Smacked

A Story of White-Collar Ambition, Addiction, and Tragedy

By: Eilene Zimmerman

Narrated by: Eilene Zimmerman

A journalist pieces together the mysteries surrounding her ex-husband’s descent into drug addiction while trying to rebuild a life for her family, taking listeners on an intimate journey into the world of white-collar drug abuse.

"A rare combination of journalistic rigor, personal courage, and writerly grace." (Bill Clegg, author of Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man)

Something was wrong with Peter. Eilene Zimmerman noticed that her ex-husband looked thin, seemed distracted, and was frequently absent from activities with their children. She thought he looked sick and needed to see a doctor, and indeed, he told her he had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. Yet in many ways, Peter seemed to have it all: a beautiful house by the beach, expensive cars, and other luxuries that came with an affluent life. Eilene assumed his odd behavior was due to stress and overwork - he was a senior partner at a prominent law firm and had been working more than 60 hours a week for the last 20 years.

Although they were divorced, Eilene and Peter had been partners and friends for decades, so when she and her children were unable to reach Peter for several days, Eilene went to his house to see if he was okay.

So begins Smacked, a brilliant and moving memoir of Eilene’s shocking discovery, one that sets her on a journey to find out how a man she knew for nearly 30 years became a drug addict, hiding it so well that neither she nor anyone else in his life suspected what was happening. Eilene discovers that Peter led a secret life, one that started with pills and ended with opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He was also addicted to work; the last call Peter ever made was to dial in to a conference call.

Eilene is determined to learn all she can about Peter’s hidden life, and also about drug addiction among ambitious, high-achieving professionals like him. Through extensive research and interviews, she presents a picture of drug dependence today in that moneyed, upwardly mobile world. She also embarks on a journey to re-create her life in the wake of loss, both of the person - and the relationship - that profoundly defined the woman she had become.

©2020 Eilene Zimmerman (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Poignant.... An engrossing narrative laden with elements of pathos and mystery.” (The Boston Globe)

“Journalist Eilene Zimmerman’s up-close-and-personal look at the cost of addiction is among the timeliest and most relevant books of the new year. Smacked is an unvarnished and wrenching exploration of opioid abuse in a wealthy, white-collar world that resonates across classes and cultures.” (Newsweek)

"A searing and extraordinary memoir, Smacked peers into the life of the white collar addict, showing us how the enslavement to not just drugs, but wealth and success, in this country can ruin marriages and families. Zimmerman achieves not just gorgeous prose and a suspenseful and engrossing story, but also more compassion and insight than I have encountered for this subject. Smacked is unputdownable and addictive, in the best way possible." (Claire Bidwell Smith, author of The Rules of Inheritance)

Touching

worth the listen if you'd trying to understand why the least expected would turn to illegal use of drugs

Great book.

loved this book. very honest. full of emotion and lots of helpful information. I couldn't stop listening

review

A heartbreaking and intimate look into a woman's life over the years as her husband, later ex-husband, succumbs to substance abuse.

Eye opening!

This was such a fascinating story excellently seeded with background information. By the end of it i had several more books and people to look up for further information. Not dry at all with all that information I got through this in two days!

Smacked

Ellene is a very good author. Loved this story & it was so different, not your usual.

Compassionate portrayal of addiction in a family

Eilene provides a very honest and thoughtful portrayal of the insidious nature of addiction and what it is like to watch a loved one succumb to this disease. She addresses some of the stereotypes about addiction, like the one that addiction is more common among poor and uneducated people. She also provides some scientific and academic research to support her arguments, nothing too complicated though. If you want to know more about addiction or you know someone that might be suffering, this book can provide some insight without being too preachy or judgmental, while still being entertaining and maintaining a sense compassionate. Good read (or listen).

Loved this book from beginning to end

I appreciated the author’s honesty & style of writing. It was quite relatable. Her narration style is wonderful - so easy to listen to. Her descriptions of emotional situations tugged at my heart as I could totally feel what she described. I didn’t want this book to end so quickly. Looking for another from her as we speak!

Interesting yet perhaps misleading conclusion

Expresses the causation of highly skilled careers and drug addiction; however and early into the book, there is a least one passage of Peter's recreational use of hard drugs while a grad school student. Could he have been a user most of his adult life and practicing law just exacerbated things?

Excellent Read

Eilene has a great way of weaving together all the layers around and within addiction.

Loved it! Recommend

I very much enjoyed this book! Eilene’s voice is wonderful! If you have loved ones in your life that struggle with addiction, this story resonates. Recommend 10/10