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msteasam's review against another edition
4.0
This was really interesting. While the narrative felt a little disjointed and repetitive at times, I appreciated the author including his own experiences and struggles with addiction. Regulation of drug use could do with a more empathetic and evidence-based focus.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Racism
stierwood's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
If you are in recovery and looking for something a bit at arm’s length, that will provide you with information to understand yourself better without preaching to you— this is the book. I learned so much and it felt like a breath of fresh air. I got really stressed out at the “recovery” section, though, where it pointed out information I had not known regarding abstinence vs. moderation, so major trigger warning for that because I was really unprepared for it. Fisher writes from an informed and empathetic standpoint, and the combination of these traits in a medical professional was so healing lmao.
It is a heavily American history, so make sure that’s what you’re wanting to get out of it or you’ll be disappointed. I studied American history in school tho, so obvs I was fine. I do agree that the title should have probably said “an American history” or smth.
Not to @ any single reviewer, but I saw a lot of reviews essentially wishing to have seen more of his own personal trauma and the personal trauma of his clients. As someone in recovery, I’d ask why you’d want more of this in a history book. I thought the balance of it was perfect to situate the main theme (general history) alongside his own history and that of his clients. I am gonna make an assumption that he is extremely aware of the possibility for a “true-crime/ trauma porn” esque reading of this book and probably limited it partly to focus on the main theme of American history and partly for this reason. And as someone in recovery, I really appreciated that. We don’t need your pity or your shock. We need you to be informed, and that means learning our history in both the largest and most personal ways possible. Which I think this book balanced exceptionally well.
I’d recommend this to recovering and non-addict folks alike!
It is a heavily American history, so make sure that’s what you’re wanting to get out of it or you’ll be disappointed. I studied American history in school tho, so obvs I was fine. I do agree that the title should have probably said “an American history” or smth.
Not to @ any single reviewer, but I saw a lot of reviews essentially wishing to have seen more of his own personal trauma and the personal trauma of his clients. As someone in recovery, I’d ask why you’d want more of this in a history book. I thought the balance of it was perfect to situate the main theme (general history) alongside his own history and that of his clients. I am gonna make an assumption that he is extremely aware of the possibility for a “true-crime/ trauma porn” esque reading of this book and probably limited it partly to focus on the main theme of American history and partly for this reason. And as someone in recovery, I really appreciated that. We don’t need your pity or your shock. We need you to be informed, and that means learning our history in both the largest and most personal ways possible. Which I think this book balanced exceptionally well.
I’d recommend this to recovering and non-addict folks alike!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
toephia's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Medical content, and Alcohol