The other day when told someone I was reading a couple of books that I was looking forward to writing up on RedCarpetRefugees.com they looked at me as if I had just punched them. So yes, Boy About Town can read, I even went to college! But how often do any of us get a chance to sit down and read a book from cover to cover and really grab every little bit of it? Not that often I am guessing. So I am gonna start reading some of the books you fine folks have been handing me, sending me & ordering for me and giving my never ending opinion on them. Kinda like Oprah's book club but without all the life lessons between commercial breaks! The first book on top on the pile, yes there is a pile, is "Quitting Crystal Meth" by Joseph Sharp. We are jumping right into the deep end of the pool boys & girls. As we covered here on RedCarpetRefugees.com in a posting dated September 25th 2013 the Meth epidemic has reached a point that everyone, somewhere knows someone that is battling Meth. Think you don't know someone? You know me, if only through this blog, but trust me there are others in your life. In talking about the book I am going to refer to Mr Sharp as Joseph because he has opened himself so completely in his writing it would be odd to stand on ceremony, and lets face it, I am not that type of guy anyway. What Joseph has done is put together a book that walks one through the long, painful and often repeated process of getting clean. This is not a story book, in the sense he tells his story in a play by play but rather a guide to use along the journey....kinda like "What To Expect When Your Expecting" but for the tweaked set.
I have to say, in reading "Quitting Crystal Meth" , that I don't believe to many active Meth users will sit down and start the book much less finish it. I think that Joseph was fully aware that his book would be used by Meth addicts families & friends as a means of what to expect and what the right actions to take as well as not take would be!
Having said that I also know that many an addict will be handed the book either by friends, rehab staff or even their drug dealers. Don't laugh, I saw that happen! And at a certain point the book is perfect for the addict themselves. "Quitting Crystal Meth " is a fabulous step by step, please note the step reference, way to start and manage your recovery. What I like most was the small, short testimonies from addicts. What they had to say in each of their small bits fell right into line with the time frame of where the book was along the recovery path. At no point is one made to feel there is a blue print that MUST be followed but rather a path is pointed out and you are given an invite to walk the path and discover your own way while using others experience to aid you. Joseph has managed to handle an insanely hard topic with a straight forward grace that is at times lacking in other books on the topic as well as in the recovery community at to Joseph Sharp and to those needing the book I personally send you light & love.....We will surely see each other as we trudge the road of happy destiny.
Stay Fabulous ! Boy About Town