Dear William

David Magee shares the story of his life and that of his family, and leaves no secrets hidden. .
Beginning with his adoption into a dysfunctional family, we journey with him through to his struggles with alcohol and drugs, unhealthy relationships, his career, marriage, divorce, children, the near loss of his younger son, the struggles of his daughter with an eating disorder and loss of his oldest son to drugs. His decades long search for his birth father reveals that we are, indeed, all connected. The story does evolve into one of faith and Hope and never giving up.
Magee did a fantastic job of expressing his ups and downs and was honest in telling the story in a way that the reader is right there with him. Through his words, we “know” each member of his family, and enter into their struggles and their journey of faith and healing, through loss that comes from addiction.
I feel this book is a “must read” for every student entering college as Freshmen and every parent of college students..perhaps even high school students, given the young age the drug and alcohol culture takes hold of our youth.
Thank you Netgalley for the copy of this book. Thank you to the author for sharing and to the publisher.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my review.

I picked up this book not long after my 32 year old son’s death due to end stage alcoholism. I also have experience in 12 step programs. This was a great tool for me to help deal with the pain from losing my son to alcoholism. I really enjoyed the pace and tone of the book and I felt it was very helpful.

For folks who have no connection to a 12 step program, it is great for learning about the family disease of alcoholism. It really gave me a new insight to my own 12 step program and is also great for folks in 12 step programs also!

Let me do a…kind of disclaimer. I have met David Magee…he probably does not even remember it. We met at Ole Miss. My husband and David were in the same pledge class at Sigma Nu and I was a Sigma Nu Little Sister…back in the day….way back in the day. But, when I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. Let me say, my 5 star rating has nothing to do with our previous interactions. This book is outstanding on so many levels!

David Magee has had his share of troubles growing up. He comes clean in this memoir about his mistakes, his own alcohol use, and his family dynamics. Life tends to throw us curve balls. How we react to these curve balls is what it is all about. It took David a while to come to terms with everything which occurred in his life. But, it has made him stronger and wiser. And this comes out strong in this memoir.

This is a book everyone should read. It will open eyes and possibly help others in this situation. This book is expressive and must have been cathartic to write. Nothing can ever ease the pain of losing a child and you can feel the author’s pain and guilt all through this memoir. But, you can also feel purpose. The purpose to help someone else through his loss.

What an outstanding man William was. He had such a bright future. But life turned on its axis. Hopefully this tragedy will help someone else in trouble. If you know anyone which needs help and guidance, please reach out: Magee Center at Ole Miss

Need a life changing story you will not soon forget…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I read ALOT of this type of books, but rarely make me cry.

This book made me cry.

So honest and brutal and taking a raw look at addiction - this is not the "regular" movie look at the disease. It takes the "glamour" out of it completely and the reading was compelling.

I also like how they deal with the 12 steps program, again......raw and honest.

I loved this book.

An incredibly emotional tale of loss, addiction and love. It absolutely broke my heart. I can’t recommend it enough!

[4.5 stars]

I flew through this heart-breaking, yet ultimately hopeful memoir about the author's family’s intergenerational addiction problems, including his own, in 2 days. While the story opens with MaGee's oldest son accidentally overdosing on drugs, the book focuses more on the author's own story including his childhood trauma and family secrets. It's about what can happen when an addict doesn't deal with the underlying issue that's driving them to drink...and the freedom that comes when you finally do confront it. Overall, this one reminds me of Smacked by Eilene Zimmerman crossed with Inheritance by Dani Shapiro.

I thought this book was going to be similar to Beautiful Boy by David Sheff in which he chronicles his son’s addiction. However, more than writing about the pain and trauma of losing his child William to an overdose, the writer has painstakingly raked over the past and his own mistakes and flaws in unflinching detail, almost to make some kind of sense out of a tragedy. I was enraptured by his story and couldn’t put it down. The early dysfunction the author experienced growing up was worded with such honesty, I could feel myself nodding along, then shaking my head at parts, I really felt his story and found this book to be complex, intriguing and incredibly moving.