Beautiful Things

A Memoir

By: Hunter Biden

Narrated by: Hunter Biden

Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times Best Seller

“I come from a family forged by tragedies and bound by a remarkable, unbreakable love,” Hunter Biden writes in this deeply moving and “unflinchingly honest” (Entertainment Weekly) memoir of addiction, loss, and survival.

When he was two years old, Hunter Biden was badly injured in a car accident that killed his mother and baby sister. In 2015, he suffered the devastating loss of his beloved big brother, Beau, who died of brain cancer at the age of 46. These hardships were compounded by the collapse of his marriage and a years-long battle with drug and alcohol addiction.

In Beautiful Things - “an astonishingly candid and brave book about loss, human frailty, wayward souls, and hard-fought redemption” (Dave Eggers, New York Times best-selling author) - Hunter recounts his descent into substance abuse and his tortuous path to sobriety. The story ends with where Hunter is today - a sober married man with a new baby, finally able to appreciate the beautiful things in life.

©2021 Hunter Biden. Photograph courtesy of Joe Biden. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Honest and Beautiful Story

What a truly beautiful and horribly sad story of loss, addiction, love and support. I couldn’t turn it off. What a wonderful family.

Touching

What a touching and authentic memoir! I cried through Hunter's excellent delivery of my Audible version and then bought two hard copies: one for my library and one for a family member who is a recovering addict.

Truly. Beautiful.

From someone who reads hundreds of books each year...few have inspired me to actually say (more precisely, blurt) out loud and irrespective of environment,
“Wow. That was GOOD.”

Hunter’s honest, moving account is at once heartwarming and harrowing; humble and hair raising. Dynamically filled with hope and at times good humor, Biden turns hindsight and limelight into foresight and insight...and the peace that only such a journey can evoke.

This book is in good company: it now lives top-of-shelf, amongst the top-few-faves-of-my bookshelves.

Thank you, Hunter!

Harrowing and Triumphant Memoir

I was surprised to learn that Hunter Biden had written a memoir. I did not listen to the vitriol during the campaign. I was curious to see how the “troubled son” as so many reporters alluded to in their stories, would respond. This memoir is that response. Hunter Biden presents snapshots of happy childhood memories surrounded by family friends, and extended family, aka the senators In Washington DC. While his memories fill the reader with warmth and cheer, he is unflinching in his response to the emotional toll of the tragic deaths that ripped through his family, particularly the passing of his brother from a dreaded disease.

There is a section of the book that is more like a resume of past accomplishments. There is also a section that cursorily review of the contributing factors to Hunter Biden’s descent into addiction, What pulls this reader through is how the author rips open how he existed, a part of a famous family, yet choosing to be separate. What is also evident is the pulse of familial affection that flows between family members..

The memoir does an extensive, excellent job in painting the nightmarish existence of addicts, no matter their socio-economic level, and the impact on family members.

Bravo to Hunter Biden for sharing his story and answering the question that was asked throughout 2020, “where’s Hunter?”

Forget the Name or not?

An excellent way of sharing about his grief and addiction. His journey through pain and recovery should be hopeful to all that have suffered from grief and/or addiction. Recovery is possible. Keep it up!

A must read to see inside addiction.

As a recovering alcoholic, this story hit me in places nothing else could. It is not a political story, it is a story of an addicts struggles in the gauntlet of political limelight. Definitely found a new respect for the Biden family. Incredible love and patience, few families can carry. Thank you Hunter, for your candid and vulnerable approach.

Wow, a lot of pain and self abuse

Pretty harrowing stuff. I don’t know if I feel better for having listened to it, but it’s a compelling story. I hope Hunter stays strong and clean and doesn’t go back to the dark place he swelled for so long.

Beautiful story

This was well worth the listen and recommend it to anyone who has struggled with addiction or loved an addict.

Honesty

His honesty is painfully beautiful. His story is eye opening. You can't help but hope for a peaceful and utterly boring second act for him.

I wearing support is a “Beautiful Thing”

The unwavering support is a beautiful thing. The message to those struggling with addiction is they are not alone hopefully, they will allow others to be part of their healing process.
Marty Roland