Set in London, Amsterdam, New York, Berlin, Hamburg, Freiburg, Barcelona, Almeria, Nice, Tangier and somewhere called Niedereggenen, The Joy of Addiction is a stranger-than-fiction, tragicomedy about a teenager who hurtles into the abyss of drug and alcohol dependency. It is a true story with an invaluable message of recovery and unblinking insight into the mind of a young, suffering addict.
But why does a kid who was a conscientious member of the 15th Hampstead Cub Scouts, with six badges of merit on his scratchy little green jersey, turn into a no-good, thieving junkie? And is there a way to escape the horrors of a condition, the primary symptom of which is to convince the sufferer they don’t have it?
‘Like its author, this is funny, honest and in-your-face. A great and enlightening and helpful read for anyone who thinks: ‘I only drink on weekends’ makes them less of an addict. I include myself in that category.’
— Dame Emma Thompson
‘If you only read one book this year, you should really try reading a few more books, including Wocker’s brilliant addiction memoir. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wet your pants and wake up screaming. Laugh out loud funny.’
— Tony Parsons