Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book for anyone
Review: This book is an excellent account of not only how all kinds of addiction affects people, but also of how society as a whole influences behavior. The format of the book is excellent - it goes into Dr. Pinsky's life, and it touches on almost every type of addiction that he deals with in his medical practice as well as going into the events in the person's life that lead up or created the addiction. If you're a Love Line listener, you'll see almost every noteworthy issue they deal with on the radio addressed in this book in much greater detail. One other thing that's interesting is that Drew speaks of his experience as a medical professional and he includes his interpersonal thoughts along with the treatment of his patients - I think this is the only time I've seen a doctor actual portrayed as a human being discussing his most personal feelings evoked by his work.
Rating:
Summary: Very Important Book
Review: This is a very important book. A must read for physicians, treatment counselors, psychotherapists, and families of loved ones with addiction, and for people that do not understand addiction. It is simple enough for a high schooler to read, and powerful enough for a physician to better understand and treat, or get help for an addicted patient.
I am a mother of 5, ranging in age 20-30 and am now raising a grandchild born to his addicted mother. I have listened to Loveline for a number of years. I got on the waiting list at Amazon.com, as soon Dr. Drew announced he had written a book.Coming from a family of alcoholics, I felt one of the most important points Dr. Drew stresses is compassion. An addict/alcoholic is in so much pain, which is hard to understand, as they can create a pile of pain. I have felt the judgement from others, over our situation, and it is difficult trying to explain to someone that does not understand the disease, that the affected person can actually be a very sensitive, caring, generous person, but the disease has a horrific power and until they "get it" nothing is more important than their drug of choice, which numbs the feelings, keeping reality at bay.This book is helpful to anyone who wants a clear idea of how an addict struggles, and the biology that makes that struggle so difficult. The book stayed with me for days.
It gave me added strength, to do the right thing, be firm, loving, accept that this is a life long journey for all involved, and to further address my co-dependancy.
This is a powerful book. And I have recommended it to many people.
Please keep writing Dr. Drew, and Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: Must read for eveyone!
Review: The detail of the experiences and consistent advice coming from this book is very real and true. It's really cool to read a slice of drew's life since I've been listening to him for years on the radio... awesome book--great job!! :D
Rating:
Summary: A Life Worth Reading About
Review: This highly readable and intelligent book takes readers behind the scenes of what an addictionologist does - treats addicts who have finally succumbed to the traumas that they have battled all their lives. The significant bonus, of course, is that the author provides deep insights that go well beyond those of a regular physician. While Dr. Drew Pinsky may be a top notch physician by day, he is probably best known nationally for his role as a highly respected radio and television personality who has been the dispensing sound advice on everything from the proper treatment of genital warts to advising callers on how to get away from abusive spouses. For 20 years now he has been the mainstay of the widely syndicated radio show, Loveline. Interwoven throughout the book are insights into Pinsky's personal life and what he and partner Adam Corolla face nightly on their radio show. The book is tied together through on-going case studies of individuals and Pinsky doesn't pull any punches in telling his story. Ultimately, what I find remarkable about the story is how one individual can make such a difference in so many people's lives and still be such a level-headed, balanced, human being. Move over Dr. Phil, Dr. Drew has arrived.
Rating:
Summary: Dr. Drew Brings Addiction into a New Light
Review: This was book is a very well thought out exploration of addiction in our modern times. The book uses real depictions of Dr. Pinsky's patients throughout his carrer running an addiction clinic. The reader is thrown clear into the heart of Dr. Pinsky's world and the frightening world of his addicted patients. We struggle along with him, his staff and the patiets as each member fights this very real and very unnerving diesease that is addiction. If anyone has every wondered where addiction comes from or why it has such a strangling hold, this book wil open your eyes into the grim world. On a personal not, as a medical student, I truely enjoyed how Dr. Pinsky opened up his mind and showed the reader his own frustrations with the medical system of today, and how he copes with failure and loss. Again, if the potenttial reader has ever wondered what goes on in a doctor's mind as they treat someone then this book with show you the human side of medicine. All in all this is a great book for anyone to read. It is easy to read and has a great story arc which helps to illustrate the main themes of the book.I highly encourage people to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: This guy is no "talking head"
Review: Fascinating book. A friend of mine recommended that I pick up a copy. I burned through it in couple of days; it was that captivating. What intrigued me most was the topic and the subject matter- we are a morally bankrupted country and one of the ramifications of this is that a lot of people are addicts i.e. sex, drugs and alcohol. This is not a self-help book. This is a serious look into the American psyche and to why on some many levels our society is so severely "Cracked". Dr. Drew is so pragmatic when he breaks down the road map of addiction, pain, abuse, neglect and abandonment, I've never heard of Dr. Drew Pinsky. I guess he's pretty famous, national syndicated radio show, hits the campus tour talking to kids, is an expert on addiction and is a guest on tons of TV shows. After reading the first page you realize that this guy is no "talking head". He is a smart cookie that is deeply bothered by the moral decline in this country and really beats himself up not being able to "cure" his patients. Pinsky is completely up front that he has no idea what causes people to kick their addiction. He offers no easy answers to this very complex question and that's what makes this book such a compelling read.
Rating:
Summary: More Cracked up than you'd think this book to be!
Review: This book is so worth reading! I found myself getting caught up in the recovery process for each patient Dr. Drew introduces us to. I thought I'd be reading something a bit more clinical but found that the stories told in this book are both intriguing and additive. Cracked reads like a scandalous novel but sadly the stories of addition are true. If only every addict had someone like Dr. Drew pulling for them.
Rating: 
Summary: Great insight into the life of an addiction doc
Review: I am a big fan of Dr. Drew Pinsky, and I eagerly anticipated his book. It chronicles his life as a doctor who runs an addiction rehab clinic in LA, and gives many fascinating details about the people he treats, their backgrounds, the issues they face in getting clean. The focus, however, is a new twist on the addiction story...what does the doctor go through in dealing with these patients? Not only does he explain how patients are treated for this problem, and the rationals behind each step, he also goes into detail about the emotional toll it takes on the doctor. He sees firsthand the pain, both physical and mental, that his patients are suffering, he knows that many of them will never get better and will die from their addiction, and he wants nothing more than to deliver them from it...knowing all along that much of it is out of his control. It is generally a fascinating read.
Rating:
Summary: A life changing read. Highly recommended.
Review: A life changing read. Highly recommended. Cracked offers a medical, personal, and psychological look at the world of Dr. Drew Pinksy; a nationally syndicated radio host and addiction medicine specialist. Pinsky takes you behind the scenes in this very personal chronicle of his life as chief of service at Las Encinas Hospital in Pasedena, California. Pinksy's writing style is very passionate and from the heart. It provides an in depth view of not only how addictive behaviors affect abusers, but also its effect on practitioners, family members, and our culture as a whole. Cracked is highly recommended to anyone wanting to better their life.
Rating:
Summary: Great insight into addiction and the human experience
Review: I read this book because I've enjoyed listening to Dr. Drew Pinsky on Loveline for years, and because I grew up with an alcoholic parent. This book helped me understand more about addictions and what leads to them, and the way the addicted mind works. It's helped me make some sense of a very confusing childhood. I liked that this book isn't just another self-help book, psychology text book or a preachy guide for teens. Dr. Drew talks about his experiences, his thoughts, even his confusion and frustration about addiction, child abuse and recovery. He doesn't just list facts or give tips for recovery - he speaks about real experiences and feelings, both his patients' and his own. He speaks as a human - even the style of writing sounds like his natural speech - the mix of medical terms and slang that he must use to treat and connect with his patients. He also explores his own endless drive to help people and and the ways his own emotions can be manipulated by patients. My only complaint about this book is with the editing. (I would have selected 4 1/2 stars, if it were an option, because of it) I noticed some mistakes, such as Drew being referred to in third person (p 209) while the rest of the book was in first person. I also noticed a typo. I felt that some things were repeated too much (how old are the triplets again?). Here and there the book seemed a little vague about explaining things, like "Hair Banding" was mentioned but wasn't defined for another chapter or two. These aren't huge issues but they were noticable enough to be distracting. I recomend this to anyone interested in learning more about addiction. The book is about more than just that though, it includes insights into society and people in general. The experiences in this book have universal elements that everyone can connect to, even if their life has been touched in no way by addiction.
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