I'm reading an appalling book at the moment- it's a fast read so I'll finish it tonight even though I got it just today. It's an autobiography by Steve Hamilton, called 'I Want My Life Back'. He is a white South African.

He grew up with an alcoholic father and a despairing mother, always hoping for some show of love from his father, a father who was too deeply into his own angst to ever give it to him. When the author was 16 years old his father died, but by that time the boy was well along on his own self-destructive path.

At the time he writes the book, 2002, he's been clean 12 years - one day at a time. Detox centers and lock down wards were an ever increasingly familiar thing in his life - 8 or 9 times. I haven't gotten yet to where he stops the whole thing.

He gives talks at schools and is involved with individuals as well as with groups.

I don't think I have ever 'met' an addict as self aware as this man.