If you’re looking for a great book about addiction, Three Steps to Recovery is a must read. As a hardcore alcoholic and drug user for more than half his life, Dan Farish learned about addiction the hard way. His story begins as a young child growing up in a tough, blue collar Boston household, where mental and physical abuse were part of daily life. Interestingly, his parents weren’t drinkers, let alone alcoholics, and they rarely ever touched the stuff. Things went from bad to worse when the family moved to Idlewood, a working class neighborhood full of lowlifes, drugs and bullies. Introverted and shy, Dan was an easy target for bullies, both on the streets and the one waiting at home - his father. At age 14, Dan found the courage he needed to gain acceptance with the neighborhood thugs and overcome shyness, as well as a way to escape his father’s brutality. He discovered courage in a bottle, and so began a long love affair with booze and drugs.
Two decades would pass before Dan crashed and burned. He wound up in a rehab hospital, where he was voted “most likely to fail” by his counselors and fellow addicts. True to form, he failed, returning home with a suitcase in one hand and a coffee stained copy of A.A.’s 12 Steps in the other. He devised his own 3 Step program and began working the steps. Several weeks later a life changing experience cured his addiction. He is not a “recovering” addict, but a “cured” addict. This book challenges conventional belief about addiction treatment, which labels addiction as an incurable “disease”. Rehab programs, group therapy, and attending life-long 12 Step meetings are the only hope, according to most addiction professionals. Dan’s experience proves otherwise.
Another thing that sets this book apart from others written about overcoming addiction is the way Dan Farish tells his story. His words paint a vivid portrait of life as an addict and draw the reader in, making you feel like you are there with him as you read along. His writing style is down to earth, brutally honest and is purposefully written by a former addict for fellow addicts. On the other hand, you don’t have to be an addict or alcoholic to enjoy his story. There is no sugar coating to be found in this book, nor will you find a shred of self-pity in his words. What you will find is a gripping account of the life of a former addict, how he became one, his struggle through it, and how he created his own 3 Step cure for addiction – a cure he shares with his readers.
