Having worked with many addicts, this book is an accurate portrayal of where addiction leads you. The author is lucky to be alive.

I read David Sheff's Beautiful Boy and wept. The thought of paying money to Nic Sheff for his side of the same story is a great struggle. The problem is that if children who have not yet tried drugs hear this (and other similar) stories, what will they make of it? People who overcome their addictions fail to make the point of the horrible damage drug/alcohol abuse causes. A child will weigh the possibilities and see someone like Nic who has emerged a published author, and therefore, an addict who can function and earn a decent living. The question then becomes, "If Nic Sheff (or other addicts in the limelight) can do drugs and still have a good life, why shouldn't kids or young adults try drugs? It would be phenomenal if Nic Sheff didn't spend his earnings from this book on drugs. It would be beautiful if Nic Sheff lived the rest of his life clean and productive and happy. I wish this for his family. But I just can not know that I have given him a penny toward possible further abuse and pain inflicted on himself or the people who love him.

I get that this is just a guy telling his story to anyone who may be intersted. And, I am interested. But I just can't do it.

What a wonderful book. Everything Nic expressed in here was so true.
I could not stop listening to this book. It was just so good.

This book scared me. It scared me because of all the drugs that Nic did and how he ruined his relationship with his family, just to get high. But at the same time I liked it, because it was so descriptive, like when Nic talked about how it felt to be high. Also when Nic realized that being sober was a lot better than getting high. I also liked how the story jumped around, like the flashbacks. What I didn't like about this book was how the story just ended, it just stopped. It never talked about if he stayed sober and how what encouraged him to write the book. I also didn't like how Nic acted. He didn't like to hear what anyone else had to say, about what he was doing wrong, like when Spenser and his dad told him that his girlfriend was a bad choice for him. And I didn't like it when Nics' mom call his girlfriend's dad and told him that they had both relapsed. That was a very mean thing for her to do.
I would recommend this book to older teenagers and most adults, because I don't think that younger teenagers would understand what Nic is saying about drugs.

I could not put this down after my husband handed it off to me. After mediocre memoirs, fake memoirs and memoirs about everything from ballet to dogs, I really just wanted a good old good down and dirty drug recovery memoir. This kid explains truly what it's like to feel when a drug addict is down and out, and the whole AA experience resonates all too well, along with dual-diagnosis. Read it. If you can stomach it.

This book really sucks. There's nothing about Nic Sheff's life story that hasn't already been covered in many other addiction memoirs.

The one difference here is nepotism, in this case, the addict is the son of an already published author who recently banged out a book on the same topic.

At least Daddy Sheff had some originality, as the first to address methamphetamine addiction from the perspective of the addict's parent.

Yet even Dad's book, Beautiful Boy, suffered from a major plot spoiler that also applies to the son's Tweak: you know from the outset that the kid is currently alive and sober. All suspense dies upon arrival.

Maybe this review reflects some of the bitterness I feel about the memoir genre as a whole. Too many of the book deals in this category go to inexperienced scribes who are banking on something other than writing skill and experience. All of this diverts opportunities from people who do know how to write well.

I read Beautiful Boy by Nic Sheff's father like a "How not to have your kid end up on meth" manual. When I finished I wanted to read Nic's version to see if he shared his father's stance on how he got involved with drugs and what might have helped him keep off drugs and what eventually helped him stay off of them. Of course neither of these books really provide an answer to all of those questions but they do shed some light on the insights of these two men. I found them both interesting to read, gut wrenching at times, and both of them at some point brought me to tears. Tweak, in particular, left me crying at the end when Nic and his parents were in therapy together. It was so touching to read about the pain that all of them had felt, and that they were still able to hold out some hope after all they had been through. I recommend both of the books, and like other reviewers, thought that it was best (as a parent, perhaps) that I had read Beautiful Boy first. Nic's book is more raw and detailed about the actual drug use, so it is not for the faint of heart, but I found his honesty in self-analysis to be compelling. I would and have recommended Tweak to others and it has stayed on my mind long after reading it - a sure sign of a book worth reading.

Although parts of this book were tough to read (from a sympathetic point of view)it was a real life view into someones battle with addiction... Nic describes the emotions, the feelings, the drive to score more drugs, the love he felt, the pain he endured. Definately worth reading especially if you or someone you love is battling with this drug or other addiction. It helped me to understand what they go through... and hopefully it will help them understand what we go through watching them fall.

After I finished reading Beautiful Boy by David Sheff, I stumbled across his son's account of the same time period. It was most interesting to see both sides of the same story. The father's story of his beautiful, smart son's demise into the hell of drug addiction was harrowing, especially if you are a parent or grandparent. How could this happen to a child who, although his parents divorced, seemingly had a happy, normal childhood? According to the son's account, however, his childhood was not quite as idyllic as his father seemed to think. Haunted by his fear of abandonment and exposed to his father's lifestyle (drugs, women), Nic's search for a way to solve (or avoid) what he perceived as his problems, while certainly not acceptable, at least seemed to give cause to what he did. If you have read Beautiful Boy, I would most certainly recommend getting the other side of the story by reading this book.

BORING BORING BORING,,
I HAVE DONE METH AND CRANK COKE,, BUT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SHOT UP DRUGS,, MOST METH USERS SNORT IT,, SO I FOUND IT KINDA MUCH , and could not get into it,, I KNOW MANY A METH USER AND NOT ONE SHOTS UP,,NOT FOR THE AVERAGE DRUG USER

I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down. I was fascinated with Nic's life/addiction and how something can overpower your mind and judgement. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in a candid writer and the blunt reality of addiction and how it affects everyone that is involved.

I read Nic Sheff's Tweak after reading Beautiful Boy, which was written by his father, David Sheff. As I mentioned in my Amazon review of Beautiful Boy, my son is an 18-year-old addict and our lives have been turned upside down for the last 4+ years because of it. Tweak is gut-wrenching, very graphic, and very real. It certainly shows how a nice, highly intelligent kid can screw his life up pretty quickly. Be forewarned that a lot of the stuff described in this book is pretty hardcore. It will certainly make you wonder how anyone could end up in such dire straits. But, of course, addiction is a disease, not a choice. As the parent of an addict, this book affected me greatly. I'm sure it will affect you, too, even if you don't have an addict child. Be prepared to cry. A lot. I wish nothing but the best for Nic Sheff and hope that he can stay clean and sober. It took a lot of courage for him to share his story.

I just finished this book. It's amazing how much I learned about life issues that surrounds us all. Leaving all the lessons I got from the addiction and all its consequences , I got to learn more about family dynamics and relationships and God. Yes, God. Even though Nic does not believe in God he slowly starts to surrender his life to a higher power.

It's really well written, a page turner..I would recommend reading his dad's book first.

I really loved this book. Once I started reading it, I found it hard to put it down. I became really drawn into the book, hanging onto every word that was written. Absolutly loved it!!!

I found this book gave me added insight into the mind workings of an addict. That alone was very helpful. Understanding why and how an addict (or someone with a bipolar disorder) thinks made me more empathetic to them and their situation. If we assume we have full control and responsibility for our thoughts and actions, this book reveals that when we are not in control of our own mind or we are unaware of ourselves and our tendencies, we might not make good choices. I highly recommend this book to everyone, because most of us know someone with addictive inclinations and bottom line- who could all use more understanding and awareness! From a more protective/pessimistic viewpoint, this book can help you become more aware of thoughts and behaviors that are drug-induced, and you can know to steer clear of people and situations that might be unsafe. An excellent companion read is David Scheff's book called Beautiful Boy (he is the author's father.) I also applaud the author for his authenticity and courage.

I bought this book right after I read Beautiful Boy by Nick's father. I could not put this book down. I strongly recommend reading them both. You get both sides to addiction, the addict and the people who love them. I was sad when I came to the last page and I was done reading the book because I wanted more!

this is a guy who tells it like it is and was, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It would be good for former users or now using drug persons. He uses words that describes exactly how it was, I will listen to it again because once you start listening you want to keep going, and I know the second time around I will hear more.

I usually do not read this kind of book. I'm a psycho thriller fanatic, but my 16 year old son and his friends were talking about it, so...

I pray Nic is doing ok now, but the thrill seeker in me wanted family secrets, juicy details and vivid descriptions. I felt guilty for indulging in his life and for wanting more sordid stories when he was using. The mom in me is left wanting some answers (guess i'll read beautiful boy next).

I found the way he captured his mood swings and craziness very interesting - almost funny, but the book was just ok to me. It's not exactly a page turner, in fact I skipped a few. I had to put it down several times due to boredom.

I get that he has this self deprecating thing going on and I even understand why he detached himself. Unfortunately, by doing that he didn't draw me in. I was pretty indifferent throughout his story and never felt any sympathy, concern or connection while reading this book. Plus, I hate it when people reference celebrities but refuse to inform us who they're talking about (or even give a good clue to figure it out).

I'm the child of heroin addicts and the sister of a crack addict, so I appreciate Nic not playing the world's smallest violin. He seems to be a good, honest, decent kid - what happended? I just expected more from this story, which I'm disappointed to say I didn't get. I have no insight into that life and no idea what to do with the images now sketched in my mind (mostly due to my own imagination) from such an existence.

I sincerely pray he's still sober.

I read Beautiful Boy and was looking forward to reading Tweak. This book we quite disappointing. While there are a few moments of insight that held my attention, for the most part this is just a person sounding like "Boo Hoo" poor me, then boasting themselves. I was expecting more honestly and humility. Also the term, "You know?" was directed toward the reader and left hanging so often that the removal of this term alone might have shaved the space of a chapter from the book. All in all, I wouldn't recommend it.

I have read both "Beautiful Boy" and "Tweak", I must say these are two of the best books I have ever read. I think every parent should read these books. I have learned so much about the addiction, I understand things I never did before about my own son who for the last 2 yrs. has been addicted to meth, he was 14 when he started using and is now 16, he has been in rehab now for the past 6 mos. Nic's book has helped me understand what my son is going through, Thank you Nic for your honesty I admire you so much for writing this book , I know it was hard to admit to all you went through, but you never gave up on wanting to get straight. I have seen my son fighting some of the same battles as you have, trying so hard to be forgiven for the things he has done the horrible guilt the thousand of tears he has cried and the thousand I have cried and you and your parents cried. I believe this book will save many lives even kids like mine and I thank you and your father for pouring your hearts out in these books. I believe Spencer was right about the higher power being God and I believe God is using you to save lives, you know he works in mysterious ways. You are a beautiful boy! God bless you and your family.

I read the excerpt on Amazon and wanted more! I bought the book and again found myself not being able to put the book down. Then Nic got sober and the book got REAL slow. Now I'm not promoting drugs or anything, but the first part of the book - while he was on drugs - was a lot more gripping then the sober part. I ended up putting the book down and havent picked it back up since. When I have nothing to do, I'll finish it. I DON'T plan on getting the book by his father.

Written with a first-person on-the-scene journalistic style that allows its author/protagonist an eerie degree of detachment, Nic Sheff's TWEAK is the dark counterpoint to BEAUTIFUL BOY, written by his father, David Sheff. The elder writer's grief-filled memoir glows dimly like a distant planet of despair, while the son's account of the same events burns like an angry Mars.

Nic Sheff was an attractive, almost androgynous young man of great brilliance who felt empty and false inside until he began using methamphetamine. Then he became alive and whole. "It was like, I don't know, like everything else faded out." He changed from a youthful contender for the prizes of life --- a promising career as a writer, a hint of leadership, a quiet kindness that everyone noticed when he was a child --- to a street scavenger with no future at all.

At many junctures in Nic's tale, the reader wonders how he stays alive another day and what motivates him to get up and keep his body barely functioning long enough to torture himself once again by injecting meth, heroin, crack, or whatever he could get into his collapsing veins. He comes close to losing one arm to a horrific infection that smelled of death. He nurses a girlfriend through an overdose, saving her life by having the good sense to dial 911 --- but he doesn't draw any parallels between what happened to her and what could have happened to him. He loses every good job he ever has. He steals from his father, mother, stepmother and all their friends. He even robs his kid brother. He prostitutes himself, hanging out on the brutal margins of the gay bar scene, enduring any degradation for the magical few minutes that a high affords him.

Nic drifts downward, only occasionally straightening out under the vigilance of a treatment program. The book opens when he has just completed 18 sober months, and has a job and money in the bank. He runs into an old friend named Lauren and together they plunge headlong downhill, in a very short time using up every penny he has saved to feed their habit. He even gets "work" as a drug dealer, seeing it as a pretty easy gig. He winds up having a meal in a mission church he had volunteered at in grade school. "I know I felt sorry for them --- men and women wrapped in blankets on the hard concrete...I never in my life imagined being one of them."

After Lauren comes Zelda, rumored to be the real-life Lala Zappa, niece of the rock innovator Frank Zappa. It emerges in later therapy that Nic gravitates towards famous people and that Zelda reminded him of his mother. Zelda (called "Z" in his father's book) is just the sort of self-destructive, sexually insatiable, untrammeled addict who could help Nic in his non-existent career as a writer, and drag him into a pit of madness, danger and death. That she both loved and controlled him is evidenced by the many vignettes of their shared daily doom. When, skeletal and starving, he passes out while helping her move furniture into a van so the two of them could have a yard sale of her memorabilia to feed their addictions, "I wake up to Zelda shooting me up with some coke." They sleep through the day of the yard sale.

The exhausting cycle of rob, score, get high, rob, score, get high is finally broken when Nic gets caught breaking into his mother's place. His father gives him a choice: treatment or jail. He chooses treatment, and this time it works. Nic does not moralize or suggest that he has now chosen a better way of life. His simple statement, "Using just has no place in my life now and I can't see that ever changing," does not go very far, though it may strike a chord for its honesty. Maybe someone who has been as far down and as lost as Nic can't say more.

Nic and David are close these days. They were always meant to be, but Nic's addiction took away a lot of years they could have shared. Nic is working on living quietly and becoming authentic and true to himself, while David is getting back to work as a writer. They have been involved in some publicity tours that allow them to highlight the drug problem in America. They're both more steady and clear. Maybe it's the relief of knowing that tomorrow will be a decent day, and the tomorrow after that.

--- Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott

This was an outstanding book. He was very dedicated when writing about his experience. I am now going to read the book that his dad wrote about the issue Nik faced and see how close it goes with his book. I would recommend this book to everyone.

This book was hard to read; I saw a lot of myself in this book, with my own food addictions and experimenting with other drugs in my twenties. I loved that Nic was able to bring us into his ego, and his need for approval and his sadness at never feeling good enough. I think this is a theme behind all addictions. I read Beautiful Boy, and I was moved by his father's effort to try and understand where his son was coming from; but in the end I thought the father was clueless and blaming. The addict is in pain, and it's more painful for a parent to try and tell them how bad they are for doing this to his/her parents. It just goes right back to the core issues the addict has in the first place. The child needs unconditional love and structure - yes - but if that hasn't been the case, then the parent and child need to search for their own help separately; not just expect the child to "snap out of it".

I enjoyed this book. At times I was reading in horror at the devistation that was happening to this young man. i am a mother who lost her son to drugs and I felt that this book really gave me another view of the disease. Thank you Nick for this insite into what was going on in my sons life. I now have a better understanding.

My ex was addicted to Meth, and always said, "You'll never understand until you try it". This book allows me so see life through an addicts eyes, but not having to use the drug myself.

This is a great book for anyone battling addictions or methamphetamines. It is a sad but compelling book about the downward spiral about methamphetamines use at an early age and the consequences of heavy use up until adulthood. I can't argue with the author's point at all.

The book helped me to learn more about the thinking of a hardcore addict. I learned a couple of things that my son hadn't already taught me -- the hard way. I liked Nic's open, honest, and direct style. What also makes for interesting reading is that Nic has identified some of his demons. The reader can identify a few more.

I read David Sheff's "Beautiful Boy" a couple of weeks ago, and I couldn't wait to read this companion book, written by David's son Nic, to see what Nic's take was on the whole thing.

"Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines" (325 pages) brings the memoir of Nic Sheff, on what it was (is?) like growing up being a drug addict. The book is not written in a straight chronological order. Instead, it jumps in at a point where Nick gets kicked out of his family's home and the first third or so of the book retells the next two weeks as Nic descends into deeper and deeper hell and drug addiction. Nic spares no details, and this is not for the faint of hearts. The rest of the book chronicles the following 2 years or so, and it is an endless up and down. When you read it, you simply wonder why anyone would want to go or live through this, again and again? Nic expresses remorse and sorrow, and towards the end of the book it appears that he has finally turned the corner. I was almost going to say "turned the corner, once and for all". But that surely would be an exaggeration. One simply can't ever know. For all we know, Nic has fallen off the band wagon again as I write this (although I can only pray for Nic and for his family and loved ones that this is not the case).

"Tweak" is not the first book that dives into the genre of drug-addiction survivor memoir, but it is well written, and a page-turner. Quite frankly, I couldn't put the book down, even thougb I've never been in that kind of situation (or maybe because of it). The amount of details that Nic is able to recall and describe on what he went through, despite his addictions, is simply amazing. And "Tweak" definitely does a tremendous job as a warning for anyone who even might be tempted in the slightest. In all, both David Sheff's "Beautiful Boy" and Nic Sheff's "Tweak" are highly recommended, and if possible should both be read.

Yes I read Beautiful Boy first, but I am a grown up. Read them in any order, but they belong together. While Tweak takes you up and down and through a small part of the landscape (over and over and over) in gritty detail, Beautiful Boy gives you a birds eye view and a global sense of where in space, time and emotion this is all happening.

That said, I have to admit that this was the most Terrible and Awesome (in the archaic sense of the words) pair of books I have ever read. They caused me great pain, but also gave me great insight, and for that I am very thankful to both authors... and I will say what I said on the Beautiful Boy review:

Nic was seeking a sense of wholeness and a sense of peace. He wanted to be a person who exemplified something he could not quite figure out, and he wanted to stop feeling pain. He used drugs as a short cut to get to this place. And as a result he lost everything. Yet when he did the hard work to find out that he was in fact a whole person all with in himself, and he could reach with in and experience his own peace, the need for drugs slept.

When you stumble across the answer to a question you never asked, the knowledge may pass you by, or at worst strike you as odd. But when you gain the answer you seek (here finding a sense of a whole person or a sense of bliss and peace) by cheating, or a short cut (in this case drugs), the result can destroy you. You always sacrifice something for knowledge (time, opportunity to do or know something else, etc). But when you choose the sacrifice and go through the struggle for understanding, in the end you gain, learn and grow. If you jump ahead to the end, you no longer get to choose what you are going to give up, the price is higher, and you gain nothing from the glimpse you gain of the answer.

This book was compulsively readable. It was fascinating to peek into the addicts' world of desperation to do anything to get the next fix. Nic Sheff's life on the street was quite harrowing and depressing. One review stated that Nic makes one bad choice after another. This surely is an unfair assessment because when you're high, you cannot make sound decisions most of the time.

Through out the whole book, I kept asking myself, "Where the hell are the parents?" For example, Lauren's parents were (as they were portrayed to me) rather passive about her drug problem. Nic's parents almost gave up on him. I am sure that it's emotionally, psychologically, and financially draining for some parents to go through with their addict children; however, in this book I did not see a lot of determination or perseverance from the parents. Yes, I need to read Nic's father's book - A Beautiful Boy.

Some of the details were very vivid for a drug addict to remember. Funny how memory works! Or perhaps I am too paranoid with the wave of pseudo-memoirs (James Frey, Augustine Burrough, Margaret B. Jones, etc.), and I am a tad leery of some of the details that seem to be forced.

Overall, it was a fast and fascinating read.

Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines While perhaps entertaining for the armchair voyeur, Tweak is inherently unhelpful to those suffering from addiction, or to their families and support systems. What Tweak does provide is insight as to how many millions of chemically dependent people are so poorly served by traditional group treatment programs; programs that all but ignore the physiological components of addiction and rely instead on folklore and punitive, authoritarian measures to address a complex problem. Perhaps one of the causes of long addiction term is addiction treatment itself.

For those suburban armchair quarterbacks that "understand" urban issues by reading the newspaper, this may be an interesting tome. But the amateurish writing style proves the brilliant writing capabilities of James Frey who did a much better job of creating a pseudo-fictional insiders view of the life of an addict.

I don't know that I will ever read this book. I found it to be too depressing at this time in my life. However, I do realize the life of a drug addict is pretty depressing.

I was pleased with the book, Nic Sheff is very honest about the reality of drug use. It seems like he writes like how he talks.

This is an extremely well-written and engaging memoir of a drug-addicted boy. I read this in conjuction with "Beautiful Boy" written by the father of said boy and while I enjoyed them both, "Tweak" kept me up nights reading until I finished the book. Nic Sheff really lets the reader inside his head and brings us along on the devastating ride of addiction, and the difficult road of recovery. Read them both!

It is true that this book contains many graphic portrayals of sex and drug usage. I doubt the author Nic Sheff could have written such an effective book without them, since they both underscore what Mr. Sheff did as a result of his addictions to heroin and methamphetamine. Not only was he shooting up these hard drugs, but he prostituted himself to support his habits.

That is not to say that this book is written merely for shock value. As a whole, I feel the reader can attain some hope that Mr. Sheff can succeed in the long run. He really does express later in the book a commitment to sobriety and a realization of his blunders.

Is that hope strong? As for me, I am concerned that he seems to take less of an approach to a "higher power" (one of the twelve steps in a twelve-step program) later in the book than he did in the middle part of it. It seems that the approach as a whole is to merely get rid of things from the past rather than on what he needs in the positive sense of things. Maybe that shall come with time.

i disagree, i think its better reading Nic's version first. the way i look at it you should read nics first so you can understand the reasons for why his dad wrote his book. if you read the dads first, youll be completly blind to what hes talking about.
on a seperate note, this is a awesome book. being someone who is struggling with addiction myself, it was my way to escape in a healthy way, yet all along relating to the stories. Finally learning of a person like myself, realizing there is hope, and im not such a freek after all.
i bought this book when i saw the story on oprah and im glad i did.
this book is similar to one of my fav. movies. "the salton sea" with val kilmer as the star. another amazing story thru the eyes of someone else.

If you are struggling with addiction yourself, or are a loved one who doesnt understand why... read th is book, and then find a way to learn from it.

The story is written in such a manic pace that you become absorbed with every word Nic has writtern. Nic you are a wonderful writer!

A real-life story of addiction and recovery told without excuses. Hits home in particular for anyone who has experienced addiction/drug abuse either as the addict or as a family member/friend.

I'll spare the details of the plot, Tweak is a book about a very bright young man, Nic Sheff, who finds that he is to smart, and grows up to fast, for his own good. This is an autobiographical examination of a life that covers the archetypes of drug addiction, and all of their effects in a generation that has many many people growing up on methamphetamines. I cried over his struggles, celebrated over his victories. Truly a great book that will connect with many.

About: Nic Sheff writes a first-person account of his drug addiction that was seen through his father's eyes in David Sheff's Beautiful Boy.

Pros: It's engaging to read about a guy who makes poor decision after poor decision.

Cons: He says he is competitive with his dad, but in comparing their books, Nic pales in comparison to his father. The writing is unspectacular with a rapid fire pace. The sheer amount of people introduced early on is confusing and overwhelming. A therapist notes that Nic seems detached from his experience and the book feels as if is written in the same way. Sheff will mention something (such as a large arm infection he gets) and will never mention it again. This book was a major letdown after reading his father's account.

This is an amazing story of how addiction takes over your life. I am really speechless on how powerful this book was for me. I highly recommend if you a loved one of an addict.

I honestly can't think of a better read on the weird world of Meth addiction than this. You can practically read it in one sitting. And if anyone out there has been a witness or participant in its exclusive nightmare, then this is a must-read.

I have read addiction books before--and many are great. But there's a strange thing about Meth that I have not seen before. It has a hold on someone like no other drug. At least, this has been what I experienced in loved ones of this younger generation. I also recommend David Sheff's book--especially for those who are looking for perspective.

Wholeheartedly recommend along with the compelling, but not as well known, SIM0N LAZARUS, a novel dealing with intricate father-son issues.

A few weeks ago, I purchased both Nic Sheff's memoir "Tweak (Growing Up on Methamphetamines)" and his father's counterpoint "Beautiful Boy (A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction)." I set them both aside, going back and forth in my mind about with which one I should start first, but ultimately I put off reading them both until a day I could read them back-to-back, uninterrupted, and just immerse myself in the Sheff family's world. I expected to be a bit biased toward Nic's telling of events, but I never in a million years could have imagined just how much I would find myself nodding along and connecting to the very internal issues that lead to and continue to feed his addiction.

Nic Sheff spent much of his young life hanging out with his writer-father at gallery openings, dinner parties, and VIP events; he spent more time with adults than he did children his own age and therefore was in a rush to grow up, but however he tried to emulate said adults on the outside, on the inside he was trapping himself in a perpetual state of adolescence that would come to haunt him in his later years. Nic's parents divorced when he was young, and both subsequently remarried. His father went on to have two more children, whereas his mother would just have constant fights with her new husband-- fights that got so loud Nic would run into the tv room and blast an old movie, to drown out the sounds of the screams and yelling. By the time we actually meet Nic, he has already been in and out of rehab, though (all of the aforementioned and more comes out as exposition to fill in the holes later in the story), and he is on his way to San Francisco to partake in yet another bender. This time he ends up dealing, too.

Nic describes his descent into drugs with enough detail to make his readers cringe (like when he describes the abscess he develops on his arm due to a dirty needle), but he is never gratuitously graphic. Nic is never preachy, in order to attempt to scare kids off trying drugs, but he doesn't glamorize them either, even when he talks about the famous people (all names have been changed) he meets during such exploits. Instead, he merely lays out the facts of who he was and what he did, and in reality, he could be any one of his readers speaking. While the people he met along his journey and the way in which he started taking his drugs and then spiraled, got sober, and relapsed (lather, rinse, repeat) are specific to him, the mentality with which he approaches his addiction and his life with it is universal. The feelings of alienation, inadequacy, and general discontent could be ripped from the pages of any teenager's diary. He describes his struggles with his appearance, with coming from a tumultuous home life, his obsessive need to put himself in competition with others, and even his misguided belief his mortality could never be tested (in that "it could never happen to be me" oh-so-common way) with refreshing frankness, as if he can look back now and see it was all just an obsession. And it is in that obsession that he is most vulnerable but also ironically most accessible because we can all share in and relate to that personality trait; it is just more severe for some than others. And without naivety, denial, or just bold-faced lying, there is no one who can say he or she does not obsess over something, and if you think you can, then that notion will be more detrimental than crystal meth.

Nic talks a lot about his outlets: he always had drawing, writing, an interest in movies, his younger brother and sister; hell, he was even on the swim team! But all of that took a backseat to his addiction-- and not just to narcotics. "Tweak" looks at a few of Nic's close relationships-- from his AA sponsor whom he treats as a surrogate father to a woman with whom he had an affair and still carries a torch-- and in each one, Nic attaches himself quickly and spends all of his time with that person. That kind of dependence is an addiction within itself; he feeds off the other person's energy and spirit for the same high he gets from his drugs, and it often blinds him from the person's flaws or problems. He held that woman on such a high pedestal he couldn't even tell she started using again, even though as an addict the signs were all right in front of him (I use the past tense because I hope he has put her and his old life behind him now and for good, but only time will be the real test).

Nic is a beautifully poetic writer, and the honesty with which he opens his life and his soul to strangers in "Tweak" speaks volumes for him as an artist. He doesn't ask for pity or even empathy; he just writes from the heart. And he may always feel a little lost-- he may always feel a little on the outside of things-- but looking through history, most true artists did. What makes them channel their energy and passion into a form like writing or painting is often the feelings of not fitting in with those around them. Instead of diving down a rabbit hole of despair and trying to make the wrong kinds of people like him (as he has already tried and which were neither particularly successful or healthy), Nic has his stories, and in the end, that's all he needs as salvation.

As soon as I opened this book I couldn't put it down. Brillantly written. I am so glad I bought it.

This is the companion volume to David Sheff's "Beautiful Boy" - the story of Nic's addiction to drugs from a father's point of view.

"Tweak" tells Nic Sheff's four-year+ story of digging through trash cans, gay sex, stealing from relatives, friends, and fellow students, finding himself in E.R.s and dingy, trash, and vermin-infested rooms, working with a father-son dealer pair - over and over and over, in pursuit of drug highs. All this while rejecting loving parents and a privileged lifestyle, bouncing out of two respected colleges, and ruining his life, as well as those of his parents.

Nic accepts no responsibility for his actions, no great commitment to break from drugs - in fact he ends up in the drug underworld everywhere he goes, including Paris, and little regret for the pain he causes others. The book is endlessly repetitive - non-stop drug binges, and offers no lessons for others.

Nic ends up in Savannah, continuing to live off others while hopefully putting his life back together "working" as an art model. I wouldn't bet a dime on his success, though, of course, I do hope he succeeds.

This is the companion volume to David Sheff's "Beautiful Boy" - the story of Nic's addiction to drugs from a father's point of view.

"Tweak" tells Nic Sheff's four-year+ story of digging through trash cans, gay sex, stealing from relatives, friends, and fellow students, finding himself in E.R.s and dingy, trash, and vermin-infested rooms, working with a father-son dealer pair - over and over and over, in pursuit of drug highs. All this while rejecting loving parents and a privileged lifestyle, bouncing out of two respected colleges, and ruining his life, as well as those of his parents.

Nic accepts no responsibility for his actions, and little regret for the pain he causes others. The book is endlessly repetitive, and offers no lessons for others.

Nic ends up in Savannah, continuing to live off others while hopefully putting his life back together "working" as an art model. Personally, I wouldn't bet a dime on his success.

"Tweak" tells Nic Sheff's four-year+ story of digging through trash cans, gay sex, stealing from relatives, friends, and fellow students, finding himself in E.R.s and dingy, trash, and vermin-infested rooms, working with a father-son dealer pair - over and over and over, in pursuit of drug highs. All this while rejecting loving parents and a privileged lifestyle, bouncing out of two respected colleges, and ruining his life, as well as those of his parents.

Nic accepts no responsibility for his actions, and little regret for the pain he causes others. The book is endlessly repetitive, and offers no lessons for others.

Nic ends up in Savannah, continuing to live off others while hopefully putting his life back together "working" as an art model. Personally, I wouldn't bet a dime on his success.

I commend the author Nic for his honesty and bravery in writing this book. It was so intense and terrifying. I caught myself being so thankful that my children did not get anywhere close to this point although they did do drugs. I was terrified for Nic. I couldn't believe he is alive today and hope to God he knows how fortunate he is to be alive. I guess in a way, it was to real. I hope it helps a lot of people. We don't understand addiction as we should and what comes with it on all sides. This book was an eye opener as was Nic's fathers book "Beautiful Boy". Both books should be read. Excellent, easily read, you can't put it down once you start it and just maybe it might save a life, who knows. Thank you Nic!

Methamphetamine use, commonly known on the street as crystal, tweak, the New Prozac, and crank, has become a growing problem in the U.S. in the last several years. From what I have read, there is no worse drug addiction than crystal meth. It not only affects the person using but the personal relationships they have, as well. It is not just my humble opinion when I tell you that these drugs have the power to kill or cause great harm. A great example would be Nic Sheff, the author of TWEAK. At an early age, just a babe himself, Nick had his first taste of drugs and alcohol. Drug use escalated in Nic's case - he went from just smoking pot to abusing cocaine, heroin, and crystal meth. For over a decade, on and off, Nic used drugs. The book opens up with a bang - Nic relapsing after 18 months of being clean and sober.

You can call TWEAK a young adult book if you like, since Nic is a young adult, just in his twenties, but in actuality it is a book that will appeal to any age level, young and old alike. Teens will definitely gravitate to Nic's story because of the fact that it is someone about their age using drugs, and they can relate to it (maybe not completely but on some level). The general public may find it of interest, because it will give them an insight into the mind of an addict. Perhaps a reader may find comfort in this story, knowing that he is not alone.

It occurred to me as I was reading TWEAK that the book was like a cleanser for Nic; a way to cleanse his soul. Writing TWEAK couldn't have been easy for him, as Nic had to relive everything he did and put it down on paper. Some of what I read admittedly shocked me. I can't imagine what goes inside an addict's mind. The book was so honest; at times I ached for him. Other times I wanted to strangle him for what he was doing to himself and his family. I hate to say that I didn't think his clean and sober status was going to last very long. It was as if it was too good to be true. At the end of the book, we learn that Nic is now clean and dealing with his demons on an everyday basis. I expect that this is not going to be an easy road for him or for his family.

Everybody participates in addictive behavior in some way or another. Some people believe that people get involved in addictive behaviors because they are reckless, self-absorbed, and have no self-control. For the most part, I stand in the camp that believes that drug and alcohol addictions are diseases. You may choose to get treatment, but once an addict always an addict. Nic is never going to escape the addict label even if he does remain clean the rest of his life.

Nic's father, David Sheff, also has written a book about meth addiction. Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Meth Addiction looks at Nic's addiction through the eyes of a parent. Mary Pipher, a psychologist and the renowned author of the book Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, says on the jacket of David Sheff's book: "When one of us tells the truth, he makes it easier for all of us to open our hearts to our pain and that of others." Good reason to read Nic's book and his father's. Pick up your copies today.

Reviewed by: coollibrarianchick