Drugs

Praise

“This guy Helton could be the next Bukowski.”
—Terry Zwigoff, director of Crumb and Ghost World
 
“J. R. Helton really speaks to me—starkly honest, darkly funny, acutely observant,
and captures the tragic absurdity of human life. . . . [H]e’s right up there with the
best of them.” —Robert Crumb
 
“Helton . . . writes with passion, clarity, and fairness.”
—Harvey Pekar, author of American Splendor
 
“Just when you think there’s nothing to new to say about drugs, Drugs marches out
whole new ways to fuck up your brain, your life, and basically anyone insane or
unlucky enough to cross your path. This is a truly riveting, mind-altering read,
not to be missed.”
—Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight

“Appearances can be deceiving—JR Helton’s wonderful book is not so much about “Drugs” as it is about growing up in America as viewed through the prism of our national past-time. Funny and poignant, Helton has delivered a book that would make Mark Twain proud—it’s hilarious, true and subversive—a perfect piece of modern American writing.”—Tony O'Neill author of Down and Out on Murder Mile and Sick City

“For three days straight, I did Drugs. The straightforward matter-of-fact prose — reminiscent of William S. Burroughs’ classic memoir Junky — latched onto my brain and wouldn’t let go until the final page.”
— Broken Pencil