tells the story of a neat kid who goes between divorced parents and gets into hard drugs。 Describes how people blame themselves and are manipulated by family members who are drug addicts。 Tells of the treatment industry and gives insight and solidarity to other parents who are struggling with a similar si It was an interesting story。 Kept me going。 Gut wrenching for the family。 Super sad loss of potential。 Probably read it from the stand point of trying to keep my kids from going down that road。 Tells the story of a neat kid who goes between divorced parents and gets into hard drugs。 Describes how people blame themselves and are manipulated by family members who are drug addicts。 Tells of the treatment industry and gives insight and solidarity to other parents who are struggling with a similar situation。 Borrowed it from daughter on a flight home。 Pretty quick read。 。。。more
shelby
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i LOVED THIS BOOK SO GOD DAMN MUCH！！！！！！！！！！！ IT WAS SO TOUCHING， SO BEAUTIFUL， SO REAL。 David Sheff writes really well and I love how descriptive he was about his life。 The details he gave about the most mundane things were my favorite aspect of this memoir。The obvious main topic of conversation， being a parent of an addict， was very eye-opening as well。 Also heart-wrenching。 I think he did a good job of not only discussing drug addiction though， but teaching readers the science behind it。 I le i LOVED THIS BOOK SO GOD DAMN MUCH！！！！！！！！！！！ IT WAS SO TOUCHING， SO BEAUTIFUL， SO REAL。 David Sheff writes really well and I love how descriptive he was about his life。 The details he gave about the most mundane things were my favorite aspect of this memoir。The obvious main topic of conversation， being a parent of an addict， was very eye-opening as well。 Also heart-wrenching。 I think he did a good job of not only discussing drug addiction though， but teaching readers the science behind it。 I learned a lot from this book and it read like a story。 Memoirs are also my favorite genre and this one is currently at the top of my list。 。。。more
Meredith McLellan
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