Needle Too: Junkies in Paradise Paperback – April 17, 2014

As with Goodman’s first book on heroin addiction, Needle, I read Needle Too twice, continuing with my second-hand research on the subject. The author accepts the reader’s ticket to ride along with him on his passage from full-on junky, through the struggle for sobriety and on into what he resists calling “recovery,” but would rather call “reprogramming.”Needle Too is emotionally charged throughout, with his struggle to keep a roof over his head, his sadness and disappointment for lives lost, wasted potential, and broken dreams; his fight to get clean and stay clean and his savage love for his daughter. Above all is pervading anger, mostly at himself, but also a well-deserved heaping portion for the person whose abuse—physical, mental, and emotional—he endured until he was big enough to fight back, brave enough to overcome the fear, and smart enough to know he could.It would be easy to blame such a background for his eventual slide into heroin addiction, but he fiercely refuses to do so and instead, claims that responsibility for himself.I would be called to task if I didn’t mention the editing flaws in the book. Admittedly, there are more misused—or rather spell-check accepted—words in Needle Too than there were in Needle. And yes, I noticed them. Surprisingly, I was able to note the indiscretion without obsessing over it. This has never happened before. Normally, I laser in on each small infraction, compounding the horror until my head feels like it will explode.Does it make me a bad editor that I was able to dismiss them so easily in this case? Since I was only a reader, I don’t think so. I saw them. I noted them. What was it about this story that enabled me to move on with only a second thought?Like Needle before it, Needle Too was written in language so authentic it was more like watching the events as they happened than distantly reading about them, the emotions so raw I could feel the author’s desperation, resignation, resentment, anger. I was compelled to read on.I grieved over his broken dreams. I had hoped his music would save him, but when he accepted the end of that path, I had to accept it as well. His turn from struggling “junky musician” to struggling junky waiter, to just plain homeless junky was, I suppose, the bottom he had to hit in order to move toward healing.The birth of his daughter, he admits, saved his life. He worked hard to, not only support her financially, but also be the good father she needed. The new challenge found him in more crappy jobs, vulnerable, and returning to the very streets that had made him a junky in the first place.Certainly older, perhaps wiser, still broke and broken, he found the courage to document and publish the sick and sordid circumstances of his life so far. Along the way, he found companionship and shared unconditional love with a leonine little dog named Leo.His true destiny revealed itself in the form of a frail, elderly cat. Sick and deformed, this cat found her way into the author’s heart only to break it completely when he blamed his own inaction for her demise.He now dedicates his life to the plight of homeless, abused and seemingly doomed animals. As dog-mom to four large, goofy rescues, I see this as a praiseworthy and admirable cause.The optimist in me so wanted him to find his happily-ever-after. Unfortunately, as long as there are mistreated and devalued animals in our society, I’m afraid he’ll remain a seeker.The bright side, if there is one, is that it gives the author a deserving target for his decades-worth of pent up anger. And that’s a worthy cause as well.

I enjoyed Craig's storytelling. Hes a very articulate writer. The reason Craig said he doesnt believe in recovery is because he never "recovered ". Recovery is more than just not doing drugs anymore. Its a process. Dont get me wrong, I'm very glad he quit drugs, but honestly I believe if the opportunity presented itself to him again, he would do them again. It was proven by his actions in the book multiple times. I'm also curious what happened to Perry. He never really updated us on him. As far as being a father, I'm disappointed in him. He never once fought for his little girl. When the mother withheld her, he just sat back complacent until she decided he could come back around. Come on man! That's not a father! And then to top it off, he up and moves across the country chasing another dream. What about Savannah? She needs way more than a part time daddy. I truly hope and pray she doesnt repeat the cycle of her parents and turn to drugs when she gets older.Now, the part about Kitty was heartbreaking, but I can't be the only person who was so mad at Craig! He was just as much to blame as the others for the ending of Kitty. The other people involved showed him many times over that they did not care for Kitty at all, but all Craig did was complain about how others should have took care of the cat. I feel Craig was as even worse because he knew the condition of the cat and yet he did NOTHING to help the poor kitty until it was too late. If he truly cared, he would have found a way to get that cat to the vet. He sat there and watched that cat suffer daily! To be honest, I kind of question if the sales of this book even went to help any animals. His website is disabled and at the end of the book, he didn't have a sustainable career or even a job to support his himself. I dont know many people who are struggling to pay the bills that would just donate their paychecks (book sales) to a great cause. It seems like Mr. Goodman has disappeared from the world. I truly hope he is doing well, but I have my doubts.

I loved Needle Too!! I had read Needle a couple years back and I knew Craig was writing a second, and I must say this was such a GREAT READ!! Like Needle, this was honest, open, and very raw. As a voracious reader and a recovering Meth Addict, I want to hear it warts and all. The slow shift of consciousness came through after Sanvannah was born, and Craig didn't attempt to tie things up in a neat little bow of recovery. Getting clean is the hardest thing many of us have ever done, and I appreciate Craig's candor around his journey. The relationship between Craig and Mrs. Goodman evoked every emotion out of me, sorrow, anger, disgust, but then the laugh out loud moment in Target. "Why don't you get the hammer and set her straight?" Then the ultimate ending over the phone about Christmas dinner. Sad yes, but I was relieved for Craig and Savannah and Emily. Thank you Craig for sharing your story and being of service to so many by giving us Needle Too.

another life of an expat NYC Junkie living in FL.. Not bad I like his style. I like the was he tries his best to be a father to his daughter. I know someone first hand so I have see her struggles and it's very similar.. Is it just me, that for some reason Junkies seem to take better care of their offspring than Crack heads. I don't know if it's the nature of the drug or that opiates tend to be self limiting while with Crack there is no end tothe amount that you can spend. Crack is like Popcorn and Heroin is like a meal. You sit down and three times a day you eat. Crack you just cant have just one. (so sorry Lays).

My beautiful son passed away 5 months ago, he was 31 years old and also came from a normal loving family. I could relate to this book no problem as it could have been written for what happened to myself and our family, re his addictions to Herion and alcohol. I will never get over my son's death and the way he died for whatever it was he got out this terrible life. However Simon and his mums story made an impact on me as I too never spoke to anyone other than close family and some friends. I supressed all my feelings for over 11 years thinking I could sort this horrific problem out for my boy to no avail. It was an excellent read and in a way it has helped me understand things more clearly. I took a heart attack 8 weeks before my son passed away due to all the grief and strain of his and our situation.

Love the honesty of this man. Had me laughing out loud then sobbing with him - over a cat.An outstanding writer; he was born to do it. Impeccable phrasing.He has overcome incredible feats and is now dedicated to animal welfare.Hero!!I'll really miss reading him.

For some reason I always read these sort of books, maybe it's because I like to see a happy ending & people fighting their demons, coming out of it the other side, if a little scarred from the process.Out of all these types of books I've read though, this has got to be the best & I got through both books (Needle & Needle Too) so quickly - I'm sad they've come to an end!Both books are perfectly written (even considering what the agent said!) & it actually has many moments that made me laugh out loud!

Great follow up to first book. Animal friendly.