We All Fall Down

February 21, 2011
The author's second memoir begins with Sheff in an Arizona rehabilitation center after relapsing into drug use in 2005, while he was writing Tweak. After he is expelled for having a relationship with another patient, Sue Ellen, he moves in with her and attempts to stay sober, but his addictive behavior continues (he develops a brief, intense alcohol problem, snorts cocaine, steals his mother's medication, and relies on marijuana). While on tour for Tweak, Sheff feels like "a phony—a goddamn liar," since he still has to smoke marijuana to face life. The present-tense storytelling and Sheff's authentic voice will keep readers engaged, even when it's unclear where his story is going. He presents visceral images of both the gritty details of an addict's life and the desperation of a life of sobriety (" 'Cause really, what life is there to live? Working this dead-end job? Eating takeout with Sue Ellen?"). Saying a traditional 12-step approach "doesn't work for me," Sheff doesn't provide simple answers—or any answers, really—but readers will respect his ability to move forward "at my own pace." Ages 15–up.