ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With great respect, I would like to thank Steve Shoptaw, Edythe London, Walter Ling, and especially Richard Rawson, all at the Integrated Substance Abuse Programs at the University of California, Los Angeles, for helping me to understand addiction. I also would like to thank the people who vetted sections of the book and offered their corrections and suggestions. Along with Drs. Rawson, Shoptaw, and London, they include Dr. Judith Wallerstein and Gayathri J. Dowling, Ph.D., Deputy Chief, Science Policy Branch Office of Science Policy and Communications, National Institute on Drug Abuse.

This book grew out of an article that appeared in the New York Times Magazine. I cannot adequately express my thanks and deep respect to my editors there. They guided me with immaculate skill and flawless consciences. They are Katherine Bouton, Gerry Marzorati, and, in particular, Vera Titunik.

It is even more difficult to fully express my gratitude when I get to Eamon Dolan, the editor of this book. It is impossible to overstate his contribution. At every stage, I was inspired by, and learned from, his wisdom, intelligence, and elegant editing.  I am also grateful to Janet Silver for her sensitivity and kindness and devotion to Beautiful Boy.  Reem Abu-Libdeh contributed her skillful and artful copyediting. Michaela Sullivan and Melissa Lofty, created, respectively, the jacket and design. I would also like to thank Bridget Marmion, Lori Glazer, Megan Wilson, Carla Gray, Lois Wasoff, David Falk, Sasheem Silkiss-Hero, Chester Chomka, Sanj Kharbanda, and Elizabeth Lee in the U.S. and Suzanne Baboneau, Ian Chapman, Rory Scarfe, Emma Harrow, and Jeremy Butcher in the UK.  Binky Urban, my agent, lived through much of this story and provided unwavering support and helped me navigate minefields. Also at ICM, thanks to Ron Bernstein, Jacqueline Shock, Liz Farrell, Karolina Sutton, Molly Atlas, and Alison Schwartz. And thank you Jasper Sheff for your insights and corrections.

Throughout the past few years I have been awed by the brave and dedicated people who work to help addicts and their families. We were counseled, guided, and supported by Rick Rawson; Paul Ehrlich; Jace Horwitz at Herbert House Sober Living Environment, and humble saints who prefer to be mentioned only by their first names, Randy and Ted. I reserve special, and boundless, gratitude for Mary Margaret McClure, David Frankel, and Don Alexander.

Finally, I would like to thank the remarkable teachers and families at our children’s schools; the wondrous communities of Point Reyes Station and Inverness, and of course my dear family and friends. If they got sick of our endless crises, and how could they not have—I did -- they never once showed it. Thank you Sarah, Mike, Ginny, Annie, Peggy, Steve R., Sue, Nan, , Armistead, Christopher, Lee, Heidi, Bo, Jenny, Jim, Mike M., Marshall, Jennifer, Suning, Ginee, Fred, Jessica, Peter, Ilie, Jeremiah, Vicki, Susan, Buddy, Mark, Jenny, Becca, Bear, Susan, Lucy, Steve, Mark, Nancy, Don, Debra, Sumner, Joan, and Jamie, Kyle, Dylan, and Lena. On one of the worst days, I checked my voicemail and Jamie had called from New York. “I want to fly home and build a retaining wall around you,” he said. You and Kyle did (and do). And with my boundless love, thank you Daisy, Jasper, Nic, and Karen.  #