Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption

By Christopher Kennedy Lawford

Book Overview

At last, the first memoir from a Kennedy family member--an inspirational, candid, and explosive personal story sure to be one of the most sensational bestsellers of the year Christopher Kennedy Lawson was born to enormous privilege. But with fame, money, and power came tragedy and heartbreak. In this clear-eyed, sensitive, and compulsively readable autobiography, he breaks his family's long-held silence to a rare glimpse into the exclusive worlds of both Washington politicos and the Hollywood elite during the socially turbulent 1960s and 1970s. As the first born child of famed Rat Pack actor, Peter Lawford, and John F. Kennedy's sister, Patricia, Christopher Lawford was raised in Malibu and Martha's Vineyard with movie stars and presidents as close family members and friends. But this little boy who learned the twist thanks to private lessons from Marilyn Monroe would grow up to become a spoiled adolescent with a near-fatal jones for heroin and alcohol. With deep sincerity, Kennedy sets the record straight, sharing many never-before-told stories about the good, the bad, and the ugly in his life, including the deaths of his uncles, his parents' divorce and its effect, his hard-fought struggle to overcome addiction, his long-lasting sobriety, his acting career, and his relationships with his famous cousins and his own children. Surprisingly frank, Kennedy pulls no punches as he tells us what it's really like to be a member of America's first family.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061131237
• ISBN13: 9780061131233
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Great book, great story

The best part about your book is "You didn't make soberity sound easy or fun". I quit all the fun (dancing on pool tables, running from the cops in allies, etc..) over 25 years ago. I'm only 57. I'm still growing up. My family raised me at "The Pink Lady" bar in Denver in Larmer Street. My family rejected me when I quit drinking. You really tell the story with the truth of the pain in losing everyone you love and starting over. I'm so proud to find a real person like you.

Intense.

This is one of the most intense books I've read in a while. It's Lawford's account of his life as a Kennedy, Lawford and an addict. The fly leaf sets up the story with the following: What happens when you are born with the American dream fulfilled? I was given wealth, power, and fame when I drew my first breath. Now what? The first half of the book "packs so much material on his family that a Kennedy-parasite biographer could find a career's worth of stories," writes Janet Maslin of NY Times. Then half way through we descend into the bleak world of addiction. I'm fortunate that drugs, alcohol, and addiction have not played a meaningful role in my life, but I had a few friends who became addicted 20 years ago and I spent years trying to help them before giving up. I lost both of them. As a result, the book had an unbelievable impact on me. I worked my way through the first half slowly -- it was hard to move through it very quickly. The second half is a story of renewal, as he writes: "For those of you who bought this book for stories about my descent into darkness, the Rat Pack, and the Kennedys - you can stop reading now. For the rest, I'm here to tell you the most interesting part of my story is not what happened in the dark alley but what has happened in the sunlit room." Slowly - Lawford starts to make progress. As the period of time that he's sober and clean lengthens, he starts to address his issues, and some of his real demons. He is incredibly honest, extremely insightful, and admirable in how he takes responsibility for his actions. This book is a journey, and what a journey it is and as Lawford says has to be read from beginning to end. There's no index...which I thought was brilliant. Five Stars *****

very good book

this my first review. i felt very much need to say that this is good book. english not my first language but i try my best. i read lot of books i read better than write. :) i'm from poland. it took me long time but i finish book yesterday and it is very good. chris very good writer. i read books in russian and polish and enlgish. i dont write good in english but i read a lot of books. congratulation, chris!!!

True Grit from Start to Finish.

Finally, a Kennedy memoir I can sink my teeth into. What I enjoyed most about this book is its human aspects and its honesty. Mr. Lawford does not write from the viewpoint of victim. He takes responsibility for his life and how he has lived it, and, as fate would have it, he has emerged triumphant and is proving to be a vital tool in the fight against addiction. He is careful to point out that addiction knows no economic status. It does not care if you are rich or poor, famous or anonymous. He acknowledges that which most privileged adults of stature would conveniently leave out. He never feels sorry for himself, not once. Everything he covers in these pages is parallel to what was going on in his life at the time, and the "snapshots" inserted in each chapter are cleverly placed so they mirror what he is writing about in the particular time frame. This book does not seek to be political nor does it seek to be another "oh woe is the Kennedy Clan." It's a story of conviction, addiction and redemption and I heartily recommend it. There are many interesting photos included in the book as well. Many not seen before now. I wanted to stand up and cheer when I was finished with Lawford's tale. Don't miss this one. It's a gem.

This memoir is the best I have ever read

My wife attended AdCare anniversary dinner in Boston and brought this book home. She started reading it, and I swear, I have never seen my wife disappear into a book so fast in my life. She didn't want to go anywhere until she read it all. We're both in recovery, so it was funny to watch her...this book became her drug of choice. After hearing how great it is, how funny it is, how honest and inspiring...I couldn't take it anymore, I'm an addict, recovering, but still an addict, I had to try it. I gotta tell you, from the first sentence, I was a goner...my wife was so shocked that I was actually reading a book. She's still in shock. I love this book and what this man has to say. He says it with such grace, such honesty...it's almost uncomfortable. I identify and not only because I'm in recovery, but because I'm a human being, just like Mr. Lawford. I felt his pain, his joy, his loss and his triumph. What a writer. Congratulations! I'm a fan and cannot wait till his next book.