Leaving Dirty Jersey: A Crystal Meth Memoir

by James Salant

Book Overview

With his nickname, Dirty Jersey, tattooed on the inside of his left forearm, James Salant wanted everyone to know he was a tough guy.

At the age of eighteen, after one too many run-ins with the cops for drug possession, he left his upper-middle-class home in Princeton, New Jersey, for a stint at a rehab facility in Riverside, California. Instead of getting clean, he spent his year there shooting crystal meth and living as a petty criminal...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416955119
• ISBN13: 9781416955115
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Gallery Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.6" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Leaving Dirty Jersey : an authentic drug addiction memoir

Salant's book is by far the best memoir of drug addiction I've ever read. It's precisely the relative absence of shock-for-shock's sake that made this book such a satisfying read. As described by Salant, a drug addict's world isn't exciting; it's just sordid (which Salant acknlowedges in recounting some of the gross and/or unsavory things he did while addicted. Those of us who like to read about unsavory things done by other people - and I'm one of them - do get their money's worth in this memoir). But it's his writing that struck me as singular. Told by a less talented writer, this story could have been ho-hum. But Salant writes with great clarity and economy, and seems objective as he can be in a book about himself. He does talk about writing poetry in the book, though sometimes he lied about that so his parents would send him money, so I'm not sure how much poetry he actually wrote! But as for his prose, Salant writes as if he's been writing forever - he's that good. He's an extremely talented young writer, and thanks to that, this book wasn't the cobbled-together addiction exploitation book it very easily could have been. Another reviewer said he (or she) would have liked more about his recovery. I think that might have been too much; I think Salant was right in leaving off where he did. And for an addict or alcoholic, there is always the chance of relapse; it's risky talking about your "recovery" when you're still in your early 20s. That's just my view, of course. But this one's absolutely well worth reading.

awsome book

this book is scary, it opens your eye to the love familys have even when your child is slowly killing himself with drugs. the author has a great talent, and is so very hot! the book does not let you put it down. again a great book.

A Study of Addiction and Life

I read about this book in the NY Times Book Review and was surprised that such a young author could work his way to the top in so little time. I devoured the book in two nights but it was not like some Tom Clancy type of melt-in-your-mouth candy. It was much more in-depth and developed. In his upfront and self-deprecating manner Salant leads you through his world of trying to be accepted amongst the unaccepted. The drug experiences are vivid and frightening. The people he comes across are as believable as they are ruthless. From each harrowing adventure Salant manages to come through unscathed even in often near-death situations. If you are interested in hearing a dark tale of the struggle for light in the human soul then I highly suggest this memoir.

A dark yet fun read.

Being an overly-bored college student, I have picked up some pretty interesting and random reads. This is, without a doubt, one of them. I was recommended this book by a friend who is interested in this whole drug genre too. I don't know what it is but having no past in drug abuse, I just find it simply fascinating. This book is about the author himself - a twenty-some guy who, in his late teens, becomes involved in the dark drug realm. It's obvious at first he wants to break free from addiction but it slowly eats him up. This tale is about his battles and trips from rehab to trailer parks. You meet some interesting friends along the way and some paragraphs you'd wish you hadn't read. Like the previous reviewers have said, it is definitely not for the faint of heart as it does get gritty but it is as real as it can get. This author is very intelligent and that's awesome. As a newcomer, i'd love to see what type of work he puts out next.