“Up and Down with the Rolling Stones: The Inside Story” by Tony Sanchez was pretty f’d up. The story of how he moved from snorting coke to mainlining heroin was terrifyingly lucid.
Life After Death - Damien Echols - One of the West Memphis Three, from the HBO “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills” Documentaries.
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. Not so much with the chemicals, but definitely emotionally troubled.
The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer ia the story of a kid growing up in a bar, becoming an alcoholic and recovery.
It’s been declared a sham as a memoir, but A Million Little Pieces was a pretty good read.
I found McKenzie Phillips’ autobiography *High on Arrival *hard to put down:
http://www.amazon.com/High-On-Arrival-Mackenzie-Phillips/dp/B004AYCX2K/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Likewise Susanna Sonnenberg’s Her Last Death:
Pete Townshend’s autobiography, “Who I Am.”
Her father John’s autobio Papa John was a good read.
Eric Clapton’s Clapton, The Autobiography was a fascinating read from a man who has led a very strange life.
Yes, Clapton is very interesting. With it, I’d recommend Patty Boyd’s Wonderful Tonight.
I came in here to list “Junky” by William S. Burroughs (Sr.)
It’s a semi-autobiography, so parts of it are fictional, but more than enough of the reality is present to get a good look at the junky lifestyle of the 40’s and 50’s.
The Artie Lange biography was pretty good. So was Darrel Hammonds ‘god if you’re not up there I’m fucked’. I wonder if something about fucked up show biz people is something I can relate to.
I like watching intervention on TV.
Only some of these books are available at the library, so I am trying to look into them.