Not Far from Me: Stories of Opioids and Ohio

by Daniel Skinner, Berkeley Franz, Ted Strickland (Foreword)

More and more Americans find themselves in some way touched by the opioid epidemic. But while many have observed the effects of the crisis,  Not Far from Stories of Opioids and Ohio  is the first book on this public health emergency composed entirely of first-person accounts. The collection unfolds across fifty gripping accounts by Ohioans at the center of the national epidemic. Shared through personal stories, poetry, interviews, and photos, these perspectives transcend typical one-dimensional portrayals of the crisis to offer a mosaic of how politics, religion, sports, economics, culture, race, and sexual orientation intersect in and around the epidemic.
 
Themes of pain and healing, despair and hope are woven throughout accounts of families who have lost loved ones to addiction, stories of survival, and experiences of working on the front lines in communities. In an attempt to give every voice the chance to be heard,  Not Far from Me  features contributors from across the state as they engage with the pain of opioid abuse and overdose, as well as the hope that personal- and community-level transformation brings. Ultimately,  Not Far from Me  humanizes the battle against addiction, challenges the stigma surrounding drug users, and unflinchingly faces the reality of the American opioid epidemic.
 

Genres: Nonfiction

312 pages, Paperback

Published June 5, 2019

Reviews

[Laney Haas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for school! Educational but repetitive 💔

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was hard to read. The numerous essays, stories, and accounts depict the opiate crisis in Ohio, and how it touches everyone, in all demographics, and in all environments. I think it's impossible to read and not be reminded of people in your life. There are stories of hope though that stand out moments of despair. It's an important reminder of this ongoing crisis that has lost some of its space in the public consciousness during 2020.

[Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having read Dreamland by Sam Quinones, this book to me was a sequel and not an eye opening book like Dreamland. That is the reason I only gave this book three stars. Most of the stories are interesting but I started to skim near the end of the book.

[Falak Pasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not to be read for leisure , but for awareness. This is an important and heartbreaking read on a crisis that many feel they are immune from. The stories told my mothers especially were incredibly heartbreaking .

[MacKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely powerful.

[Sarah Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read for school. Boring but insightful