March 1, 2009 | Interviews with Authors

Christopher Kennedy Lawford is author of Moments of Clarity: Voices From the Front Lines of Addiction and Recovery.  (Running Time: 20 min. 23 sec.)

On February 17, 1986, after years of addiction and self-destruction, Christopher Kennedy Lawford reached a turning point in his life, one that would mark the beginning of his long road to recovery. In his New York Times bestselling memoir, Symptoms of Withdrawal, he chronicled his deep descent into near-fatal drug and alcohol addiction, and his subsequent hard-won journey back to sobriety, which he has maintained for more than twenty years. The overwhelming response he received to his book impressed upon Lawford the number of people struggling to find their own way back from addiction and the need to share their stories. There was no easy way out for any of them. They all had to go through a moment of humility, vulnerability, and transformation and choose to take that first step of the journey. And each had their own intensely personal moment that signaled a Before and an After. The histories gathered here are the recollections of lives snatched back from the brink of a precipice so wide and deep it threatened to engulf them. As they bravely share their stories, they shed light not only on their own experiences but also on the journey we all take as human beings, looking to make sense of our world.

From our friends at: Sunlight of the Spirit Music and SoberCafePodcast.com

InTheRooms founder RT and resident tech nerd Alex Newman went out to Barnes and Noble in Fort Lauderdale, FL to show support for Benoit Denizet-Lewis and his new book, America Anonymous.

Benoit spoke about bridging the gap between recovery fellowships, and about taking a public stand for recovery. The book, America Anonymous, follows the lives of 8 people with different addictions, and shows that no matter what the substance; whether it be drugs, alcohol, food, sex, or gambling - that addiction is the same disease across the board.

Benoit also spoke about the war on drugs and how some believe that we should put the focus on treatment of addiction rather than trying to stop the importing of illegal drugs into the US.

Benoit’s message was very powerful - we thank him for his book and his words, and what he is trying to accomplish by publishing America Anonymous.

Christopher Kennedy Lawford first explored the sensitive issues of substance abuse and addiction in his New York Times bestseller Symptoms of Withdrawal, and now, in MOMENTS OF CLARITY, with a foreword by his cousin U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy, Lawford discusses his—and others’—“moments of clarity,” when they experienced a dramatic shift in time and perception that launched them on the path from addiction to recovery.

Moments of Clarity: Buy Now - ITR Group Page