"I once believed I could go out into life and take, take, take and not suffer from consequences for my actions; this has usually always landed me in jail."
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Tom's Story by Debbie Petrie Trafford Publishing
book review by John E. Roper
Tom's life became a continual nightmare with no end in sight. His addiction to alcohol and drugs took him to the edge of insanity, and while he tried over and over to crawl out of the pit of substance abuse and get clean, the hooks of his disease constantly pulled him back into the darkness. Finally, after reaching the end of himself, he turned to a Higher Power to help him get to one last treatment center. There he found hope along with the spiritual and emotional weaponry to fight back.
Told through a series of journal entries that he kept while going through the 12-step recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous, Tom's memoir recounts his candid and painful journey toward healing. As he writes on the theme of each step, he is forced to bring to light the lies and selfish choices he made over the years that helped enable his addiction. The roles others played in his life, such as his abusive father and fellow drunk, are also examined as he takes a moral inventory of himself and his failings. True to the program's sequence, Tom learns to admit his sickness and to rely on God to remove his shortcomings and lead him to recovery.
Tom's words are not those of a seasoned writer but of a man in turmoil who is reaching for the lifeline that has been offered him. Although his story ultimately ends in tragedy, his personal insights and the successes of his life offer hope for others in similar situations.