Smacked: A Story of White-Collar Ambition, Addiction, and Tragedy" by Eilene Zimmerman

For the second time in my life, I have had a close friend move from San Francisco to London, and I really wish London would stop taking my friends away. I walked with this woman nearly every Monday and Thursday for more than 12 years, and I think I’m still in denial that she has left. I was pretending she was just on a trip, until I read this book. Then I really missed her. She and I share a penchant for books about drug addiction. This is not because we have experience with drugs, it is rather an unnatural fear that we will suddenly, one day even in our 60s, fall victim to heroin. “Smacked” by Eilene Zimmerman is exactly the type of addiction story that we used to love to talk about on our walks. Eilene, an experienced journalist, was married to Peter, a lawyer, and they had two kids, a boy and a girl. For various reasons they grew apart and eventually got divorced. Their lives after their divorce began quite typically, with them sharing custody, and sometimes even time together with the children. However, shortly after their divorce, his odd behavior began. He grew thin, was late for events, and sometimes, even when he was present, he seemed distracted and distant. He rose to become partner at a prominent law firm, but still his erratic behavior persisted. The children and Eilene attributed his behavior to work stress and carried on with their lives. However, she soon comes face-to-face with the reality that Peter is living a secret life filled with pills, opioids, cocaine and methamphetamines. This revelation forces her to reflect back on the man she knew for 30 years, and yet didn’t really know at all. The book is a fascinating read, and a true behind-the-scenes look into what the life of a high-functioning drug addict really looks like. To buy this book on Amazon click here.