As Denizet-Lewis drops in on each of his subjects over the course of three years, he weaves in tales of his own sex addiction. He reconstructs what a typical day was like for him when he couldn't tame his sexual urges and blew off his friends and jobs.
In revealing his story and those of his eight subjects, Denizet-Lewis produces an intimate journal that reveals the different forms addiction takes. He shows us how gambling and food disorders can be just as physically and emotionally debilitating as addictions to alcohol and drugs.
The book's subjects are as varied as their addictions. Among them: an 80-year-old alcoholic, a housewife who shoplifts, a radio DJ who overeats, a grandmother addicted to crack, a bisexual bodybuilder, and a 34-year-old South Boston man who wrestles with cravings for heroin and alcohol.
Although each person had a compelling story, two characters stood out. One of them is the crack-addicted grandmother, 55-year-old, unemployed Janice. The author shadows her as she returns to her Harlem neighborhood after she receives a 24-hour pass from her recovery center. Passersby and drug dealers welcome and applaud her for staying clean. "Janice is kind of a grandmotherly rock star, and our stroll through the area feels like her reunion tour," Denizet-Lewis writes.
In scenes like this, he draws the reader into Janice's private and public recovery as she works toward a GED and a full-time job. Her chapters crackle with street dialogue and insights from family and counselors who tell us more about her former life and how Janice is forging a path of healing and transformation.
