Wednesday, July 10, 2013

TLC Book Tour Review and Giveaway: White Out by Michael W. Clune

Title: White Out
Author: Michael W. Clune
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Hazelden
Publish Date: April 2, 2013
Source: TLC Book Tours






Why You're Reading This Book:

  • You're a non-fiction fan.
  • You like memoirs.
  • You're okay with tough subjects.
What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: ""Then I see a white-topped vial. Wow. I stare at it. It's the first time I've ever seen it. I know I've seen it ten thousand times before. I know it only leads to bad things. I know I've had it and touched it and used it and shaken the last particles of white from the thin deep bottom one thousand times. But there it is. And it's the first time I've ever seen it."
--Excerpted from White Out

How do you describe an addiction in which the drug of choice creates a hole in your memory, a "white out," so that every time you use it is the first time--new, fascinating, and vivid? Michael W. Clune's original, edgy yet literary telling of his account of life inside the heroin underground reads like no other, as we enter the mind of the addict and navigate the world therein. After his descent into addiction, we go with him through detox, treatment, and finally into recovery as he returns to his childhood home. There his heroin-induced "white out" begins to fade."


My Two Cents:

"White Out" is a memoir of heroin addiction. Luckily the author was able to be rehabbed and now is able to lead a normal life. So many heroin addicts are never able to break the habit. This memoir is incredibly raw and real and definitely lets you get inside the head of a former addict to see what it is like to fall into addiction and to come back out okay on the other side.

The star of the book was definitely the writing. Clune writes in a staccato beat that almost gives you a sort of feeling of addiction. Through the writing, you can feel what Clune must have been going through. It really gives you the sense of what it might be like to be an addict. In addition to being frenetic and almost urgent at times, the writing in this book can almost be dream-like (sometimes a bit confusing) and at times, even beautiful.

Clune's story has a happy ending but there are so many stories of addiction, especially heroin addiction that don't end so well. Clune makes a lot of good points about why this is. One of the most striking parts of his argument was him pointing out how expensive rehab was. Someone would have to be really, super, super committed to getting clean in order to use money that could be spent on a drug that's a huge part of their life and seems to be pulling them further and further around every corner on rehab or therapy. I had never really thought about things that way but it was definitely eye opening.

Overall, this is a fascinating memoir that really gets into the heart of addiction.



Giveaway:

I am happy to be able to give away a copy of this book to one lucky winner (US/ Canada only, please). Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Rest of the Tour:

Monday, July 8th:  Tiffany’s Bookshelf
Tuesday, July 9th:  River City Reading
Wednesday, July 10th:  A Bookish Affair
Monday, July 15th:  The Best Books Ever
Wednesday, July 17th:  50 Books Project
Monday, July 22nd:  Candle Beam Books
Wednesday, July 24th:  Go Book Yourself
Monday, July 29th:  Between the Covers
Wednesday, July 31st:  Bookshipper
Monday, August 12th:  The Year in Books
 

5 comments:

  1. It is a tough subject and every parents nightmare but I like that the author shows how he was successful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for this giveaway which is unique. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't typically like to read dark memoirs like this but I'm intrigued...

    ReplyDelete
  4. It sounds like eye-opening is a great way to describe this book!

    Thanks for being on the tour.

    ReplyDelete

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