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How The Great American Opioid Epidemic of The 21st Century Began #2
Bad Choices Make Good Stories: The Heroin Scene in Fort Myers
A raw, uncensored and brutally honest glimpse into the crazy lives of drug addicted prostitutes. Shocking, heart-breaking and mesmerizing. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.
Oliver moves from New York to Florida. Battling with depression, he gets sucked into the seedy underworld of Fort Myers, where he encounters a number of female drug addicts. He empathizes with them because of his own traumatic past. Oliver feels compelled to try to help them escape the addict lifestyle, but he soon finds out that he is in way over his head.
Oliver moves from New York to Florida. Battling with depression, he gets sucked into the seedy underworld of Fort Myers, where he encounters a number of female drug addicts. He empathizes with them because of his own traumatic past. Oliver feels compelled to try to help them escape the addict lifestyle, but he soon finds out that he is in way over his head.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 29, 2014
If self-indulgence and egocentric writing were what stars were made of then this book would be a blazing five. Unfortunately for this author, what makes a book or story score high marks are:
1)Engaging and interesting characters – I didn’t find a single one.
2)Story line that beckons the reader to submerse themselves in the author’s premise – I can not with certainty ascertain what the story was about. I know that it was a dissertation of the main character’s exploits but the author failed to give me a reason why this character was special or worthy of my time and energy.
3)Interesting dialogue - “Look, you gotta pay me $7. And really you owe me a lot more for all that driving around, because that wasn’t just a regular short round-trip. But at least pay me the $7.” This was spoken after the character gets out of the car with a crowbar in hand. The author shows no aversion to the F-bomb in his writing yet when he has a legitimate time to use it; it is nowhere to be found.
4)Gang buster ending- no such luck.
The problem starts with the author’s choice of writing in first person. It happens often with early writing attempts by new authors. It seems like the easiest way to tell his or her story. It is not. It is the hardest and most limiting form in writing and not for the novice. This work would have been so much more entertaining if the author had opted for a third person omnipresent narrator.
1)Engaging and interesting characters – I didn’t find a single one.
2)Story line that beckons the reader to submerse themselves in the author’s premise – I can not with certainty ascertain what the story was about. I know that it was a dissertation of the main character’s exploits but the author failed to give me a reason why this character was special or worthy of my time and energy.
3)Interesting dialogue - “Look, you gotta pay me $7. And really you owe me a lot more for all that driving around, because that wasn’t just a regular short round-trip. But at least pay me the $7.” This was spoken after the character gets out of the car with a crowbar in hand. The author shows no aversion to the F-bomb in his writing yet when he has a legitimate time to use it; it is nowhere to be found.
4)Gang buster ending- no such luck.
The problem starts with the author’s choice of writing in first person. It happens often with early writing attempts by new authors. It seems like the easiest way to tell his or her story. It is not. It is the hardest and most limiting form in writing and not for the novice. This work would have been so much more entertaining if the author had opted for a third person omnipresent narrator.
April 2, 2014
I thought this edition might be better because it had a different title, but it wasn't.
June 22, 2014
This was not for me. I felt like he came off judgmental right off the bat, but I kept trying to give it a shot. I stopped about 15% of the way in when it started sounding racist to me just as he was saying he isn't racist.
July 1, 2014
At the beginning I did not want to read this book. I did not like the title. And why not "Crime and punishment"?. I found that tout. And then I have taked a look on it, I changed my opinion.
It is a kind of "Confession of a child of the century". The history of a life which crossed from important moments of our time. The allusion to Forsest Gump is relevant even if there is not some innocence here. An alcoholic and violent father, a devastated childhood,internet révolution lived as actor, Christiane F. love the sex drug. Olivier speaks, speaks and speaks as if his life depended on it. He's like a drowned person which would hold his survival only with this uninterrupted logorrhoea.
It is difficult to allure by an autobiography. The memories of your butcher have few chance to move you. It is necessary that the account transcends the history and moves us with an universal dimension. With this book, we are in an autofiction, this kind literary describes by Doubrovski.The account is autobiographical but with a literary ambition.
I do not doubt that this book had therapeutic virtues for Olivier. It is an "exutoire" (I don't find equivalent inenglish) who allows him to eliminate his demons.
Now let us expect his next book, undoubtedly more appeased.
It is a kind of "Confession of a child of the century". The history of a life which crossed from important moments of our time. The allusion to Forsest Gump is relevant even if there is not some innocence here. An alcoholic and violent father, a devastated childhood,internet révolution lived as actor, Christiane F. love the sex drug. Olivier speaks, speaks and speaks as if his life depended on it. He's like a drowned person which would hold his survival only with this uninterrupted logorrhoea.
It is difficult to allure by an autobiography. The memories of your butcher have few chance to move you. It is necessary that the account transcends the history and moves us with an universal dimension. With this book, we are in an autofiction, this kind literary describes by Doubrovski.The account is autobiographical but with a literary ambition.
I do not doubt that this book had therapeutic virtues for Olivier. It is an "exutoire" (I don't find equivalent inenglish) who allows him to eliminate his demons.
Now let us expect his next book, undoubtedly more appeased.
May 24, 2014
I have to say, I really liked this book and I wasn't so sure I would when I began reading it. I haven't ever read anything quite like this either. Oliver takes us through his many relationships with these troubled women and he basically encounters many forms of addictions within them. Through out all his ordeals with them (that's lack of a better word) he finds himself analyzing their behaviors, which allows him to hang in there with them long, long after he should have run away from them. He makes it clear in the book he was and is no angel himself, which is nice, because he doesn't portray himself has a complete victim, which he could have done. I think the one addiction he may not have fully explored was his own addiction with love and his need to 'save' these girls from themselves, which explains his draw to them. The average reader may read this and think he is either way too nice of a guy, or a guy who has no back bone and is just a doormat, or someone who is just incredibly naive. But I would say, everything he does in relationships as an adult is also a result of his own childhood, just like the girls he encountered . These girls were addicted to sex and drugs, while Oliver is addicted to love and wanting to take care of someone and 'saving' them from a life of addiction, death, and abuse. His father was an alcoholic who abused his mother and he couldn't help or fix either one of them because he was just a kid. It took his father dying to save him and his mother. I am sure, deep down there, he wished he could have saved them both and have them both in his life in a normal, healthy way, as that is what children who grow up in these situations all want. So I believe he was renacting this in his adult life with these girls but he couldn't save them either. So in reading this book, don't judge him or even them harshly. I was waiting for him to make this connection in his book, but like so many people in his situation, he was too busy trying to figure out the ones he wanted to save instead of figuring out why he would put himself through this. But overall, I liked the perspective he had in this book because I have never read or heard anything from a man in this position before this. For him to put this out there for the world to read is pretty brave and I think this book has the ability to help anyone who is in a situation like his. I also really liked many of the quotes and statistics he used in his book, you really gain an awareness of prostitution and drug addiction from reading this. Overall, this was a good read (no pun intended there :)
April 4, 2014
I have to start off by saying I like Oliver. I share a similar background, growing up in Germany and coming to North America after High School. I share many of his views and opinions, and got a good chuckle out of those parts of the book.
This book is explicit and uses "bad" language, but how can you write about this topic honestly without depicting it the way it is? If you are easily offended, stay away from this book. If you want a view of what drug addiction, prostitution and rock bottom look like, run and buy this book.
Oliver's life, and the girls who come in and out of his life, are a train wreck. You can't stop reading, hoping against hope that one of them will follow through on straightening up.
Oliver is obviously a very intelligent man. He shares insights into addiction that are well-researched and thoughtful. Which makes me wonder why he was never able to meet a "normal" girl. How come the only girls he ever meets are addicted, psychotic, lying, hooking, cheating girls? How come he feels this need to try to save them, and enables their addiction? After about page 300 I lost track of the names of girls. It's the same story, the same behavior, the same conversation, with a revolving roster of girls. Like he himself says: the names change, but the story is always the same.
I still haven't figured out why Oliver is so drawn to these girl. For a smart guy that seems not so smart. I would have thought that one day he will find a non-addicted, well-adjusted, normal girl. Maybe in the sequel. Which, if it comes out, I will be first in line to read.
Overall, a bit lengthy at times, because your reading the same thing over and over about different girls, but still a very compelling read that will grab you on the first page and spit you out at the end. It's the train wreck you can't look away from, while you shake your head and wish for Oliver to snap out of it, and you want to grab the girls and shake them. And while you have those emotions, you know that you will never truly understand unless you have been there yourself.
This book is explicit and uses "bad" language, but how can you write about this topic honestly without depicting it the way it is? If you are easily offended, stay away from this book. If you want a view of what drug addiction, prostitution and rock bottom look like, run and buy this book.
Oliver's life, and the girls who come in and out of his life, are a train wreck. You can't stop reading, hoping against hope that one of them will follow through on straightening up.
Oliver is obviously a very intelligent man. He shares insights into addiction that are well-researched and thoughtful. Which makes me wonder why he was never able to meet a "normal" girl. How come the only girls he ever meets are addicted, psychotic, lying, hooking, cheating girls? How come he feels this need to try to save them, and enables their addiction? After about page 300 I lost track of the names of girls. It's the same story, the same behavior, the same conversation, with a revolving roster of girls. Like he himself says: the names change, but the story is always the same.
I still haven't figured out why Oliver is so drawn to these girl. For a smart guy that seems not so smart. I would have thought that one day he will find a non-addicted, well-adjusted, normal girl. Maybe in the sequel. Which, if it comes out, I will be first in line to read.
Overall, a bit lengthy at times, because your reading the same thing over and over about different girls, but still a very compelling read that will grab you on the first page and spit you out at the end. It's the train wreck you can't look away from, while you shake your head and wish for Oliver to snap out of it, and you want to grab the girls and shake them. And while you have those emotions, you know that you will never truly understand unless you have been there yourself.
September 5, 2015
I strongly recommend it. I rarely read autobiographies. Most of the authors have nothing essential to tell and the books are soooo boring. But not this one. No matter if you have the same experience or not it will touch you. The book's very well written and easy to read. The author speaks his mind without any fear (he’s brutally honest).
Spoilers ahead....
If you still believe in fairy tales do not read that book - it doesn't have a happy ending. Oliver is smart, but keeps on making the same mistake over and over again. He's trying to save all these girls and doesn't give up on them no matter what they do to him(just like Prince Charming, but they are far from Princesses). He really needs to learn to say "no" and moves on. I know that I sound cruel (I really feel bad for these girls), but there are people that could not be saved.
Spoilers ahead....
If you still believe in fairy tales do not read that book - it doesn't have a happy ending. Oliver is smart, but keeps on making the same mistake over and over again. He's trying to save all these girls and doesn't give up on them no matter what they do to him(just like Prince Charming, but they are far from Princesses). He really needs to learn to say "no" and moves on. I know that I sound cruel (I really feel bad for these girls), but there are people that could not be saved.
June 30, 2014
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was just ok for me. I didn't NEED to read it because I couldn't put it down. I felt sorry for the girls because of their histories. And the author's explanations of WHY clicked on a light that had been off. But I didn't see him as any different than the pimps and johns. He was using them for sex just like the others. Saying he loved them didn't take away from the fact that he helped them get drugs. He still had sex with them when they were high, although he called it making love. He had sex with random people out if revenge. What a mature response...He obviously loves drama which is why he continued to find the same type of woman in the same way he always did. If you enjoy random sex & lots of drug use then this is a great book. If you prefer something with more substance then move on.
This book was just ok for me. I didn't NEED to read it because I couldn't put it down. I felt sorry for the girls because of their histories. And the author's explanations of WHY clicked on a light that had been off. But I didn't see him as any different than the pimps and johns. He was using them for sex just like the others. Saying he loved them didn't take away from the fact that he helped them get drugs. He still had sex with them when they were high, although he called it making love. He had sex with random people out if revenge. What a mature response...He obviously loves drama which is why he continued to find the same type of woman in the same way he always did. If you enjoy random sex & lots of drug use then this is a great book. If you prefer something with more substance then move on.
June 20, 2014
I enjoyed this book to start with but then ended up abandoning it as it started to drag on and read more and more egocentric.
May 31, 2014
Oliver’s Twist! One Unique Read!
This book is one of those original pieces that cannot be repeated by any other author in the future. It is one unique read and it will stay like that. This is Oliver’s real life story with his own reflections where the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent. But are they really the not-so-innocent? The more I proceeded through this book, the more convinced I was, that human beings are innocent innately. They just fall prey to the situations or the chain of incidents. Now, who is Oliver? He is a guy who was born and brought up in Germany. He had a terrible father, a raging alcoholic, who tried to kill his mother along with him. After failing, the father hung himself from a tree. Oliver grew up with his mother and step-father after that. And he grew up to be one of the finest hackers in the world. It was the 90s. Computer or internet was not at all this much available like today. Oliver goes on explaining how they used other peoples’ credit cards to make free international calls (for uploading cracked games to online bulletin board systems) or when stealing credit cards became impossible how they used a newly discovered method called “blue boxing”! He provides insights on how hacker organizations used to work during those days – different departments for taking care of the operations, avoiding postal charges by using the same stamps over and over or by simply flooding the post office with hundreds of envelopes with missing postage! After two raids, Oliver started living a dual life. He was “Goliath” initially, but now he changed his name to “Lucifer” announcing that Goliath has retired and opened a software company. But that’s not all! By this time he also found Donna, his love interest who used to run one of the most popular BBS out of the US, for whom Oliver will get pneumonia or experience his very first street fight in America.
But why am I just giving you the story while reviewing this book! Probably, because I’m overwhelmed! I cannot write it all down here as it is one big book of around 500 pages. Also, there are things other than the story in this book; Oliver’s contemplation mainly, his interpretations. Being from Europe, how he found America to be is one of the segments I found most amusing in this book. You should read it really, or you’ll miss something! Truth is stranger than fiction and the truth of Oliver’s life shall leave you amazed until and unless you are one of those persons who get offended easily! From a teacher in Germany to a Cartoonist in the US, or cab driver, or an internet millionaire; there are more than one reason why I named it “Oliver’s Twist”! It’s not only intriguing but also very much involving due to the free flowing writing style.
For people looking at the title of the book, yes, there’s a lot of ‘Sex and Crime’ in this book, but, there’s also another reason behind the name. Grab a copy and find out for yourself. I feel it is quite a discovery, and I’m lucky that I discovered this gem on the internet. I would have given it more stars if I had the scope!
Brilliant!
This book is one of those original pieces that cannot be repeated by any other author in the future. It is one unique read and it will stay like that. This is Oliver’s real life story with his own reflections where the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent. But are they really the not-so-innocent? The more I proceeded through this book, the more convinced I was, that human beings are innocent innately. They just fall prey to the situations or the chain of incidents. Now, who is Oliver? He is a guy who was born and brought up in Germany. He had a terrible father, a raging alcoholic, who tried to kill his mother along with him. After failing, the father hung himself from a tree. Oliver grew up with his mother and step-father after that. And he grew up to be one of the finest hackers in the world. It was the 90s. Computer or internet was not at all this much available like today. Oliver goes on explaining how they used other peoples’ credit cards to make free international calls (for uploading cracked games to online bulletin board systems) or when stealing credit cards became impossible how they used a newly discovered method called “blue boxing”! He provides insights on how hacker organizations used to work during those days – different departments for taking care of the operations, avoiding postal charges by using the same stamps over and over or by simply flooding the post office with hundreds of envelopes with missing postage! After two raids, Oliver started living a dual life. He was “Goliath” initially, but now he changed his name to “Lucifer” announcing that Goliath has retired and opened a software company. But that’s not all! By this time he also found Donna, his love interest who used to run one of the most popular BBS out of the US, for whom Oliver will get pneumonia or experience his very first street fight in America.
But why am I just giving you the story while reviewing this book! Probably, because I’m overwhelmed! I cannot write it all down here as it is one big book of around 500 pages. Also, there are things other than the story in this book; Oliver’s contemplation mainly, his interpretations. Being from Europe, how he found America to be is one of the segments I found most amusing in this book. You should read it really, or you’ll miss something! Truth is stranger than fiction and the truth of Oliver’s life shall leave you amazed until and unless you are one of those persons who get offended easily! From a teacher in Germany to a Cartoonist in the US, or cab driver, or an internet millionaire; there are more than one reason why I named it “Oliver’s Twist”! It’s not only intriguing but also very much involving due to the free flowing writing style.
For people looking at the title of the book, yes, there’s a lot of ‘Sex and Crime’ in this book, but, there’s also another reason behind the name. Grab a copy and find out for yourself. I feel it is quite a discovery, and I’m lucky that I discovered this gem on the internet. I would have given it more stars if I had the scope!
Brilliant!
May 17, 2014
Sex and Crime by Oliver Markus is a stylized autobiographical novel focusing on the exploits of Oliver, a native of Germany who works his way down the rabbit holes of cyberspace and finds himself in the wonderland of NYC from where he plummets into an abyss of sex, drugs and alcohol. It’s hard not to consider this a novel as much of this is hard to swallow. Yet when you consider tales such as Catch Me If You Can, Oliver can be favorably compared to a Barry Allen who dropped out of high school to elude an FBI dragnet for leaving a trail of over a million dollars in hot checks. Oliver’s master plan is just as ingenious and fantastic, which is what makes this a credible and entertaining read.
Here goes: Oliver is a hacker who takes enough scores in the BBS days of the Nineties to leave Aachen for NYC to hook up with his online sweetheart Donna. They can barely make ends meet as he takes a job as a chauffeur for her Dad’s limo service. He finally lands a job with a Brooklyn newspaper and regains Internet access, allowing him to break into the lucrative CPC/CPA/CPM (pay-per-click advertising) market. Oliver claims to have become an overnight millionaire, buying up a string of properties in Florida. Only he pays the age-old price of letting his little head think for his big head, and he jerks his entire fortune down the drain with a long succession of Facebook whores.
What makes this stand out is the philosophical observations and soliloquies that validate Oliver’s intellectual posturing. Although his atheism defines his limitations in that regard, his ruminations on subjects run as deep and diverse as PTSD, adult thumb-sucking as a psychological manifestation, and psychotropic drug theories on the pre-frontal cortex. It makes it all the more astounding how a self-made millionaire could end up bedding down with a long line of crack whores. Yet the road to success is littered with the bodies of the near-misses and also-rans that hit the same roadblocks. All the tabloid addicts and star-worshippers out there can attest to that.
This one is as close to an action/adventure novel as an autobiography can get. Pick up a copy of Sex and Crime by Oliver Markus and see for yourself.
Here goes: Oliver is a hacker who takes enough scores in the BBS days of the Nineties to leave Aachen for NYC to hook up with his online sweetheart Donna. They can barely make ends meet as he takes a job as a chauffeur for her Dad’s limo service. He finally lands a job with a Brooklyn newspaper and regains Internet access, allowing him to break into the lucrative CPC/CPA/CPM (pay-per-click advertising) market. Oliver claims to have become an overnight millionaire, buying up a string of properties in Florida. Only he pays the age-old price of letting his little head think for his big head, and he jerks his entire fortune down the drain with a long succession of Facebook whores.
What makes this stand out is the philosophical observations and soliloquies that validate Oliver’s intellectual posturing. Although his atheism defines his limitations in that regard, his ruminations on subjects run as deep and diverse as PTSD, adult thumb-sucking as a psychological manifestation, and psychotropic drug theories on the pre-frontal cortex. It makes it all the more astounding how a self-made millionaire could end up bedding down with a long line of crack whores. Yet the road to success is littered with the bodies of the near-misses and also-rans that hit the same roadblocks. All the tabloid addicts and star-worshippers out there can attest to that.
This one is as close to an action/adventure novel as an autobiography can get. Pick up a copy of Sex and Crime by Oliver Markus and see for yourself.
August 3, 2016
Wow!! I couldn't put this book down.
I felt so bad for Oliver at times, and kept thinking...why does he keep doing this to himself. Then I got to thinking, I did it to myself, we enable those we care about because we do not want to lose them, but in all reality we have already lost them to their addiction, whether that is drugs, alcohol, shopping, hoarding, whatever it may be. The addiction seems to make them happier than the person that loves them. It is such a vicious circle and hard to get away from sometimes.
I think that this is a must read for anyone that is an addict or who is close to an addict. For the person that has an addict in their life and enables them this might open their eyes to what the addict does and what they do in turn to help them or hinder them. And maybe they might break the circle, I know, easier said than done. And most times I don't think we see what we are doing to ourselves in the process. This book may open eyes.
For the addict it might make them see what they do to those that love them, but then again they are addicts, so who knows, probably doubtful that it would faze them. And I only say that from experience having a family member that is a drug addict - the only thing they care is that they get high.
I can also relate to Oliver because I have been in the vicious circle, always in the same type of relationship, only with alcoholics and cheaters. I enabled them because I thought they wouldn't love me anymore. Sad I know. Yet I kept going back to the same type of person, over and over. So as you read this book, keep in mind that we have our reasons for doing these things and unless you experience it you may not fully understand it.
Well, enough of my rambling. The only thing I didn't like was the repetitiveness. But, that is the way it is with being involved with addicts. People seem to fall into the same types of relationships with the same kinds of people over and over again. I definitely know.
Oliver Markus gave me this book to read and review. Definitely a thumbs up!!
I felt so bad for Oliver at times, and kept thinking...why does he keep doing this to himself. Then I got to thinking, I did it to myself, we enable those we care about because we do not want to lose them, but in all reality we have already lost them to their addiction, whether that is drugs, alcohol, shopping, hoarding, whatever it may be. The addiction seems to make them happier than the person that loves them. It is such a vicious circle and hard to get away from sometimes.
I think that this is a must read for anyone that is an addict or who is close to an addict. For the person that has an addict in their life and enables them this might open their eyes to what the addict does and what they do in turn to help them or hinder them. And maybe they might break the circle, I know, easier said than done. And most times I don't think we see what we are doing to ourselves in the process. This book may open eyes.
For the addict it might make them see what they do to those that love them, but then again they are addicts, so who knows, probably doubtful that it would faze them. And I only say that from experience having a family member that is a drug addict - the only thing they care is that they get high.
I can also relate to Oliver because I have been in the vicious circle, always in the same type of relationship, only with alcoholics and cheaters. I enabled them because I thought they wouldn't love me anymore. Sad I know. Yet I kept going back to the same type of person, over and over. So as you read this book, keep in mind that we have our reasons for doing these things and unless you experience it you may not fully understand it.
Well, enough of my rambling. The only thing I didn't like was the repetitiveness. But, that is the way it is with being involved with addicts. People seem to fall into the same types of relationships with the same kinds of people over and over again. I definitely know.
Oliver Markus gave me this book to read and review. Definitely a thumbs up!!
May 4, 2014
This was a very good and extremely well-written.
WARNING: Now you're going to be taken by surprise, if you don't read the information starting from the very first page of this story. It is fair and I was actually pleased that the author himself was not afraid to speak his mind without censorship. Thus, he has earned my respect; I tend to enjoy it when authors aren't afraid in their writing. But all in seriousness, this is a BURTAL story.
Intense, cringing, and entertaining from a reader's view, Oliver's life was explained very well, to where I felt that I was living his life entirely. Also, there were times where I felt that I could relate to Oliver because- in my opinion- he tends to right on a few noticeable things that are mentioned. And I am sure that you're also bound to come across those moments where you can nod in opinion, or have a different one. Regardless, I can't fault this guy for being honest on his life's views and opinions. He became very likable to me as he always tried to do the right thing and deserved a break after all the hardships he's experienced in his life.
My father himself, told me of the hardships that life can offer after all the shit he's been through. I thank Oliver for being brave and for writing something that is powerful and tells the truth of how life can be.
On an important note, I found it even more interested for his German background, as I have a grandfather who shares the heritage, but that's just something that was interesting to me~
5 out of 5.
WARNING: Now you're going to be taken by surprise, if you don't read the information starting from the very first page of this story. It is fair and I was actually pleased that the author himself was not afraid to speak his mind without censorship. Thus, he has earned my respect; I tend to enjoy it when authors aren't afraid in their writing. But all in seriousness, this is a BURTAL story.
Intense, cringing, and entertaining from a reader's view, Oliver's life was explained very well, to where I felt that I was living his life entirely. Also, there were times where I felt that I could relate to Oliver because- in my opinion- he tends to right on a few noticeable things that are mentioned. And I am sure that you're also bound to come across those moments where you can nod in opinion, or have a different one. Regardless, I can't fault this guy for being honest on his life's views and opinions. He became very likable to me as he always tried to do the right thing and deserved a break after all the hardships he's experienced in his life.
My father himself, told me of the hardships that life can offer after all the shit he's been through. I thank Oliver for being brave and for writing something that is powerful and tells the truth of how life can be.
On an important note, I found it even more interested for his German background, as I have a grandfather who shares the heritage, but that's just something that was interesting to me~
5 out of 5.
July 2, 2014
This book is an invitation to take a peek into some of the dark passages of his past, which the author, Oliver Markus, chose to illuminate for us, and for himself as well. In place of summarizing the book, which many reviewers have already done, I will focus on the writing.
The language is direct. Markus avoids dressing up the events with literary descriptions, opting instead for a frank, conversational tone, “I felt so bad for her, I agreed to marry her… And how f- awesome is it that some little computer geek from Germany is marrying this hot woman in New York?”
He describes events in a decidedly measured manner even when they turn out to be incredibly dramatic. “My dad was drunk out of his mind, and gave this big speech about how he was going to make my mother watch while he kills me, then he was going to kill her, and then he was going to kill himself.” And later, “A few days later he hung himself from the big cherry tree in my grandmother's backyard. It was the best thing he ever did for me.”
From time to time, the author digresses from the action—right in the midst of an unfolding sex scene or a street brawl. He leaves himself ‘suspended in animation’ if you will, and goes into a series of flashbacks or discussing PSTD, not for a paragraph or two but for several pages. This would be strange in any other literary piece, but as you know, the difference between life and fiction is that fiction has to make sense. Not so in a piece that is a reflection of life. I found it to be part of his essence, and therefore, utterly important to the autobiography. “But all my life I've had a hard time being emotionally grounded in the moment. I have always been emotionally detached, removed from the situation. I've always felt like an observer rather than a participant.”
From time to time he addresses you directly, commenting on his own story as if responding to a glance or a word of disbelief from you. “And let's be honest… the first chapter about prostitution caught your interest, and now you're trudging through this chapter, hoping I'll get back to the juicy stuff soon... But I have to explain some stuff about my background first, or the rest of the book won't make any sense.”
A note about the cover: you are faced with half-a-face of a pretty girl, whose makeup runs down her cheek, leaving a trail, which has dried by now, of a tear. This image is quite striking. Together with the title, Sex and Crime, it is designed to be evocative. Yet, as much as I appreciate the thought that went into designing this cover, I feel that the image should have been Oliver Markus’, because it is his portrait—the portion he is letting us see—that fascinates us as we read his story.
Five stars.
The language is direct. Markus avoids dressing up the events with literary descriptions, opting instead for a frank, conversational tone, “I felt so bad for her, I agreed to marry her… And how f- awesome is it that some little computer geek from Germany is marrying this hot woman in New York?”
He describes events in a decidedly measured manner even when they turn out to be incredibly dramatic. “My dad was drunk out of his mind, and gave this big speech about how he was going to make my mother watch while he kills me, then he was going to kill her, and then he was going to kill himself.” And later, “A few days later he hung himself from the big cherry tree in my grandmother's backyard. It was the best thing he ever did for me.”
From time to time, the author digresses from the action—right in the midst of an unfolding sex scene or a street brawl. He leaves himself ‘suspended in animation’ if you will, and goes into a series of flashbacks or discussing PSTD, not for a paragraph or two but for several pages. This would be strange in any other literary piece, but as you know, the difference between life and fiction is that fiction has to make sense. Not so in a piece that is a reflection of life. I found it to be part of his essence, and therefore, utterly important to the autobiography. “But all my life I've had a hard time being emotionally grounded in the moment. I have always been emotionally detached, removed from the situation. I've always felt like an observer rather than a participant.”
From time to time he addresses you directly, commenting on his own story as if responding to a glance or a word of disbelief from you. “And let's be honest… the first chapter about prostitution caught your interest, and now you're trudging through this chapter, hoping I'll get back to the juicy stuff soon... But I have to explain some stuff about my background first, or the rest of the book won't make any sense.”
A note about the cover: you are faced with half-a-face of a pretty girl, whose makeup runs down her cheek, leaving a trail, which has dried by now, of a tear. This image is quite striking. Together with the title, Sex and Crime, it is designed to be evocative. Yet, as much as I appreciate the thought that went into designing this cover, I feel that the image should have been Oliver Markus’, because it is his portrait—the portion he is letting us see—that fascinates us as we read his story.
Five stars.
May 8, 2014
I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed Oliver's voice throughout the story and I liked his ability to laugh at his own mistakes. His early life was really interesting to me, with the hacking and all that and it made me really care about what happened to him. His love life was... Tragic. It really was like watching the scene of a horrific accident and not being able to look away.. There was some sort of morbid curiosity that that kept me reading about his array of crackwhore girlfriends who treated him like complete shit although he seemed to be a really nice guy. There were times I felt sorry for him.. And times I wanted to shake him to make sure he wasn't on crack too, letting all these ladies walk all over him, betray him repeatedly and disrespect him on a daily basis. I kept wondering why he didn't want to try dating women that have real jobs.. That are smart and ambitious.. But hey, his bud George was right about the heart wanting what it wants. I wanted to shoot myself when he was trying to knock up a crackwhore. That's right... Put a baby In a crackwhore. I couldn't understand that, unless he thought a baby would "fix" the psycho.. Or maybe he wanted a baby more for himself because he wanted one single person to truly love him and not be screwing half of the East coast.. I don't know. I found myself making excuses for him. One thing I liked an lot was that the book had a lot of great, worldly quotes. My biggest issue was that there was no ending. That's right... There was a beggining, middle and no end. No resolution, no lesson learned, no anything really, which made me wonder what the point of the book was. Unless he wrote it to make all his crackwhore girlfriends jealous of each other... A final "Haha!!" Either way.. I liked it.. I'm somewhere on the fence between 3 and 4 stars.. But i like to round up. First half was definitely 4 stars.. Second half 3. I really wish there was a solid conclusion to the madness but I think it was cool to take a peek into someone else's world.
April 29, 2014
Well, i read this as na updated, reloaded Zoo Station, that was one of my fave books since my teen years.
Stay away if you have trouble reading crude cenes, rough language and the overall train-wrecking experience that is being around these girls.
If you´re fine with it, then, please, do join in, kick back and enjoy....because, although of the complicated theme, i do enjoyed reading it - like someone said: it´s the car accident that you can´t look away from, you´re mesmerized. I always repeated a mantra that went "is this girls gonna be diferente?" but they were not. Oliver seems to have a magnet for this kind of girls /situation.
Since i am na european as well, although not from Germany, i laughed when Oliver mentioned the hypocrisis that America has towards simple and ancient things like prostitution and other more wordly subjects - we are really 2 worlds appart.
Stay away if you have trouble reading crude cenes, rough language and the overall train-wrecking experience that is being around these girls.
If you´re fine with it, then, please, do join in, kick back and enjoy....because, although of the complicated theme, i do enjoyed reading it - like someone said: it´s the car accident that you can´t look away from, you´re mesmerized. I always repeated a mantra that went "is this girls gonna be diferente?" but they were not. Oliver seems to have a magnet for this kind of girls /situation.
Since i am na european as well, although not from Germany, i laughed when Oliver mentioned the hypocrisis that America has towards simple and ancient things like prostitution and other more wordly subjects - we are really 2 worlds appart.
May 21, 2014
Please note: I was given a copy of this book by the author, Oliver Markus, for an honest review of the book.
I was truly blown away by this book. The author's stories are so real and striking; they leave you with an impression you cannot forget. The writing style of Markus is a bit different than most authors: this book is written as if the author is dictating the stories to you. Some people may not like this casual style of writing, but it seems to make every bizarre and surreal experience you read about seem all the more true.
I was truly blown away by this book. The author's stories are so real and striking; they leave you with an impression you cannot forget. The writing style of Markus is a bit different than most authors: this book is written as if the author is dictating the stories to you. Some people may not like this casual style of writing, but it seems to make every bizarre and surreal experience you read about seem all the more true.
June 24, 2014
I found this book fascinating. It is an intimate view of the lives of a computer hacker, various prostitutes, pimps, drug addicts and incarcerated felons. It reminds me of the Netflix series Orange is the New Black. Many of my friends are alcoholics, addicts, prostitutes and ex-convicts. Many have told me about their lives, but this book adds a new dimension to my understanding. What is addiction like? Why do women become prostitutes? What happens inside prison? These are some of the questions that Sex and Crime answers. This is a real page turner, I couldn't wait to find out what happens next.
August 18, 2016
"Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey" by Oliver Markus is a fascinating and painstakingly honest memoir about a young German hacker whose life takes several amazing turns. An interesting life that for me, also a German ex-pat, was particularly fascinating, but one that covers sex, drugs and plenty of illegal subjects.
Written in a very personal prose the author directly tells us how it is/was, which allows profound empathy and insight.
Very impressive and captivating.
Written in a very personal prose the author directly tells us how it is/was, which allows profound empathy and insight.
Very impressive and captivating.
April 3, 2014
I received this from Oliver Markus for a honest review*
WOW.... just wow. A compelling, must read. Oliver's writing is simply powerful and inspiring.
WOW.... just wow. A compelling, must read. Oliver's writing is simply powerful and inspiring.
July 1, 2014
That book destroyed my libido for the next future.
Basically, it's a biography of Oliver, a German US immigrant that came to America to experience modern slavery, hunger, and an odyssey of abusive relationships.
And by "odyssey of abusive relationships" I really mean an "odyssey of abusive relationships". He had a terrible father and, like every person with abusive relationships in his early life, he had abusive relationships as an adult because "abusive" was his "normal".
And it was one of the most enlightening things I ever read about drug abuse. I'll never look at drug addicts the same way. It touched me profoundly and I almost cried a few times. It also changed my views on prostitution.
A few remarks:
- There comes a point when he dates so many junkies that they all blend in our minds. It's almost impossible to differ one from other at some point.
- Some stories of sexual abuse are just heartbreaking.
- The pace is fast at first, but in the end it becomes a little repetitive, what slows the reading;
- I learned that drug addicts behave like sociopaths... and you can't really blame them for it.
- How ridiculous, unscientific and uneffective rehab methods are!
- Maybe if the author wasn't so vocal about his lack of religion ,the book would reach the people that need it the most: self-righteous--right-wing-extremists-fundamentalists-judgy-moralist assholes.
Basically, it's a biography of Oliver, a German US immigrant that came to America to experience modern slavery, hunger, and an odyssey of abusive relationships.
And by "odyssey of abusive relationships" I really mean an "odyssey of abusive relationships". He had a terrible father and, like every person with abusive relationships in his early life, he had abusive relationships as an adult because "abusive" was his "normal".
And it was one of the most enlightening things I ever read about drug abuse. I'll never look at drug addicts the same way. It touched me profoundly and I almost cried a few times. It also changed my views on prostitution.
A few remarks:
- There comes a point when he dates so many junkies that they all blend in our minds. It's almost impossible to differ one from other at some point.
- Some stories of sexual abuse are just heartbreaking.
- The pace is fast at first, but in the end it becomes a little repetitive, what slows the reading;
- I learned that drug addicts behave like sociopaths... and you can't really blame them for it.
- How ridiculous, unscientific and uneffective rehab methods are!
- Maybe if the author wasn't so vocal about his lack of religion ,the book would reach the people that need it the most: self-righteous--right-wing-extremists-fundamentalists-judgy-moralist assholes.
July 21, 2014
Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com
This was a difficult read. It deals with very heavy subjects, but the way it was written didn't captivate me enough to immerse myself in the story. I think it just not my kind of book. I just found myself skipping some pages to get to the end. But if you enjoy stories full of addicts, sex and violence this is a book for you.
Thanks to Oliver Markus for sending me an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This was a difficult read. It deals with very heavy subjects, but the way it was written didn't captivate me enough to immerse myself in the story. I think it just not my kind of book. I just found myself skipping some pages to get to the end. But if you enjoy stories full of addicts, sex and violence this is a book for you.
Thanks to Oliver Markus for sending me an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2014
Title: Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey
Author: Oliver Markus
Publisher: Westhoff Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:
"Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey by Oliver Markus...
What is the novel about?
"Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey is an autobiographical book that follows the incredible life of Oliver, a teenage hacker in Aachen, Germany, who is the victim of traumatic childhood abuse and suffers from PTSD. He falls in love with an American girl online, and spends many hours on the phone with her every day for a year, until he moves in with her in New York. After his crazy adventures as a New York cab driver, he becomes a successful cartoonist and goes on to be an Internet millionaire. A painful divorce throws him into a deep, almost suicidal depression, until he falls in love with a heroin addict and he ends up moving to Fort Myers, Florida. As his life spirals more and more out of control, Oliver gets sucked deeper and deeper into the dark world of drug addiction and prostitution.
Sex and Crime offers an unflinching look at the seedy underworld of Fort Myers, that most residents are probably not aware of. It explores the world of online prostitution, the underlying causes and consequences of drug addiction, as well as the shortcomings of the AA 12-step-program and the failure of traditional rehab programs that are utterly divorced from modern medical science.
Along his journey, Oliver encounters a number of female drug addicts and he empathizes with them because of his own traumatic past. He feels compelled to try to help them escape the addict lifestyle, but the end result is always the same. They break his heart.
Despite all its gritty ugliness, there is beauty to be found in Sex and Crime. Oliver never gives up hope that the next drug addict may be different. He never stops believing that deep down every person is good and deserves a second chance in life.
There have been a number of books about drug addiction in recent years, but Sex and Crime offers a fresh, unique perspective. Oliver himself is not addicted to drugs, and yet addiction takes a heavy toll on him, as the addicts in his life hurt him over and over.
His knowledge of addiction is at once intimate and distant. As outsider deep inside the drug world he has a unique vantage point. There's an old saying: "Fish don't know they're wet." Oliver sees patterns and similarities that the addicts themselves can't see.
The book is more than an examination of drug addiction and its harrowing consequences and collateral damage. It is an emotional, deeply personal and often very touching account of one man's struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, addiction in all its many forms, love and loss.
Although it's an autobiography, Sex and Crime often feels like an action adventure novel, because the events described are so far removed from what most people consider normal every-day life.
The book deals with very dark subject matter, but the author's eloquently simplistic prose makes it a breeze to read. His writing never feels pompous or pretentious. He takes the reader by the hand and gently leads you deeper and deeper into the darkness.
Oliver's ability to recognize his own mistakes in hindsight, and his humble, self-deprecating sense of humor make Sex and Crime a very entertaining read, even when his brutal honesty makes you cringe."
What I got from this novel........
Wow, this was some story that dealt with this person's true autobiography story of computer hacking, drugs, pimps incarcerated felons, slavery, hunger, and prostitution. I liked how this author was able to deliver this story to the reader in that it really was able to give a new meaning to this subject line. This was definitely a eye opener for me that I will carry with me from this page turning read. The author really gives the reader a very easy, smooth and even a thriller kind of read and you will be drawn into the read. The characters were definitely believable and realistic only helping to give us a good read. Wow again all I can say is that I can imagine that this novel was one hard one to write but it was done very well in that it was so well written. This author definitely give the reader something to learn from in that it was such an informative and intriguing read with some fascinating stories. "Sex and Crime" is not for the faint of heart because its leaves nothing to imagination because it gets all up in the mind of a addict.... and it will also give you the look and affect of those who try to help and love them.
What I also liked from this novel....
I like the quotes that were used at the beginning of each chapter.
My Overall Impression of Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey...
I thought this was a well written story was simply outstanding definitely not your average read and quite different from most authors I have read from. Mr. Oliver is definitely one not afraid of speaking his mind without censorship. However, when it's all said and done it's quite some amazing story where you are given a brutally honest story. Would I recommend? Yes, only if you are looking for a different kind of read.
Author: Oliver Markus
Publisher: Westhoff Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:
"Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey by Oliver Markus...
What is the novel about?
"Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey is an autobiographical book that follows the incredible life of Oliver, a teenage hacker in Aachen, Germany, who is the victim of traumatic childhood abuse and suffers from PTSD. He falls in love with an American girl online, and spends many hours on the phone with her every day for a year, until he moves in with her in New York. After his crazy adventures as a New York cab driver, he becomes a successful cartoonist and goes on to be an Internet millionaire. A painful divorce throws him into a deep, almost suicidal depression, until he falls in love with a heroin addict and he ends up moving to Fort Myers, Florida. As his life spirals more and more out of control, Oliver gets sucked deeper and deeper into the dark world of drug addiction and prostitution.
Sex and Crime offers an unflinching look at the seedy underworld of Fort Myers, that most residents are probably not aware of. It explores the world of online prostitution, the underlying causes and consequences of drug addiction, as well as the shortcomings of the AA 12-step-program and the failure of traditional rehab programs that are utterly divorced from modern medical science.
Along his journey, Oliver encounters a number of female drug addicts and he empathizes with them because of his own traumatic past. He feels compelled to try to help them escape the addict lifestyle, but the end result is always the same. They break his heart.
Despite all its gritty ugliness, there is beauty to be found in Sex and Crime. Oliver never gives up hope that the next drug addict may be different. He never stops believing that deep down every person is good and deserves a second chance in life.
There have been a number of books about drug addiction in recent years, but Sex and Crime offers a fresh, unique perspective. Oliver himself is not addicted to drugs, and yet addiction takes a heavy toll on him, as the addicts in his life hurt him over and over.
His knowledge of addiction is at once intimate and distant. As outsider deep inside the drug world he has a unique vantage point. There's an old saying: "Fish don't know they're wet." Oliver sees patterns and similarities that the addicts themselves can't see.
The book is more than an examination of drug addiction and its harrowing consequences and collateral damage. It is an emotional, deeply personal and often very touching account of one man's struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, addiction in all its many forms, love and loss.
Although it's an autobiography, Sex and Crime often feels like an action adventure novel, because the events described are so far removed from what most people consider normal every-day life.
The book deals with very dark subject matter, but the author's eloquently simplistic prose makes it a breeze to read. His writing never feels pompous or pretentious. He takes the reader by the hand and gently leads you deeper and deeper into the darkness.
Oliver's ability to recognize his own mistakes in hindsight, and his humble, self-deprecating sense of humor make Sex and Crime a very entertaining read, even when his brutal honesty makes you cringe."
What I got from this novel........
Wow, this was some story that dealt with this person's true autobiography story of computer hacking, drugs, pimps incarcerated felons, slavery, hunger, and prostitution. I liked how this author was able to deliver this story to the reader in that it really was able to give a new meaning to this subject line. This was definitely a eye opener for me that I will carry with me from this page turning read. The author really gives the reader a very easy, smooth and even a thriller kind of read and you will be drawn into the read. The characters were definitely believable and realistic only helping to give us a good read. Wow again all I can say is that I can imagine that this novel was one hard one to write but it was done very well in that it was so well written. This author definitely give the reader something to learn from in that it was such an informative and intriguing read with some fascinating stories. "Sex and Crime" is not for the faint of heart because its leaves nothing to imagination because it gets all up in the mind of a addict.... and it will also give you the look and affect of those who try to help and love them.
What I also liked from this novel....
I like the quotes that were used at the beginning of each chapter.
My Overall Impression of Sex and Crime: Oliver's Strange Journey...
I thought this was a well written story was simply outstanding definitely not your average read and quite different from most authors I have read from. Mr. Oliver is definitely one not afraid of speaking his mind without censorship. However, when it's all said and done it's quite some amazing story where you are given a brutally honest story. Would I recommend? Yes, only if you are looking for a different kind of read.
April 22, 2014
In Sex and Crime we meet the author, Oliver, a teenage hacker living in Germany. He falls for a female hacker in New York and, despite the fact she’d seriously misled him on some important facts, moves to New York and marries her.
To help establish himself as a cartoonist, he creates a web site and then discovers affiliate marketing (still in its infancy). He becomes very wealthy, very quickly.
What does this have to do with the sex and crime of the title? We discover this as the story progresses. After the disintegration of his marriage, Oliver becomes involved with a number of women with various issues. He is treated badly by these women. They lie to him, cheat on him, and otherwise mess with his head and emotions. He falls heavily in love with two of these girls at different times. Both manipulate him, even from their respective prison cells.
This appears to be a true story. It also seems to be the tale of a good but gullible man. It’s more than that, however. It is an important comment about drugs and prostitution in the USA and the relationship between the two. It also makes comment about the prevalence of child abuse and what happens to some of the victims when they reach adulthood.
There is good to be found in this story, mostly from Oliver who still managed to remain fairly positive about relationships despite his ordeals at the hands of these women. He is loath to turn his back when confronted with their pain and misery.
We only hear one side of the story, but Oliver’s voice seems strong and true. It is credible. I felt myself wishing he’d find a nice girl and settle down. I wondered what it was in his personality that kept drawing him to damaged women.
There is no great climax to the story – this is non-fiction after all. Around three-quarters of the way through the book, I began to have a sense of hearing the same story over and over, which is exactly what it was. At this point I felt that Sex and Crime could do with some editing.
This is the sort of book to pick up when you want to read something a bit different. It is gritty and intense. It is also important.
To help establish himself as a cartoonist, he creates a web site and then discovers affiliate marketing (still in its infancy). He becomes very wealthy, very quickly.
What does this have to do with the sex and crime of the title? We discover this as the story progresses. After the disintegration of his marriage, Oliver becomes involved with a number of women with various issues. He is treated badly by these women. They lie to him, cheat on him, and otherwise mess with his head and emotions. He falls heavily in love with two of these girls at different times. Both manipulate him, even from their respective prison cells.
This appears to be a true story. It also seems to be the tale of a good but gullible man. It’s more than that, however. It is an important comment about drugs and prostitution in the USA and the relationship between the two. It also makes comment about the prevalence of child abuse and what happens to some of the victims when they reach adulthood.
There is good to be found in this story, mostly from Oliver who still managed to remain fairly positive about relationships despite his ordeals at the hands of these women. He is loath to turn his back when confronted with their pain and misery.
We only hear one side of the story, but Oliver’s voice seems strong and true. It is credible. I felt myself wishing he’d find a nice girl and settle down. I wondered what it was in his personality that kept drawing him to damaged women.
There is no great climax to the story – this is non-fiction after all. Around three-quarters of the way through the book, I began to have a sense of hearing the same story over and over, which is exactly what it was. At this point I felt that Sex and Crime could do with some editing.
This is the sort of book to pick up when you want to read something a bit different. It is gritty and intense. It is also important.
July 27, 2014
Sex and Crime by Oliver Markus is a gritty look at the author’s life, a man who has difficulty grounding himself in the moment and continues to repeat relationship mistakes over and over. Is this his way of cleansing himself while allowing others to know they are not alone in the chaos that is their life? Often this feels like a direct conversation with me, not words on a page designed to reach millions.
Autobiographies can be difficult to read, we, as the audience to a life playing out before us can easily ask why certain things happen, why would the narrator do that, why didn’t the narrator learn from the experiences instead of repeating them in one way or another?
Did I enjoy this read? I can’t say I enjoyed it, it was too painful in some parts, too dragged out in others and too brittle in still more. What I did appreciate is that author Oliver Markus didn’t candy-coat his life, although there were times I felt he saw himself as a damaged savior, as free to do as he wished without expecting consequences. But isn’t an autobiography the author’s point of view? Agree with him or not, a peek into the life of someone who has experienced what this man has can be eye-opening.
Publication Date: February 19, 2014
Publisher: Westhoff Publishing
ISBN: 061597550X
Genre: Autobiography, Non-Fiction
Print Length: 484 pages
Available from: Amazon
Autobiographies can be difficult to read, we, as the audience to a life playing out before us can easily ask why certain things happen, why would the narrator do that, why didn’t the narrator learn from the experiences instead of repeating them in one way or another?
Did I enjoy this read? I can’t say I enjoyed it, it was too painful in some parts, too dragged out in others and too brittle in still more. What I did appreciate is that author Oliver Markus didn’t candy-coat his life, although there were times I felt he saw himself as a damaged savior, as free to do as he wished without expecting consequences. But isn’t an autobiography the author’s point of view? Agree with him or not, a peek into the life of someone who has experienced what this man has can be eye-opening.
Publication Date: February 19, 2014
Publisher: Westhoff Publishing
ISBN: 061597550X
Genre: Autobiography, Non-Fiction
Print Length: 484 pages
Available from: Amazon
January 14, 2017
I received this from Oliver Markus for a honest review*
This is an autobiography about a man trapped in a series of bad relationships. He moves from Germany to America, immediately going from his abusive parents to a marriage with an older woman suffering from agoraphobia. The marriage doesn't last, and he finds himself in a downward spiral as he becomes intimate with several women, all struggling with sordid addictions. There are drugs, prostitution, prison time, and lots of graphic sex.
You feel a bit helpless while reading this book. Oliver seems like a nice enough man. He's intelligent and business savvy. Yet he has an undeniable addiction to bad relationships and damaged women. It's an interesting twist, as normally you hear the reverse -- women trapped in harmful relationships. I also found myself wanting to shake some of the women in this book, and tell them to get help, to stop doing what they were doing! It's like being witness to a terrible accident. And then another. And another.
Several people have mentioned that the last third of the book is a bit over long, and I would agree. Some editing would tighten the narrative a bit. There are sections of the book where Oliver has off-subject tangents -- some I found endearing, because we learned more about his character and inner thoughts, but others seemed unnecessary.
This is an autobiography about a man trapped in a series of bad relationships. He moves from Germany to America, immediately going from his abusive parents to a marriage with an older woman suffering from agoraphobia. The marriage doesn't last, and he finds himself in a downward spiral as he becomes intimate with several women, all struggling with sordid addictions. There are drugs, prostitution, prison time, and lots of graphic sex.
You feel a bit helpless while reading this book. Oliver seems like a nice enough man. He's intelligent and business savvy. Yet he has an undeniable addiction to bad relationships and damaged women. It's an interesting twist, as normally you hear the reverse -- women trapped in harmful relationships. I also found myself wanting to shake some of the women in this book, and tell them to get help, to stop doing what they were doing! It's like being witness to a terrible accident. And then another. And another.
Several people have mentioned that the last third of the book is a bit over long, and I would agree. Some editing would tighten the narrative a bit. There are sections of the book where Oliver has off-subject tangents -- some I found endearing, because we learned more about his character and inner thoughts, but others seemed unnecessary.
June 4, 2014
Oliver's book is a road map of his life hanging out with prostitutes, drug users and pimps. The book begins in Germany where young Oliver has been made to read a book about drug addicts by a high school teacher. Oliver becomes overcome with sadness at the lives these women live. He vows if he ever meets a woman who is like the addict in the book, then he would try to save her.
As a young man he rides the newly invented internet into quick wealth. During his time spent online he meets an American woman which leads him directly to New York City where he marries her. When his marriage fails he takes solace in women who are easiest to get; prostitutes and crack whores. This is where the story really begins.
Although Oliver never uses drugs himself he finds himself drawn to hookers. As he moves from relationship to relationship the reader is given an uncanny look into the minds of his many addicted girlfriends. As the story progresses it becomes apparent that Oliver is as addicted to trying to save these women, as they are to their drugs.
This is no book for the faint of heart. It is instead a gutsy, no holds barred, look into the mind of an addict.
It kept me interested from start to finish, and I would recommend it to anyone with interest in this topic.
As a young man he rides the newly invented internet into quick wealth. During his time spent online he meets an American woman which leads him directly to New York City where he marries her. When his marriage fails he takes solace in women who are easiest to get; prostitutes and crack whores. This is where the story really begins.
Although Oliver never uses drugs himself he finds himself drawn to hookers. As he moves from relationship to relationship the reader is given an uncanny look into the minds of his many addicted girlfriends. As the story progresses it becomes apparent that Oliver is as addicted to trying to save these women, as they are to their drugs.
This is no book for the faint of heart. It is instead a gutsy, no holds barred, look into the mind of an addict.
It kept me interested from start to finish, and I would recommend it to anyone with interest in this topic.
July 1, 2014
Wow, what a book. The first several chapters were extremely interesting to me. The last several chapters seemed to be the same story over and over again, with only the names changing. It seems to me Oliver is lucky to be alive, considering all the addicts and their cohorts that he's had in his life. I enjoy an occasional biography, and I found this one to be very worthwhile. I loved that it was well-written and flowed beautifully, with just a couple handfuls of small grammatical/spelling errors. I would read more by him - and from the way the story ended, it's very possible I'll get to read the continuation of this story some day!
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