by James Frey
First published 2004
James Frey regains consciousness on an airplane at twenty-three years old. His front teeth are gone, his nose is broken, and he cannot remember where he has been for two weeks. He has no idea where the plane is taking him. After landing, he enters a rehabilitation facility to confront a decade of alcoholism and three years of crack addiction. The staff delivers a stark ultimatum: quit using drugs and alcohol or die before his twenty-fourth birthday. Over six weeks in treatment, Frey must face the wreckage of his addiction while fighting to stay alive. He encounters other patients struggling with their own demons and navigates the facility's rules and methods. The book chronicles his daily battles with withdrawal, therapy sessions, and the constant temptation to leave. Frey's survival depends on his ability to break patterns that have controlled him for years. His story captures the raw physical and emotional pain of recovery.
Genres: addiction, autobiography, contemporary, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: raw, redemption, self-discovery
Kindle Edition · Anchor
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use, substance-abuse