What do you think?
Rate this book
Breaking Dad: How my mild-mannered father became Britain's biggest meth dealer
***As seen on the BBC Victoria Derbyshire Show******As heard on The Jeremy Vine Show***Think you've got a dysfunctional family?Meet mine.For 18 years, my family lived a normal life in a respectable suburb…
Until one day, my dad gave up his successful career, and unexpectedly became Britain's most wanted crystal meth dealer.
This is our story. At times shocking, often unbelievable, and all 100% true.
Until one day, my dad gave up his successful career, and unexpectedly became Britain's most wanted crystal meth dealer.
This is our story. At times shocking, often unbelievable, and all 100% true.
- GenresNonfictionTrue Crime
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2019
26 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
April 28, 2019
This is really quite a mind-bending story. The author James is done with University, just trying to have a normal life, work at a good job, meet girls, all the typical things that guys his age want. But he’s been worried about his parents lately. They’ve been fighting a lot, way more than usual, and they recently announced that they are splitting up. Then they each hit him with some personal news that really shook his world. I won't tell you what it is, you'll have to read the book to find out. But this family is dysfunctional with a capital D.
And on top of that, James has noticed that his coin dealer father has suddenly begun selling weed out of his home office he’s set up in his new place. James is having a hard time wrapping his head around that since his father has always been a teetotaler, non-smoking, anti-drug person with very high morals. So who is this new person? The one who goes to hot clubs and dances, drinks, carrying on like guys James’ age, partying all night.
This book is really something, with the son trying to advise the father to be careful, fearful of what he’s getting into, like a reversal of roles almost. James really wants his father to quit his crooked ways and go back to being the honest coin dealer he’s always known him to be. But Daddy Dearest seems bent on going off the deep end with his new single life, experimenting is far too many areas all at once. It has James worried as can be! If you read the book, you will understand why.
It would be good for those who like intense memoirs. It’s quite edgy, and sarcastic and it gets really serious when James finds out that his dad is also dealing hard drugs too like meth and cocaine. And he also seems to have an addiction problem. What can he do to get his dad off the hard stuff, if anything? Now his mom is seriously ill and things are really a mess with James not being able to rely on his dad. This book covers some serious subjects and gets emotional too. This was far more engrossing than I ever dared hope for. It was a read-right-through type of book. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, authors James Lubbock & Warren FitzGerald, and the publisher.
My BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
And on top of that, James has noticed that his coin dealer father has suddenly begun selling weed out of his home office he’s set up in his new place. James is having a hard time wrapping his head around that since his father has always been a teetotaler, non-smoking, anti-drug person with very high morals. So who is this new person? The one who goes to hot clubs and dances, drinks, carrying on like guys James’ age, partying all night.
This book is really something, with the son trying to advise the father to be careful, fearful of what he’s getting into, like a reversal of roles almost. James really wants his father to quit his crooked ways and go back to being the honest coin dealer he’s always known him to be. But Daddy Dearest seems bent on going off the deep end with his new single life, experimenting is far too many areas all at once. It has James worried as can be! If you read the book, you will understand why.
It would be good for those who like intense memoirs. It’s quite edgy, and sarcastic and it gets really serious when James finds out that his dad is also dealing hard drugs too like meth and cocaine. And he also seems to have an addiction problem. What can he do to get his dad off the hard stuff, if anything? Now his mom is seriously ill and things are really a mess with James not being able to rely on his dad. This book covers some serious subjects and gets emotional too. This was far more engrossing than I ever dared hope for. It was a read-right-through type of book. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, authors James Lubbock & Warren FitzGerald, and the publisher.
My BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2019
I must admit, I walked into this book expecting a reincarnation of the television series, expecting characters like Walter White and Jesse. Nah, this is definitely not the re-writing of the smash-hit television series. Instead, ‘Breaking Dad’ is an emotional, touching and frank account of a son’s experience as his dad completely changes everything about himself.
Lubbock is unashamedly frank during his narrative and it is this raw honesty that had me grabbed from the beginning. The title of the book had me captured and Lubbock’s account of his parents is so open and funny at the same time, that you cannot help but feel sorry for him during the more emotional times. Indeed, there was a moment during the book that I started welling up, it hit me so deeply. And, without giving anything away, the episode made me connect with Lubbock even further.
This is a well-written autobiography of Lubbock’s father. However, it is definitely shocking in places! Some may argue this as crude yet, the world that Lubbock’s father enters is one that does not have any filters and where dishonesty is dangerous. It is this effect that Lubbock transfers to his narrative. Simultaneously funny and poignant, I found myself wondering what I would do if I was in Lubbock’s situation?
This was a quick read and I wish that there had been even more detail to this fascinating story. At times I wondered if the narrative had been “rushed” and I yearned for more detail about Lubbock’s father. Indeed, transferring the narrative to the father’s perspective would have definitely added the detail. I was left wanting to know even more about what happened behind the closed doors of his father’s flat and, whilst I wasn’t too fussed about the relationships, wanted to read more about the drug-dealing world.
Lubbock felt like a well-known friend by the closing of the story. It read like a film and I was amazed at how far Lubbock’s father was able to go before being caught by the police. Again, it would have been very interesting to see the other side of the arrest – to understand how Lubbock came known to the police and the steps leading up to his capture. Perhaps it is down to legalities that so much was absent from the story however, I do think these elements would have extended the plot and made this an easy 5-star rating.
A touching story that explores the effects that Lubbock’s father’s actions had on those around them. The narrative is funny but so poignant and, whilst there is a satisfying ending, you wonder what the future holds for both father and son. Indeed, after reading this book, I just had to reach for my phone and start Googling a little bit more…
With thanks to Mirror Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lubbock is unashamedly frank during his narrative and it is this raw honesty that had me grabbed from the beginning. The title of the book had me captured and Lubbock’s account of his parents is so open and funny at the same time, that you cannot help but feel sorry for him during the more emotional times. Indeed, there was a moment during the book that I started welling up, it hit me so deeply. And, without giving anything away, the episode made me connect with Lubbock even further.
This is a well-written autobiography of Lubbock’s father. However, it is definitely shocking in places! Some may argue this as crude yet, the world that Lubbock’s father enters is one that does not have any filters and where dishonesty is dangerous. It is this effect that Lubbock transfers to his narrative. Simultaneously funny and poignant, I found myself wondering what I would do if I was in Lubbock’s situation?
This was a quick read and I wish that there had been even more detail to this fascinating story. At times I wondered if the narrative had been “rushed” and I yearned for more detail about Lubbock’s father. Indeed, transferring the narrative to the father’s perspective would have definitely added the detail. I was left wanting to know even more about what happened behind the closed doors of his father’s flat and, whilst I wasn’t too fussed about the relationships, wanted to read more about the drug-dealing world.
Lubbock felt like a well-known friend by the closing of the story. It read like a film and I was amazed at how far Lubbock’s father was able to go before being caught by the police. Again, it would have been very interesting to see the other side of the arrest – to understand how Lubbock came known to the police and the steps leading up to his capture. Perhaps it is down to legalities that so much was absent from the story however, I do think these elements would have extended the plot and made this an easy 5-star rating.
A touching story that explores the effects that Lubbock’s father’s actions had on those around them. The narrative is funny but so poignant and, whilst there is a satisfying ending, you wonder what the future holds for both father and son. Indeed, after reading this book, I just had to reach for my phone and start Googling a little bit more…
With thanks to Mirror Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2019
Well then, this was quite the opposite of a dry and boring account about some drug baron. What a story! And to think it’s all true, you’d really think this could only be fiction at times. The beginning of James’ story alone is enough to hook any reader because his dad AND his mum each drop the big secrets they’ve kept for years on him on page 4 of the book already. They have nothing to do with drugs but as I see it, maybe the drugs were a consequence of this liberation for his father.
James Lubbock and Warren FitzGerald are great writers and I really liked the style the book was written in. James writes honestly and with such great wit about his life and his family. I can hardly believe we must be around the same age and that he had to deal with so much while I was hardly aware of the existence of drugs in a world far away from mine.
He doesn’t paint a picture of his father as a saint, he doesn’t make any excuses for him, and neither does he make him the biggest sinner there is, he’s just his dad who he loves with flaws and all. He shows his father’s ups and further along the line his downs too without flinching. I felt his worries, the care for his father and his reluctant acceptance that he couldn’t do anything more and that it would end badly for his father if he didn’t stop his drug habit and his dealing.
His father is certainly not the stereotype you might have in mind for a drug kingpin. He used to be an Earl Grey, opera loving father who didn’t smoke or drink and thought drugs were evil. He liked making deals and he was a good businessman though, so in hindsight it’s not even that big of a surprise that he saw an opportunity and tried to make money from it. He started small of course, but I guess he was quite good at doing business. I had to stop myself already halfway through this novel from googling and seeing the man in a picture for myself. But then I would also learn how it would end – although I had a fairly good idea about that already – and I wanted to see for myself how it would go.
There were 35 short and sweet chapters, most of them headed with a mono-syllabic chapter title that begged me for context and made me me want to dive right in and find out how they fit into the story. Even though Breaking Dad is a story of addiction and the becoming of a drug lord, you will never have read about a drug lord like this. It’s not like in the movies people, this is how it really is. Real people, real emotions, bad decisions… you’ll look at the headlines differently from now on, and with much more understanding for the person behind the headline and his family.
James Lubbock and Warren FitzGerald are great writers and I really liked the style the book was written in. James writes honestly and with such great wit about his life and his family. I can hardly believe we must be around the same age and that he had to deal with so much while I was hardly aware of the existence of drugs in a world far away from mine.
He doesn’t paint a picture of his father as a saint, he doesn’t make any excuses for him, and neither does he make him the biggest sinner there is, he’s just his dad who he loves with flaws and all. He shows his father’s ups and further along the line his downs too without flinching. I felt his worries, the care for his father and his reluctant acceptance that he couldn’t do anything more and that it would end badly for his father if he didn’t stop his drug habit and his dealing.
His father is certainly not the stereotype you might have in mind for a drug kingpin. He used to be an Earl Grey, opera loving father who didn’t smoke or drink and thought drugs were evil. He liked making deals and he was a good businessman though, so in hindsight it’s not even that big of a surprise that he saw an opportunity and tried to make money from it. He started small of course, but I guess he was quite good at doing business. I had to stop myself already halfway through this novel from googling and seeing the man in a picture for myself. But then I would also learn how it would end – although I had a fairly good idea about that already – and I wanted to see for myself how it would go.
There were 35 short and sweet chapters, most of them headed with a mono-syllabic chapter title that begged me for context and made me me want to dive right in and find out how they fit into the story. Even though Breaking Dad is a story of addiction and the becoming of a drug lord, you will never have read about a drug lord like this. It’s not like in the movies people, this is how it really is. Real people, real emotions, bad decisions… you’ll look at the headlines differently from now on, and with much more understanding for the person behind the headline and his family.
June 29, 2021
Almost like an Adrian Mole for grown ups, this is the brutally honest, comedic, and sometimes shocking autobiographical true story of James Lubbock.
I was both moved, flabbergasted, and tickled in equal measures. :)
I was both moved, flabbergasted, and tickled in equal measures. :)
January 7, 2020
Not what i had expected.... much funnier than i thought it would be for example. Whizzed through it
August 11, 2021
An interesting story, but the delivery was grating either due to dated language ("mincer") or a clash of personality with the writer.
December 5, 2019
Wow what a story... and it’s a true story. I rarely read true stories but I’m so glad I did with this one.
James is a normal guy getting on with his life. His parents have recently separated. Both tell him some news that shock him.
The author James holds nothing back on his story about his dad changing from a well respected coin dealer to a drug baron.
The author has written this so well. In fact there was moments I thought is this really a true story. He’s written it in such a way that I could see it as a movie.
James is a normal guy getting on with his life. His parents have recently separated. Both tell him some news that shock him.
The author James holds nothing back on his story about his dad changing from a well respected coin dealer to a drug baron.
The author has written this so well. In fact there was moments I thought is this really a true story. He’s written it in such a way that I could see it as a movie.
July 5, 2019
This is an interesting memoir with a lot of unexpected details. James's father goes on a complete transformation - from a bargain hunting coin dealer to one of the UK's biggest meth dealers.
However, for a few reasons I can't give it more than two stars: firstly, there is little nuance in the writing about the characters or their relationships. Everything is spelled out literally and there is little description or indirect characterisation. I agree with other reviewers in that the story reads like a stranger is telling you a story in the pub.
In a similar vein, a lot of the language and character portrayal is problematic - the women on James's dating site are portrayed as one-dimensional and easily manipulated, he describes having "epileptic hands" when feeling nervous, at other times describes his "Autistic obsessiveness" and describes Julian Clary as a "mincer". These - amongst others - spoiled the book for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
However, for a few reasons I can't give it more than two stars: firstly, there is little nuance in the writing about the characters or their relationships. Everything is spelled out literally and there is little description or indirect characterisation. I agree with other reviewers in that the story reads like a stranger is telling you a story in the pub.
In a similar vein, a lot of the language and character portrayal is problematic - the women on James's dating site are portrayed as one-dimensional and easily manipulated, he describes having "epileptic hands" when feeling nervous, at other times describes his "Autistic obsessiveness" and describes Julian Clary as a "mincer". These - amongst others - spoiled the book for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror Books for the ARC.
I'm really not sure how I feel about this book. After hearing a radio interview a while ago with the author i was really excited to get my hands on it, I was so intrigued
But...
Even though the book was well written, heartfelt, shicking, compelling, funny and heartwarming the main emotion I was left with at the end was underwhelmed.
You never quite get a grasp on the characters or the timeline, everything felt extremely rushed. It felt that someone had sat James down with a single piece of paper and a stopwatch and said "give us your life story in 30 minutes"
I'm really glad I got to read it & I have recommended on but with the warning of "dont set high expectations of it, just enjoy it for what it is!"
I'm really not sure how I feel about this book. After hearing a radio interview a while ago with the author i was really excited to get my hands on it, I was so intrigued
But...
Even though the book was well written, heartfelt, shicking, compelling, funny and heartwarming the main emotion I was left with at the end was underwhelmed.
You never quite get a grasp on the characters or the timeline, everything felt extremely rushed. It felt that someone had sat James down with a single piece of paper and a stopwatch and said "give us your life story in 30 minutes"
I'm really glad I got to read it & I have recommended on but with the warning of "dont set high expectations of it, just enjoy it for what it is!"
January 14, 2020
Horrible. Awful turns of phrase, repetitive expressions; sleazy sexual and drug taking content. To think it took two men to produce this trite nonsense about people with more money than sense who don't have enough stress in their lives so go out to create more. It's no wonder it's two radio presenters who recommend the book, it's fit for a radio interview but not more than a few minutes chat, certainty not a book.
July 11, 2019
It’s true that the older you get and the more people you meet, the more you realise that everyone has had some level of dysfunction in their lives, more often than not around their family unit. You learn that your family is strange and so are other people’s, and that’s okay because we’d like to live in a world where we respect each other’s paths and histories without judgement. What makes each case different is the level of dysfunction, the lottery of life offering some dreamy childhoods and others hell on earth.
Breaking Dad is different from most because of the sheer swing of functionality to chaos. Most people are able to somewhat come away from family dysfunction as they move out and develop their own lives, maybe creating their own family redefined as they have children. By your early twenties you pretty much assume that your childhood was your childhood and your parents will continue in this way as you get older. James had a fairly calm childhood, his dad a coin dealer and his parents bringing him up with Jewish values and to do well at school and enter university. However, at the beginning of the book, his dad comes out as gay and from there his life takes a massive swing round a u-turn for a few years until we learn of his dads arrest for drug dealing the largest amount of methamphetamine found at the time.
The fun of this book is the opportunity to go along this crazy journey with someone you can empathise with as just a normal bloke, which helps you imagine how you would cope in similar chaos. Some of it is a bit repetitive, which I think are attempts at ongoing jokes but don’t develop enough to continue to be funny, but the story alone is well worth putting up with them for, I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a quick read for me, and certainly isn’t in any way complex to get through. The worst bit for me was the idea that anyone goes to these internet dating gurus for advice to get what to say to women, utterly cringy and unfeminist! I really hoped people just went on to laugh at them, definitely not take them seriously, as James does. This book needs no prior knowledge to read and is a worthy way to spend an afternoon.
Breaking Dad is different from most because of the sheer swing of functionality to chaos. Most people are able to somewhat come away from family dysfunction as they move out and develop their own lives, maybe creating their own family redefined as they have children. By your early twenties you pretty much assume that your childhood was your childhood and your parents will continue in this way as you get older. James had a fairly calm childhood, his dad a coin dealer and his parents bringing him up with Jewish values and to do well at school and enter university. However, at the beginning of the book, his dad comes out as gay and from there his life takes a massive swing round a u-turn for a few years until we learn of his dads arrest for drug dealing the largest amount of methamphetamine found at the time.
The fun of this book is the opportunity to go along this crazy journey with someone you can empathise with as just a normal bloke, which helps you imagine how you would cope in similar chaos. Some of it is a bit repetitive, which I think are attempts at ongoing jokes but don’t develop enough to continue to be funny, but the story alone is well worth putting up with them for, I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a quick read for me, and certainly isn’t in any way complex to get through. The worst bit for me was the idea that anyone goes to these internet dating gurus for advice to get what to say to women, utterly cringy and unfeminist! I really hoped people just went on to laugh at them, definitely not take them seriously, as James does. This book needs no prior knowledge to read and is a worthy way to spend an afternoon.
March 4, 2020
Congratulations to James on writing a wonderful account of his parents marriage break up. How he coped with all the shocks prior to his Dad being arrested amazed me, especially as he was an only child. I know he was 19 when it happened, to find out that not only is both your parents gay, his Dad started taking drugs/doing strange sexual practices/rock and roll. James never feels sorry for himself, he made some great humorous remarks on his Dad's antics. I could almost imagine being with James in the room. Although his Mum was gay she had a very stable partnership/life, sadly she got cancer and died. James came across as a very well balanced young man. Now married with a lovely supportive wife and 2 lovely children. His Dad done prison time and seems a reformed character. I did not like when in court he addressed the judge blaming his marriage break up/cancer of his wife (They never divorced). He came 'out' long before his wife's illness. His Dad I believe was always gay yet hid it because of his Jewish heritage, and it being frowned upon. Maybe I am not giving a fair review of his Dad. As I saw it, he was a very selfish self centered man, who made it all about 'Him'. I read this in a day even though I am ill at the moment it was such a fascinating read. I would recommend this book 100%. James would make a great writer, he is very visual when reading his books it is like you are part of his story. I wish James, Jo, Mia,Gracie a wonderful happy life. As for his Dad I bear him no ill will I hope whatever madness drove him to 'ruin' his perfect family life that he can come to terms with all the hurt he caused. He was a very astute businessman prior to his craziness. He lost everything after the court case. Was it all worth it Richard now you live in a bedsit instead of a penthouse, with a gold Rolls Royce inthe garage?
January 26, 2023
James Lubbock grows up with 2 loving parents (mother and father)but then everything changes when one after the other they both reveal they are gay. There are some parts which made me feel uncomfortable as James (or co author Warren Fitzgerald) describe the flat where his father meets up with his gay friends and what goes on there and it’s all a bit nudge, nudge, wink, wink, which reminded me of Michael Barrymore and I didn’t like it.
There were more tender moments where he spoke of his Mum and her partner, Ruth, but these were few and far between. She is well aware that her estranged husband has changed and is dealing in drugs but according to the statement James wrote for the Court he claimed that his father was so bereft when his ex wife died that he started dealing drugs! I have read the relevant chapters twice over and he WAS dealing drugs long before his ex wife died. So much for the blurb on the back that says “all 100% true.”
So much was made of the fact that his father was gay that I was surprised no mention was made at all of any gay relationships in prison or after he was released.
The book started off with just an odd funny remark or smart joke but as it progressed it was like they tried to include one in almost every sentence and they stopped being funny.
I think overall James Lubbock is extremely forgiving to his Father who let him down and messed him about during all this so I hope he does not let him down again in the future.
There were more tender moments where he spoke of his Mum and her partner, Ruth, but these were few and far between. She is well aware that her estranged husband has changed and is dealing in drugs but according to the statement James wrote for the Court he claimed that his father was so bereft when his ex wife died that he started dealing drugs! I have read the relevant chapters twice over and he WAS dealing drugs long before his ex wife died. So much for the blurb on the back that says “all 100% true.”
So much was made of the fact that his father was gay that I was surprised no mention was made at all of any gay relationships in prison or after he was released.
The book started off with just an odd funny remark or smart joke but as it progressed it was like they tried to include one in almost every sentence and they stopped being funny.
I think overall James Lubbock is extremely forgiving to his Father who let him down and messed him about during all this so I hope he does not let him down again in the future.
December 10, 2019
Oh - how life can change! These words ring true for this book.
James takes us briefly through his upbringing - with regards his family and their Jewish faith. Describing the life of a comfortable middle class family, who work hard earning an honest living. Then the tables turned - when the dynamics of the family change, James' father goes from dealing coins to dealing in something else...
James takes us through the turmoil of such events, along with the heartfelt side of always being there for your family no matter what. How life can be unfair and that life is full of second chances. This book is about a middle class father becoming a drug dealer, but it is also just as much about family and what that means.
I raced through this book. Absolutely fascinated by every page. James truly takes you in and makes you feel like you are sitting over coffee whilst he tells the tales of his rather interesting life. Sometimes the stories stray to some socially strange situations which are rarely mentioned in memoirs in such an honest way - bringing real authenticity.
Another note I have taken from this book is that you cannot predict what the future has in hold for you. You never know where your next decision with take you.
James takes us briefly through his upbringing - with regards his family and their Jewish faith. Describing the life of a comfortable middle class family, who work hard earning an honest living. Then the tables turned - when the dynamics of the family change, James' father goes from dealing coins to dealing in something else...
James takes us through the turmoil of such events, along with the heartfelt side of always being there for your family no matter what. How life can be unfair and that life is full of second chances. This book is about a middle class father becoming a drug dealer, but it is also just as much about family and what that means.
I raced through this book. Absolutely fascinated by every page. James truly takes you in and makes you feel like you are sitting over coffee whilst he tells the tales of his rather interesting life. Sometimes the stories stray to some socially strange situations which are rarely mentioned in memoirs in such an honest way - bringing real authenticity.
Another note I have taken from this book is that you cannot predict what the future has in hold for you. You never know where your next decision with take you.
May 7, 2019
I am always curious for answers to the question "where did we go wrong?" Whether it would be in sbig history (World Wars, inventions) or in history on a much smaller space. So, when I read the description of this book I requested a copy really quick.
The story is about James, who is dealing with his separated parents, who turned out to be gay after all, the battle with cancer that his mother goes through in addition to his father becoming a drugs dealer. That sounds straight out of a movie.
Probably a James Bond movie, as we the reader will hear numerous times. That unfortunatly the problem with this book. The story is fascinating. It details the life of James and his parents from their coming out to the end of the story about James' father and drugs. Yet, the reader must endure many mentions about the fact that he is jewish, likes James Bond, is o so terrible with girls because he is - such - a geek and likes to break the fourth wall plenty of times.
That is what bothered me the most about this book. The story is told as the author and you were sitting in a pub and is telling you a story about his dad. One of those stories, that you are wondering if it is all made up. One where you recogise that he isn't o so terrible with girls because he is a geek, but a dick - for instance, his "translation" of dating site language. Being "bubbly" apparently means being overweight and self-centered. It is cringeworthy.
Honestly, there are moments where I wonder if there was any editing at all due, for instance, to the numerous times the author brought up the fact that he is jewish, or that I should cower in horror that this was the result of editing and that the first draft was even worse.
These things, along with a slow start, made me struggle a bit with this book. Yet, I'd still give it three stars because the story is just so fascinating. After finishing the book I still was wondering where it went wrong.
I would recommend this bok only if you too are fascinated with the human nature, but if not, it is perfectly fine to skip it.
The story is about James, who is dealing with his separated parents, who turned out to be gay after all, the battle with cancer that his mother goes through in addition to his father becoming a drugs dealer. That sounds straight out of a movie.
Probably a James Bond movie, as we the reader will hear numerous times. That unfortunatly the problem with this book. The story is fascinating. It details the life of James and his parents from their coming out to the end of the story about James' father and drugs. Yet, the reader must endure many mentions about the fact that he is jewish, likes James Bond, is o so terrible with girls because he is - such - a geek and likes to break the fourth wall plenty of times.
That is what bothered me the most about this book. The story is told as the author and you were sitting in a pub and is telling you a story about his dad. One of those stories, that you are wondering if it is all made up. One where you recogise that he isn't o so terrible with girls because he is a geek, but a dick - for instance, his "translation" of dating site language. Being "bubbly" apparently means being overweight and self-centered. It is cringeworthy.
Honestly, there are moments where I wonder if there was any editing at all due, for instance, to the numerous times the author brought up the fact that he is jewish, or that I should cower in horror that this was the result of editing and that the first draft was even worse.
These things, along with a slow start, made me struggle a bit with this book. Yet, I'd still give it three stars because the story is just so fascinating. After finishing the book I still was wondering where it went wrong.
I would recommend this bok only if you too are fascinated with the human nature, but if not, it is perfectly fine to skip it.
March 18, 2020
Mixing it up
His dad truly is one of a kind. A pioneer. That has both good and bad connotations. I would have liked to read his dad's story. I thought that was what I was getting hense my knocking one star off.
This story mainly follows the life of the son who by comparison seemed like a quite normal, everyday kind of a guy. Caught up in a mad reality outside of his control. It was a well written book, captivating and on the whole enjoyable. It had some great moments, although, at times it became difficult to read, heart wrenching and forgive me for saying so, quite a depressing story. I'm glad I persevered though because despite these events in his life and through the hard times he faced James came through with gusto. He is an interesting guy with a fascinating story and sounds like a nice fella. Thanks for sharing you're story
His dad truly is one of a kind. A pioneer. That has both good and bad connotations. I would have liked to read his dad's story. I thought that was what I was getting hense my knocking one star off.
This story mainly follows the life of the son who by comparison seemed like a quite normal, everyday kind of a guy. Caught up in a mad reality outside of his control. It was a well written book, captivating and on the whole enjoyable. It had some great moments, although, at times it became difficult to read, heart wrenching and forgive me for saying so, quite a depressing story. I'm glad I persevered though because despite these events in his life and through the hard times he faced James came through with gusto. He is an interesting guy with a fascinating story and sounds like a nice fella. Thanks for sharing you're story
February 14, 2021
I stumbled across this in the airport and after reading the simple synopsis, I had to get it: 'For 18 years, my family lived a normal life in a respectable suburb... Until one day, my dad gave up his successful career, and unexpectedly became Britain's most wanted crystal meth dealer'. I just had to see how on earth that had played out, and I wasn't disappointed - the story is every bit as crazy as you'd expect. I fell in love with James's dad, and couldn't believe he wasn't a fictional character. The writing combination of James and Warren Fitzgerald is flawless; it's humour writing at its best. I laughed, but I also cried as it's surprisingly heart-wrenching in parts. Read this - you won't regret it.
February 29, 2020
Breaking Dad by Stuart Lubbock. It is a frank and honest telling, of his life. His parents, separate and his dad, a respectable, Non drinking, Jewish Colin Dealer comes out as gay. He starts off selling "Weed", and within a short period of time, he is running a brisk business selling Crystal Meth.
The book is not about his dad, more of his dads impact on him and his late mum. Its really Stuarts story. Its not Walker White UK, as a lot of people have been expecting. Its has some really strong moments, including he loss of his mum. It has some positive and encouraging moments. Its a good read, but its not great if that makes sense. Its a strong 3 1/2 Stars
The book is not about his dad, more of his dads impact on him and his late mum. Its really Stuarts story. Its not Walker White UK, as a lot of people have been expecting. Its has some really strong moments, including he loss of his mum. It has some positive and encouraging moments. Its a good read, but its not great if that makes sense. Its a strong 3 1/2 Stars
May 23, 2019
An absolutely fascinating true story about how a completely ‘normal’ man’s life was transformed when he found out his father had changed career from coin dealer to drug dealer!
Being that James’ father had hitherto led a suburban life, and then starting dealing crystal meth it obviously sparks comparison with the fictional ‘Breaking Bad’. Like that TV series, it is excellently written and both funny and poignant.
Highly recommend this quick read.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Being that James’ father had hitherto led a suburban life, and then starting dealing crystal meth it obviously sparks comparison with the fictional ‘Breaking Bad’. Like that TV series, it is excellently written and both funny and poignant.
Highly recommend this quick read.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2020
Now this is such an interesting story! James holds nothing back as he tells the story of how his dad went from mild mannered coin dealer to one of Britain's most wanted meth dealers! While this story sounds unbelievable it is completely true and it feels like someone telling you the story in the pub. I did enjoy it but sometimes it seemed to go off on a bit of a tangent. It is told with a bit of humour while at the same time you can see the worry he had for his dad and the new life he was living and the roads he was going down.
January 14, 2020
I can’t really make up my mind about this book. (I enjoyed the funny cameos of Jewish family life.) It must have been difficult to write such an exposé of your own unwise choices and certainly both difficult and distressing to write about your father’s. Perhaps it was easier to write about all this in a comic way and with some distance from the events. Otherwise, where would you begin to portray the horror? Some kind of remorse for being part of the drug industry would have been welcome. Sorry to be so serious!
January 30, 2020
James's parents split up after the revelation that his father, Richard was gay but his mum also came out as gay too. James then tells the moving story of his life over 10 years with his mums health and death at 60 and his closeness to her Canadian partner. He then goes on to talk about his fathers prolific drug taking, dealing, sex parties and his own dabbling with drugs and his own difficult love life. His father was eventually arrested after becoming the biggest crystal meth dealer so served 4 of his 8 year sentence from age 66!
July 8, 2019
This book had a really interesting premise and I enjoyed that it was a memoir. It was unbelievable, in a good way! But by the end of the book I felt a little underwhelmed. I think perhaps I was expecting more, especially with all the hype around the book and the topic.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2020
Loved breaking bad so thought I’d give this true story a whirl when I saw it on the shelf
—————————
Had me crying, smiling and not seeing things coming throughout. @lubokian takes you on his family’s journey from normal/steady to drug dealing and self destruction. An honest and touching insight into love, loss and self discovery. All in all, a great read.
—————————
Had me crying, smiling and not seeing things coming throughout. @lubokian takes you on his family’s journey from normal/steady to drug dealing and self destruction. An honest and touching insight into love, loss and self discovery. All in all, a great read.
October 23, 2020
Coming from an equally dysfunctional family I am always interested to read what dysfunction exists in other families and this book does not disappoint. The story is truly a unique one and written in a fast paced way you cannot help but keep reading this. Very funny in places that had me laughing out loud and also equally sad in others. Worth a read for sure
December 3, 2019
Thought this was an 'OK' read. Expected a bit more from it having read the foreword. Also, at times, I felt the authors irreverent narration tone didn't always sit well with the subject matter. Finished the book but thought it ran out of puff around two thirds of the way through.
February 18, 2020
Very slow
This was a very difficult book to read.
If I’m being honest, I couldn’t get past chapter 6 as i felt it was very far fetched & the author was over emphasising certain areas.
It wasn’t for me.
This was a very difficult book to read.
If I’m being honest, I couldn’t get past chapter 6 as i felt it was very far fetched & the author was over emphasising certain areas.
It wasn’t for me.
February 25, 2020
"Cover to cover"
One of those books you have to read. Funny. Tragic. All at the same time. You keep checking that this was real life it seems so surreal. Life can be strange. Don't let 2020 pass you by without reading this book.
One of those books you have to read. Funny. Tragic. All at the same time. You keep checking that this was real life it seems so surreal. Life can be strange. Don't let 2020 pass you by without reading this book.
June 15, 2021
The story of James' parents re-discovering and re-defining their identities in mid-life was in turn hilarious, harrowing and heart-wrenching. Beautifully written and painfully honest, it's a book I've already recommended to friends.
November 21, 2021
I thought I'd like this more than I did. The main issue was the tone for me. It was already a fantastic story, so the humour would have been there regardless. It made it harder for me to relate to anyone. But still, what a true story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews