A journey through the wild, mid-life sex and drug addiction of a previously sober, serious and successful businessman. It is brought to life through fantastic writing and storytelling and is replete with crazy characters so colourful that they almost seem fictional. If I hadn't witnessed pieces of the journey firsthand I wouldn't have believed it. I couldn't put it down and devoured the book in two days. Hunter S Thompson has nothing on Gord Lownds!
-Steve Gunn, Co-founder of Sleep Country Canada and Canadian Business Leader
Lownds has crafted a masterpiece of the tragicomic anti-hero's journey-a gripping, galloping page-turner that will have readers crying, learning, and laughing out loud in equal measure. This isn't just another addiction memoir; it's a tour de force of wit and wisdom that captures the devastating spiral from promise to despair with unflinching honesty and surprising humour. For anyone seeking to truly understand the complexities of addiction, Lownds delivers an essential work that is both deeply human and profoundly illuminating.
-Professor Neil Seeman, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, and author of Accelerated Minds
This raw chronicle of addiction and recovery illustrates that drugs have the power to control even the brightest, most driven minds. It is brilliantly written, captivating and hard to put down as each chapter is more unbelievable than the last. Sharing lived experience-especially from an unexpected source-gives hope to those who are struggling.
-Akela Peoples, CEO Mental Health Research Canada
In Cracking Up, Gordon clearly shows that addiction is not a disease that can be addressed alone. To achieve his sobriety, he needed a personal commitment, the support of the 12-step community, lengthy rehab, ongoing therapy and some humility. Addiction is not an excuse to give up but a lifelong challenge to address one day at a time.
-Michael Mazza, Former Executive Director of Renascent Foundation (Toronto Addiction Rehab Centres)
