Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction

#1 New York Times bestseller

“A brilliant, harrowing, heartbreaking, fascinating story, full of beautiful moments and hard-won wisdom. This book will save a lot of lives and heal a lot of hearts.” — Anne Lamott

What had happened to my beautiful boy? To our family? What did I do wrong? Those are the wrenching questions that haunted David Sheff’s journey through his son Nic’s methamphetamine addiction and tentative steps toward recovery. Before Nic became addicted to crystal meth, he was a charming boy, joyous and funny, a varsity athlete and honor student adored by his two younger siblings. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied, stole, and lived on the streets. As a father grappling with his son's drug abuse, David Sheff traces the first warning signs: the denial, the three a.m. phone calls—is it Nic? the police? the hospital? His preoccupation with Nic became an addiction in itself. But as a journalist, he instinctively researched every treatment that might save his son. And in this unforgettable family memoir, he refused to give up on Nic.

“‘When one of us tells the truth, he makes it easier for all of us to open our hearts to our own pain and that of others.’ That’s ultimately what Beautiful Boy is about: truth and healing.” — Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia

“Filled with compelling anecdotes and important insights . . . An eye-opening memoir.” — Washington Post

This is the true story of a father’s journey through the agonizing reality of his son’s drug addiction—a gripping, firsthand account of a familyTested by one of the toughest challenges a parent can face.

• A Harrowing Transformation: Witness the heartbreaking descent of a charming, joyous honor student into a life on the streets, driven by a devastating addiction to crystal meth.
• A Father’s Unconditional Love: Follow David Sheff’s relentless search for answers and treatment, a journey fueled by a refusal to give up on his son, no matter how dire the circumstances.
• Parenting an Addict: Experience the raw, eye-opening account of a parent’s helplessness, denial, and fierce determination in the face of a child’s spiraling substance abuse.
• An Unforgettable Family Memoir: More than a story of addiction, Beautiful Boy is a deeply moving portrait of a family’s pain, resilience, and ultimate hope for recovery.

"An honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic." Publishers Weekly

"An excellent book that all parents can relate to whatever their children's situation." Library Journal Starred

“Those of us who love an addict — or are addicts ourselves — will find BEAUTIFUL BOY a revelation." — Martin Sheen, actor

"A welcome balm to millions…who thought they were making this journey alone."— Armistead Maupin, author of The Night Listener

"This book is going to save a lot of lives, and help heal…hearts." — Anne Lamott, author of Grace (Eventually)

“…moving, timely, and sobering. It’s also startlingly beautiful." - Sir Richard Branson, chairman, Virgin Group

“An extraordinary story of pain, perseverance and hope.” — William C. Moyers, author of Broken

“…honest, reflective and deeply moving. BEAUTIFUL BOY is about: truth and healing.” — Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia

"For…any one who has ever wrestled with holding on and letting go.” — Thomas Lynch, author of The Undertaking

“A masterpiece of description and feeling…immediate, informative and heartbreaking.” — Susan Cheever, author of Note Found in a Bottle