Monday, September 24, 2012

The novel "Drugs" by J.R. Helton.

I Just read the book Drugs by J.R. Helton and I decided to blog about it as I feel like it is a must-read for anyone who has taken drugs, wants to take drugs, or knows people that have taken drugs which is basically EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Including myself. The narrator, Jake, has taken just about every drug that exists in an effort to find himself, feel good, or just feel SOMETHING. He is a part of society, has a good job and functions just fine..all the while constantly searching for the pill or substance that will bring happiness and lasting enlightenment. Sometimes it works out for him..other times it doesn't.
This is a no holds barred realistic view of the "drug world" and though it made me wince and cringe many times..and feel some of the paranoia that Jake himself has felt when high, I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Jerry Stahl(who calls it "truly riveting"), Jonathan Ames, and all the other authors and essayists whose words have an unmistakeable ring of truth to them and brings you effortlessly into their world-like it or not!
Drugs can be found at your local bookstore and also on at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Drugs-A-Novel-J-R-Helton/dp/1609804015/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348506220&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=drugs+jelton
Blurbs by Stahl. Harvey Pekar and Robert Crumb who also illustrated the cover.
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2 comments:

  1. I'm definitely going to get this book! Also, after reading this installment, I began to think about my own life-experiences in this realm...The one thing you mention, about how Mr. Helton has taken drugs to feel SOMETHING, started me thinking about all of those people I've known who've either died physically or emotionally from drug abuse. Most of the stone-cold junkies (who either died or are just shells) I've known, took/take drugs to block feeling something. They were afraid of their emotions/pain/the harshness of the world.

    We all have needed to hide from our emotions/pain/the world/want to escape from time to time, but survivors want to feel alive and are willing to endure a little fear/pain to be in life. Some, in the course of experimentation, go too far and become addicted/dependent, etc., but the experimentation to feel SOMETHING is really a sign of hope in the individual. The people who take drugs only to numb themselves--and for no other reason--from their emotions/the external world/ want to feel nothing are pessimists; the ones who want to feel something are optimists on a certain level.

    I don't really do much of anything anymore, haven't for a long time...the occasional reefer...I mean I smoke crack constantly, but everybody knows that's not a drug!

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  2. gah! i just read this in august, yeah, great great read!

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