Beautiful Boy

A Father's Journey through His Son's Meth Addiction

By: David Sheff

Narrated by: Anthony Heald

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The #1 New York Times best-selling story of addiction and a father’s love: “A brilliant, harrowing, heartbreaking, fascinating story, full of beautiful moments and hard-won wisdom. This book will save a lot of lives and heal a lot of hearts.”—Anne Lamott

Now a Major Motion Picture Starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet.

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’s drug addiction. David’s story is a first: a teenager’s addiction from the parent’s point of view—a real-time chronicle of the shocking descent into substance abuse and the gradual emergence into hope.

Before meth, Sheff’s son, Nic, was a varsity athlete, honor student, and award-winning journalist. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied, stole money from his eight-year-old brother, and lived on the streets. With poignant candor, Sheff traces the first warning signs—denial, 3 a.m. phone calls—the attempts at rehabilitation, and, at last, the way past addiction. He shows us that, whatever an addict’s fate, the rest of the family must care for one another too, lest they become addicted to addiction.

Beautiful Boy is a fiercely candid memoir that brings immediacy to the emotional rollercoaster of loving a child who seems beyond help.

You can also hear Sheff's son's perspective in his memoir: Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines.

©2007 David Sheff (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Sheff does not spare himself or anyone else from keen professional scrutiny any more than he was himself spared the pains and joys of watching a loved one struggling with addiction and recovery....This is an honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic." ( Publishers Weekly)

Powerful

This book will gut you. It will also give you hope. For any person affected by addiction, be it yourself or a loved one, this book is a must.

Bravo for the ugly truth

Most reviews claim it dragged on or it’s bs ext. I appreciate the length I appreciated the mention of the multiple instances of the relapse and hope and relapse and hope and I understand those who are annoyed with the authors inability to walk away for a seemingly obvious outcome for his son. Listening to this fathers account being a methamphetamine addict myself broke me in a way I can assure you I have never been broken before. Hearing the pain and worry of the parent who constantly bail their son out sending him to the best rehabs never giving up despite his lies and thefts and overdoses was harrowing. The most shocking revelation for me was the description of the upheaval of the father and his other children. I never once thought about the pain and fear my divorced parents went through putting their heads together trying to save me from myself over and over and over again. My brother and sisters got half of what they deserved since I took up so much time with my addiction and I don’t think I ever even thought about it. I wanted to scream at him that his son wants to do it for him wants the life his dad wants for him that he trying harder than he will ever know that he’s not lying he means it when he says he hates himself that’s he really believes this time I will succeed he wants it more than anything in the world. I’m going to listen to the sons book now I know I wrote this for myself more than a review but in the end I must say… thank you for this book and I’m sorry

Superbly addictive

A fabulously written book with a truthful story and great research. Educational for every parent and people who suffer from addiction of any kind. This is by far the best book about the struggle from a parents point of view.

Heartfelt

Great narration! I was moved through the entire reading. Feeling for parents in the crisis of drug addiction of their children and hoping that that one could have the perseverance that they have.

Amazing story

The writing is fantastic and clear. The story is absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching but vital to hear!

Everything

My beautiful boy lost his fight April 12, 2016. So much of this story brings me back to our life on his roller coaster. I found myself holding my breath throughout the book and anxious to hear how or if Nick survived. Thank you for sharing and expressing some moments that are so hard to articulate to those unaffected by an addict.

Sad Personal Story, Beautifully Told

Having read David Sheff's article about his son's meth addiction in the New York Times magazine, I knew this book would be wonderful, and I wasn't disappointed. Sheff takes us through every high, every low, every hope, and every crisis he, and everyone else with an addicted loved one, experiences. His ability to describe these emotions is unparalleled. Most importantly, we see that he is able to progress in his understanding of addiction and his unwitting role in it. Highly recommended for anyone trying to comprehend the crazy world addiction takes us into.

For anyone with a child with addiction. A must read

I wish I could put into words the impact this book had on me. As many have said, it is like David was speaking directly to me. Our son gets out of rehab after 7 months, in two weeks. I am excited and scared to death. The thoughts and facts in this book helped prepare me.

Great gift from my beautiful daughter

A very raw and touching story. Highlights a parents unending hope, love and sacrifice .

Beautiful, touching rivetting

GET THIS AUDIOBOOK!
I couldn't take me headphones off...
The story is sad, touching and written (and read) in a realistic and heartbreaking way.
No cliches and self help mantras - It is a window into the author's sole.