The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star Review

Brutally honest, utterly riveting, and shockingly moving, The Heroin Diaries follows Nikki during the year he plunged to rock bottom -- and his courageous decision to pick himself up and start living again.

Richness of Content:	8.5
Style:	8.5
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	8.7
Users rating:	9.4
Comments:	52

overall: 9.3

Featured review by: jetfuel495, on january 14, 2008

Richness of Content: Richness of content? Hell, for this kind of content, Nikki should be making more money off this book than his music. There isn't a dull page in this book. It all starts out at Christmas of 1986, and for the 400-something pages of the next full year, he tells the tales of his drug-addicted rockstar lifestyle, spiraling downward deeper into his addictions and deeper into his depressions. When Nikki isn't talking about his childhood past or the Girls Girls Girls tour, it's all shenanigans. This man has taken more drugs than Colombia has to offer. It's really funny when he writes about his drug trips. He thinks there are Mexicans trying to jump the fence around his house and crap like that. Other things he mentions are: destroying the band's limo, nearly burning down a hotel, and Slash pissing in the bed in Nikki's guest room. There's just a lot of stuff to read, it's great. // 9

Style: I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary. Every few entries or so, there's commentaries from not only Nikki but other people involved with his rollercoaster of a life. This gives Sixx the opportunity to explain what exactly was going on at the time, and family and friends get the chance to either talk about how his actions impacted their lives or explain what Nikki can't remember. Every once in a while random lyrics or thoughts are strategically placed throughout the book to add to the overall feel. // 10

Impression: I was never really a Motley Crue fan. I think I've only heard two songs by them. But when The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack review popped up on the front page with rave reviews, I decided to check it out. And after hearing it, I decided to read the book. Simply put: this book is amazing. Not only is the material interesting to read, the book itself looks interesting. It's not like a normal book. It's full of interesting pictures, disturbing illustrations, and the color red. Seriously. It gets a lot of intriguing looks from kids sitting around me in class. You have no idea how many of my friends have started reading this book just because of how it looks. The only downside is sometimes the things that are written in here sound really corny/cliched/manufactured. Overall, though, The Heroin Diaries book is one hell of a ride. // 9

overall: 8

Reviewed by: RHCP603, on january 16, 2008

Richness of Content: The title pretty much describes exactly the content of this book. It's a year in the life of Nikki Sixx, starting from December 25th, in his heroin house in Van Nuys and follows HIM through the his spiral down into the depths of addiction, eventually coming to his treatment at a methadone clinic, and his touring on the "Girls, Girls, Girls" tour. Some of the entries are surprisingly short; leading the reader to see how fed up Sixx was with everything happening around HIM. The book is not short of interesting moments and insightful comments from the likes of Slash, Lemmy of Motorhead (Who does the Alternative Medical Dictionary), and many of Sixx's friends, including his ex-girlfriend/drug buddy now turned Evangelist. The book contains a lot of pictures and unused lyrics that show you how deeply depressed Nikki Sixx was. The diary is split betweens months as chapters and the separate days. This varies from the journal format though, by having comments after most of the entries to give the reader more info. The book is worth reading if you only read the small unused lyric sections. // 8

Style: It's written in a pretty standard journal fashion that is broken up with small comments and sections of lyrics. The pictures also seem to break up the sometimes overbearing sections of the book (the few that it contains). It's a book that a person sits down to read a few pages and spends hours reading it. The writing style is standard, but still written in a way that you can enjoy it. // 7

Impression: Overall, this is an amazing book. The title explains it all. It's like taking a trip into the mind of a shattered rock star. It's sometimes scary to read how deeply disturbed Nikki Sixx was. This book is worth a read if you want to get deeper into a twisted mind, or only if you’re looking for something different. As Nikki Sixx said, "Merry Christmas. Well, that's what people say at Christmas, right? Except normally they have somebody to say it to. They haven't been crouched naked under a Christmas tree with a needle in their arm like an insane person in a mansion in Van Nuys. They're not out of their minds and writing in a diary and they're not watching their holiday spirit coagulating in a spoon." // 9

Comments

[LeVeL-27 Freak]

AMAZING BOOK!!!!!

[sevenchurches]

I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary

Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

[oshonlie]

awesome im second but yeah its an awesome book i have already read it

[Wardster]

V GOOD BOOK

[^^A7X^^]

this book made me laugh out loud so many times. im on my 3rd time reading it

[nicksmith423]

Where can we get it?

[kelvov]

sevenchurches wrote:

I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary


Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

Yea but everyone have differnt thoughts and opinions

[RHCP603]

sevenchurches wrote:

I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary


Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

Yeah, and your a douchebag. This book is great, and is from the point of view of an addict, you have no idea what your talking about.

[pdq13]

Dirt

[sweetlew13]

this book is so freakin incredible. got it, read it in two days, and actually teared up in the last few pages. simply amazing.

[jetfuel495]

sevenchurches wrote:

I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary

Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

k, yeah, alot of people have diaries. what i meant though is that most books that are published about musicians are usually written by other people and read like stories. maybe im ignorant, but this is the first book ive seen where the musician himself publishes his own diary. and im sure there are others. i just havent seen any yet.

so dont be a prick

[zalant]

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

[jetfuel495]

zalant wrote:

And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries?

ok, you got me

[paulroxx]

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that!

[jetfuel495]

zalant wrote:

As in, "you're a douchebag,"

comma goes on the outside... i think

[useyourillusíon]

sevenchurches wrote:

I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary

Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

Yeah you're right many people do have diaries... that doesn't mean they're all the same.

you really are quite closed minded.

anyway, this book is great, the dirt is really good too. also read the slash autobiography... great read.

[Toolshed#9]

paulroxx wrote:

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that!

paulroxx wrote:

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that!

Yes, the guy writing this obviously doesn't have any sexual life, because he can comprehend simple grammatical rules that people in elementary school is getting taught.

[stumaster18]

nicksmith423 wrote:

Where can we get it?

try a book store

[stumaster18]

paulroxx wrote:

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.


you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that!

+1 to paulroxx

[Nicky XIII]

+2 paulroxx

I love this book, after reading it I made my band learn Dr. Feelgood. I know, "different tour than in the book", but I like it better than Girls Girls Girls.

[dfdude223]

this really is a good book

[joshjebl]

paulroxx is a condesending pric try to be a little more laid back buddy. cuz you really do need to get laid

[4evermetal]

there's so many better books on heroin addiction.

[UTVol]

zalant wrote:

And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries?

I think it's supposed to be there ARE, not there IS. I could be wrong though.

[rockerchick2009]

very unique and very true LOVE IT

[Vanhanen]

How can he be alive? I just don't get it... Great Book

[6Slay6tanic6]

I picked my copy up in a Virgin Megastore.

Gives you an insight into the amazing lifestyle Motley led, along with the downsides. And obviously, you can see how ****ed up Nikki gets on smack.

Such an inspirational, lucky, clever man. Thanks Nikki, you badass mother****er

[deviant4ever]

great book real honest and objective.who ****ing cares about grammar and ghost writers.the book doesnt paint a glamorous picture just hopefully his truth.i write music and a journal as do most, if people can identify learn from or just enjoy so be it.sex drugs rock and roll just excessive paths as such hopefully avoided

[JamesCopti]

kelvov wrote:

sevenchurches wrote:

I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary


Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

Yea but everyone have differnt thoughts and opinions

yeah, but you=nub tub

[sammcl-15]

Just got done reading this. It's amazing, if you like music...Buy it. It's fantastic. It's honest and gives a good insight into that sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle, and shows you that it's not all what people think...

[RandyRhoads2]

sevenchurches :
I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary


Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

Wow you're an *******.

[TC1223]

nicksmith423 wrote:

Where can we get it?

Maybe the butcher shop has some copies

[khalilizad]

TC1223 wrote:

nicksmith423 wrote:

Where can we get it?


Maybe the butcher shop has some copies

teehee

i thought it was a really good read.

[mylos64]

I'll probably read it.

I do no dare type another sentence because I don't want to be corrected by paulroxx (roxx=rocks) XD

[theused101]

this book ****ing rules.
i got it for my birthday in december last year.
i read it in like 8 days it was that spellbinding.

pretty good read

[themexican04]

you guys should check out anthony kiedis's book, "scar tissue" its really good reading

[jetfuel495]

themexican04 wrote:

you guys should check out anthony kiedis's book, "scar tissue" its really good reading

sounds like a good idea

[sticknick]

Toolshed#9 wrote:
... because he can comprehend simple grammatical rules that people in elementary school is getting taught.

ROTFL! That's an awesome sentance George Dubyah, simply awesome.


That being said, I should really pick up this book soon. "The Dirt" was amazing and I just finished "Slash" (also amazing) so this seems like the next logical choice.

[Exhumed&Impaled]

Toolshed#9 wrote:

paulroxx wrote:

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that! paulroxx wrote:

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that!
[quote]Toolshed#9 wrote:

paulroxx wrote:

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that! paulroxx wrote:

zalant wrote:

People...please! It's not really that difficult. There is a great word that somehow never gets used anymore. That word, my friends, is "you're". As in, "you're a douchebag," or "no idea what you're talking about". And, "there's commentaries"? Really?? There IS commentaries? Come on! You mention people in your class. That implies that you're in school. Learn something!

Hopefully, Nikki's grammar is better than what's in use here in this thread. Then again, he probably has editors to clean that sort of thing up. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good read. Thanks for the review.

P.S. Sorry for being a prick, but I can't stand the deterioration of our language. I hear it and read it every single day and it makes me crazy.

you really need to get laid buddy, i tell you that!

Yes, the guy writing this obviously doesn't have any sexual life, because he can comprehend simple grammatical rules that people in elementary school is getting taught.

"IS" GETTING TAUGHT? IM SORRY DUDE BUT THATS GONNA BE MY NEW SIG HAHAHAHAHHA

[bludwolfrocks]

god that is a money sig

any ways.... forget this book read the old motley crue book titled "The Dirt" its a better read, with less pictures and better stories

[Calgone]

jetfuel495 wrote:

zalant wrote:

As in, "you're a douchebag,"

comma goes on the outside... i think

No, he did it correctly.

The fact that people are having difficulty figuring out what's wrong with each sentence is what I find most appalling though.

[jetfuel495]

bludwolfrocks wrote:

god that is a money sig

any ways.... forget this book read the old motley crue book titled "The Dirt" its a better read, with less pictures and better stories

I don't know... it may be a better read with better stories, but the overall feel of this book is just psychotic. I happen to like that. Also, I like to read what's going on through Nikki's head at certain points in time.

[the_bi99man]

Calgone wrote:

jetfuel495 wrote:

zalant wrote:

As in, "you're a douchebag,"

comma goes on the outside... i think

No, he did it correctly.

The fact that people are having difficulty figuring out what's wrong with each sentence is what I find most appalling though.

I just laugh at this crap. The verbal exchanges between people who feel the need to correct other's grammatical errors and those who honestly don't realize what they're doing wrong is just hilarious. I think a lot of older people (and by "older", I mean "not teenagers". Even just in the early to mid-twenties) don't realize how terrible this country's public school system has become in recent years (I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to those without grammatical prowess, assuming that most of them are products of the American public school system, between the ages of 12 and 20). I just turned 18 a few months ago, and I dropped out of school when I was 15 for just that reason. They don't teach anything anymore. All they do is manufacture brain-dead zombies who can't do anything but obey what the authority figure says, and work in groups to complete menial tasks set by said authority figures. They go beyond just not teaching individual and independent thought, so far as to actually work to destroy it. Nothing is taught in any kind of concrete manner. Kids are not told how to figure anything out, just what the answer is. And that sticks just long enough to score 75% on the day's worksheet, only to be completely forgotten at some point on the bus-ride home. That's why I'm not surprised when kids can't use a proper adjective or place a comma correctly. Hell, I'm impressed every time I'm able to wrangle any meaning out of these crippled sentences.

[DasFishy]

I'm an English major, and to be honest, I die a little inside every time I visit an Internet forum.

[Phoenix_24Leas]

Whoa there Tex, I'm expecting you to give us a talk of how gas used to be a dollar n' what not or how voting counts towards nothing in this country. But in any case this has GOT to be the funniest thread I've ever read.

*chuckles to self* comma goes on the outside, that's a good one.

[TooFast]

Grammar Nazi FTW!

I love this book, I love Nikki and I love Motley.

[jetfuel495]

the_bi99man wrote:

I just laugh at this crap. The verbal exchanges between people who feel the need to correct other's grammatical errors and those who honestly don't realize what they're doing wrong is just hilarious. I think a lot of older people (and by "older", I mean "not teenagers". Even just in the early to mid-twenties) don't realize how terrible this country's public school system has become in recent years (I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to those without grammatical prowess, assuming that most of them are products of the American public school system, between the ages of 12 and 20). I just turned 18 a few months ago, and I dropped out of school when I was 15 for just that reason. They don't teach anything anymore. All they do is manufacture brain-dead zombies who can't do anything but obey what the authority figure says, and work in groups to complete menial tasks set by said authority figures. They go beyond just not teaching individual and independent thought, so far as to actually work to destroy it. Nothing is taught in any kind of concrete manner. Kids are not told how to figure anything out, just what the answer is. And that sticks just long enough to score 75% on the day's worksheet, only to be completely forgotten at some point on the bus-ride home. That's why I'm not surprised when kids can't use a proper adjective or place a comma correctly. Hell, I'm impressed every time I'm able to wrangle any meaning out of these crippled sentences.

you need to write a book

[NRJ]

This is an amazing book, I am with someone who fights this addiction and this book actually helped me understand how he is feeling and what is driving him. He says things identical to things that Nikki had written during his addiction. This addiction affects not only the user but everyone who loves them. I am not an addict or user but I stay knowing that the person who was once my best friend is still there and someday I hope he wakes up.

[NOSPI]

sevenchurches wrote:

I love the writing style. It's pretty unique, and as the name implies, it's a diary

Many people have diaries. its not that unique

^and fag

he didn't mean it was unique cos it was a diary.. it's unique because of the writing style.. just because lots of people write diaries doesn't mean they all sound the same.

[NOSPI]

sticknick wrote:
That being said, I should really pick up this book soon. "The Dirt" was amazing and I just finished "Slash" (also amazing) so this seems like the next logical choice.

Yeah so did i.. the dirt, tommyland, scar tissue, long hard road out of hell.. then slash. now the heroin diaries. they're all awesome.. heroin diaries are interesting.

[haulston]

best book ive read

[Glam-Hammer]

Nearly finished 'Slash' (awesome).

Gonna fully read 'The Dirt' (from what I've read its bad-ass)

Gonna buy this sometime too