Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man

A Memoir

By: Bill Clegg

Narrated by: Joshua Ferris

Bill Clegg had a thriving business as a literary agent, a supportive partner, trusting colleagues, and loving friends when he walked away from his world and embarked on a two-month crack binge. He had been released from rehab nine months earlier, and his relapse would cost him his home, his money, his career, and very nearly his life.

What is it that leads an exceptional young mind want to disappear? Clegg makes stunningly clear the attraction of the drug that had him in its thrall, capturing in scene after scene the drama, tension, and paranoiac nightmare of a secret life -- and the exhilarating bliss that came again and again until it was eclipsed almost entirely by doom. He also explores the shape of addiction, how its pattern -- not its cause -- can be traced to the past.

Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man is an utterly compelling narrative -- lyrical, irresistible, harsh, honest, and beautifully written -- from which you simply cannot look away.

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR PORTRAIT OF AN ADDICT AS A YOUNG MAN:
"Bill Clegg's Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man stands up to Frederick Exley's great memoir of alcoholism, A Fan's Notes . . . . But really, forget comparisons. Read the book."

—Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours

"Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man is an instant classic. Anybody who knows anything about addiction will feel morally altered by this book. To an extraordinary degree, it has both beauty and truth. It goes beyond its own revelations to become a book for everybody, a work of art. I suppose we live for the magic of these things."—Andrew O'Hagan, author of Be Near Me, Winner of the Los Angeles Times Prize for Fiction, 2008

"Bill Clegg's memoir is a startling, hair-raising, and compulsively readable account of one man's descent into the hell of addiction. That Clegg lived to tell his story is amazing. That he has captured the details of his experience with such beauty is even more so. Unforgettable."—Danielle Trussoni, author of the memoir Falling Through the Earth, named one of the Ten Best Books of 2006 by the New York Times

"It's a remarkable achievement when a writer can evoke the most desperate episodes of addiction with the unflinching honesty required to make such a memoir worth reading, yet somehow manage to completely transcend sleaze, sordidness, and vapid self-justification. Bill Clegg's story of a man-largely locked in hotel rooms, engaged in a desperate, heart-wrenching battle with himself--is destined to become a cult classic of writing on drug addiction."—Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting

"I devoured Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man, couldn't put it down. The writing throughout is beautiful, and all the while it is reportorial and efficient and honest--a rare combination of feats!"—Elinor Lipman, author of Then She Found Me and, most recently, The Family Man

moving text & authentic narration

The book was amazing at portraying the thought processes of an addict, especially the paranoia. and i actually loved the narration by the author--how could anything be more AUTHENTIC.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN

I took this because of the great reviews and indeed it's dramatic, compelling, horrifying and well told.

I really don't understand how the author can recall with such clarity and detail all his drug and drink binges, etc. Time, places, prices, restaurants, people....Is memory not obliterated by these activities?

Explains the Inexplicable

This book is an unflinching account of the author's descent into addiction. I have an addicted loved one, and despite reading book upon book about the disease of addiction I could still not get my head around how someone could allow himself to reach such depths without ever reaching out for help. This book shows, with horrifying clarity, the urgency to get one more high, the escalating paranoia, the desperation of the addict's loved ones, and the utter futility of trying to apply reason to this disease.

Thank you, Mr. Clegg, for giving us "civilians" a glimpse of how active addiction distorts a person's thinking, destoys his hope, and steals his life.

Like other reviewers, I wanted to hear more about Mr. Clegg's recovery but that is a different story.

Addict Drone

The book is a good read but the author should have had some one else read it, I think his narration is a but dull and drone like, Will come in handy if you have trouble falling asleep.

Beautiful and Horrific

I downloaded this to learn more about addiction from a user’s perspective and wow, was I in for a ride,

I really admire the way Clegg retells his childhood from a third person narrative. His voice is also velvet-y and soothing (as you can hear from the sample) which makes it great for bedtime.

As tragic of a real-life story this may be, I was hooked immediately. It’s a 10/10 for me.