Portrait Of An Addict As A Young Man

BOOK: Portrait Of An Addict As A Young Man
AUTHOR: Bill Clegg

GRADE: incomplete

I could probably count the number of books that I have abandoned without finishing them on one hand. I have an almost compulsive need to finish all books regardless of my losing interest along the way. Abandoning ship midway produces a gnawing feeling in my belly that messes with my self esteem – it’s bizarre and mildly pathological, I know.

That being said, I simply could not get through Bill Cleggs 220pg memoir (and have skipped the trouble of downloading a pic for this review). The problem centers around the complete inability to make the reader care about the author by filling page after page with disturbing behaviors and overly graphic descriptions. I’m not easily disturbed by memoirs – actually, I adore the gritty tell alls – but this was too much for me. By not taking the time to grant himself endearing qualities, there is no reason to feel anything other than repulsed by the author.

I put the book down, then picked it up. I was hell bent on finishing it – due to the above mentioned neurosis – but I never cared. I never had an interest in what happened next. I grew resentful at having to finish it (even though it was a self imposed mandate). And I was more than relieved when I convinced myself it was ok to just put it down. I have not read a worse book in a while – I would skip this one entirely.