Smacked

Reviews

“Poignant . . . An engrossing narrative laden with elements of pathos and mystery.”—The Boston Globe

“Journalist Eilene Zimmerman’s up-close-and-personal look at the cost of addiction is among the timeliest and most relevant books of the new year. Smacked is an unvarnished and wrenching exploration of opioid abuse in a wealthy, white-collar world that resonates across classes and cultures.”—Newsweek

“In this brave and suspenseful memoir, Eilene Zimmerman traces a deeply personal family story while illuminating urgent and troubling social issues. Smacked is an exquisite examination of the repercussions of addiction, as well as the influence of white-collar money and ambition, upon a family. . . . A profoundly absorbing and important book.”—Adrienne Brodeur, author of Wild Game

“Heart-wrenching . . . a chronicle of trying to make sense of a loved one’s struggles with [addiction].”—The New York Times Book Review

“A searing and extraordinary memoir, Smacked peers into the life of the white collar addict, showing us how the enslavement to not just drugs, but wealth and success, in this country can ruin marriages and families. Zimmerman achieves not just gorgeous prose and a suspenseful and engrossing story, but also more compassion and insight than I have encountered for this subject. Smacked is unputdownable and addictive, in the best way possible.”—Claire Bidwell Smith, author of The Rules of Inheritance

“Smacked is a story that will both break your heart and, in the wake of loss, make you think long and hard about what it means to have ‘everything.’ In lucid, precise prose and with a crushing honesty, Eilene Zimmerman traces the emotional and social forces that make it possible for one man, ostensibly on top of the world, to be visibly killing himself and for no one to recognize his fall.”—Heather Harpham, author of Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After

“Moving and intimate . . . Zimmerman’s wrenching story and her extensive research into the hidden crisis of white-collar drug addiction will resonate with many readers.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Searing . . . Intimate and disturbing, the narrative chronicles the tragic impact of drug addiction on a family and lays bare truths about a success-at-all-costs capitalist society in which many social relationships are becoming fractured. A timely reading experience in these hectic times.”—Kirkus Reviews

“In Zimmerman’s skillful hands, the compelling narrative unfolds seamlessly and convincingly. . . . Zimmerman’s brutally honest account identifies several telltale signs [of addiction] that, in hindsight, seem painfully obvious. They help underscore her revelation that addiction knows no demographic barriers.”—Booklist (starred review) Expand reviews