Cracked: Putting Broken Lives Together Again

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Summary: lusty romp
Review: in this lusty romp,Dr. Screw Pinsky talks of his sassy tales as an adult film star, very informative

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Summary: Well Intentioned but Ultimately Futile
Review: As a regular Love Line listener, I enjoy the pragmatic, inquistive and compassionate commentary given by Dr Drew Pinsky. Anyone who listens to the radio show, must acknowledge the steadfast philosophy: "sober living equates to healthy living" as consistently presented and well explained by the good doctor. Beyond superficial entertainment value, the accomplishment of putting out such a positive message to so many on such a consistent basis is a wonderful deed. This book, Cracked, I believe has the same intent. Dr. Drew is successful in conveying his passion for helping addicts. He also, more bravely, offers himself as a role model for how to cope with the stresses and pains of life without turning to drugs.
Where Dr. Drew attempts to go deeper is where the book "deflates." Though he provides many insights and observations of the behavior of hardcore addicts, he never provides real answers or more importantly real hope for addicts. Reading this book one realizes that the years of research and observation has left Dr. Drew just as baffled and confused about addiction as the rest of us lamens, maybe a little more.
Some patients "get it" some don't is the extent of the hope that this book conveys. We really don't need to read any book to know that. Cracked gives us a window into the personal life of Dr. Drew. But looking through that window is futile because we don't see what we want or are expecting to see: answers.

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Summary: Getting It
Review: Dr. Drew, on an episode of Loveline, professed the title for his book should have been "Getting It" and not "Cracked-Putting Broken Lives Together Again". Drew knows that in his profession "he" is not the one doing the healing of those who have fallen off the wall, he is simply putting the bottle of glue in their hands and offering encouragement for "them" to put themselves back together. This is not a fix-it manual. You want to fix an addict, first fix yourself then be present...you be the one offering the glue; that's about all you can do. Once an addict can accept their powerlessness over the addiction then they have the chance to "Get It". Dr. Drew wrote a fine book with plenty of incite for those struggling with addiction and those struggling with addicts.

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Summary: Sorry to say it, but stick to radio, Drew.
Review: I wanted to love this book, I really did. Dr. Drew is something of an idol to me, but writing is just not his thing. The dialogue, true to life or not, is uninspired, the sytax is something out of a phonics book, and Dr. Drew's inner turmoil feels extremely artifical and forced. Dr. Drew is at his best when he's innately diagnosing the pathologies of callers on Loveline. Rehashed sloppily into something that reads like it were produced sans editor, this was a throughly lackluster read.

That said, Dr. Drew is the man! Dr. Drew in the hizzzzzzzzzzy.

Rating:
Summary: A little bit of insight
Review: This book, written by the admirable Dr. Drew (Pinsky), blew me away. My brother is an addict, and nearly lost his life a year ago because of it, and is currently fighting to get past his need for beer, pot, crack, speed, etc. Dr. Drew's book really helped me understand his disease. The only downsides, tells you stuff that you really dont want to believe or acknowledge, and crappy spell checking.

Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: Dr.Drew I just gotta say 1 thing, WOW. This is one book that I will never forget. I suggest anyone with an addict in the family to read this. You seriously help thousands of people peryear on Love Line, and I seriously think this book will help triple that amount. This book seriously taught me about all the struggles and mental illnesses people go through recovering from drugs, it just makes me want to never start drugs or an alcohal addiction stronger than it was. Drew, I gotta give you a perfect 5 star rating on this book, absolutely flawless.

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Summary: Very ispirational
Review: I read this book last week and it has really taught me alot. It furthered the consequences of addiction and the long journey to recovery. I have listened to the radio show Loveline for a year and a half and this book is much more than the people who call in, this book goes in depth on addiction and what can really go wrong. So I encourage everyone to read this book if you haven't already.

Alex R
14
Oakland,CA

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Summary: pinsky's book was excellent....
Review: pinskys book was excellent. it was a personal book about what drew does off lovelines. i listen to lovelines every night and adam carolla always says drew has no personality and i believed that until i read cracked and it's a very personal book that lets you see inside the doctor behind the treatment. i also felt how much pinsky cared for some of these patients. i passed the book out to all my friends and they all loved it also. it's one of my favorite books and i would recommend to everyone!!! if you only read one book in your life, read cracked by drew pinsky!!

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Summary: Cyber Adam responds
Review: "In this engaging and well-written memoir"That's why he makes the big bucks."he incorporates a frank description of his work with the 'manipulative, secretive, frightened, paranoid and unstable' patients"He's a big boy."Pinsky plays down the Tinseltown connection, preferring to look at his entire range of patients, who represent 'every possible facet of society, from the rich to the destitute to the socially prominent to the disconnected." Takes all kinds."Pinsky provides a hard-nosed look at the realities of a detox clinic, from the patients' physical illness and flashbacks to doctors' letdown when a patient quits the program and returns to addiction."Hey, whattaya gonna do?"What they share are the typical hot buttons of trauma-pain, abuse, neglect, abandonment"Good times!

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: 'Cracked' was one of the most amazing books that I have ever read. I learned addicts should not be looked down upon in society, but rather helped. This book taught me so much about the world of addiction, and the process that these people have to go through, and how trauma in early childhood can effect someone for the rest of their life. I plan on going into music therapy next year, specializing and working with addicts in the hospital. A lot of the things that I learned cannot be taught in medical school; experience treating so many of these people is how you truly learn some of these things. Dr. Drew did a nice job of being truthful and honest,especially with his own thoughts and feelings, even though at times you could tell that he didn't even know that he was experiencing those feelings. Nicely done, Drew

P.S. Dr.Drew, I am in a Human Relations class and am doing a huge project on substance and alcohol abuse. I was wondering if it may be possible for you to come in and speak about it, since part of the project is finding a reputable guest speaker. I would love to get in touch with you especially since I am going into a similar field as you. Thanks! [e-mail]