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theshaggyshepherd's review against another edition
5.0
A House on Stilts by Paula Becker is such a roller coaster ride. This book took my feelings for a crazy ride: I was smiling one moment, crying uncontrollably the next, proud now and so so disappointed later. Hunter's story is such a heartbreaking one that happens all over this country, again and again. Becker shows that she has done her research on programs, drugs, and the history of Seattle as it is related to drugs. She also shows the devastating effect that a person with addiction can have on their family, and the struggle between wanting to care for your child but not wanting to be an enabler. Becker does not hold back in her account, which is much appreciated. I am glad that addiction is starting to be talked about more, which will hopefully lead to more help for those affected by it. Writing this book must've been very difficult but it is much appreciated.
juliana_aldous's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking, devastating and beautifully written. I wish I could personally put this in the hands of every parent and every mental health worker.
jcschildbach's review
5.0
Becker's book is entirely too relatable to any parent who has had struggles as their children grow up and engage in any kind of risk-taking behavior. Unfortunately for Becker's family, the risky behavior her oldest son engaged in was substance abuse that went to extremes that involved not only self-endangerment, but ongoing emotional and financial harm to the entire family. Becker discusses the constant second-guessing she and her husband engaged in regarding decisions they made for their son, and how, with the conflicting theories and treatment models around addiction, and the difficulty of finding functional treatment options, each decision felt like a potential mistake. On top of this, while there were many supportive people in their lives, there were also many people who provided little more than criticism, regardless of what path they attempted. Becker is brutally honest about how, while they were constantly in fear for their son's life, when he was away from the family, it was also a relief to not have to deal with him directly. It's a deeply personal view of how one family did their best to deal with an extremely difficult situation, and all the unpleasant emotions that came with it.
ahsimlibrarian's review
5.0
"We were trying to be helpful but not enabling. There is no such path." (189)
A House on Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction is a memoir that shares what she and her family went through when her oldest son Hunter became an addict. Hunter grew up in the schools and on the streets of Seattle and our city is a vivid backdrop that makes this account all the more intimate and harrowing. This is a clear-eyed and moving testament to a parent’s love and the toll that addiction can take on the addict and their loved ones.
Becker was also interviewed for a Yes For Libraries levy campaign video in which she talks about how Seattle libraries were there for son from his childhood reading books to his years when he was homeless and in need of the library for shelter and computer access: https://www.facebook.com/YesSeattleLibraries/videos/300930627505895/
A House on Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction is a memoir that shares what she and her family went through when her oldest son Hunter became an addict. Hunter grew up in the schools and on the streets of Seattle and our city is a vivid backdrop that makes this account all the more intimate and harrowing. This is a clear-eyed and moving testament to a parent’s love and the toll that addiction can take on the addict and their loved ones.
Becker was also interviewed for a Yes For Libraries levy campaign video in which she talks about how Seattle libraries were there for son from his childhood reading books to his years when he was homeless and in need of the library for shelter and computer access: https://www.facebook.com/YesSeattleLibraries/videos/300930627505895/
robintz's review
4.0
This is one of those memoirs where the author's life so closely resembles your own (in some ways) that you spend a lot of time thinking, "this could have happened to me."
Maybe some of that was because most of the book took place in Seattle, not too far from where I live. Maybe because we had similar parenting styles in many ways. Maybe because our children were close in age. But whatever the reasons, my heart kept breaking for the author and her family as they struggled with their oldest son's addictions.
We can't always predict how our kids will behave as they grow up. Kids don't come with guarantees. Throughout the book, though, no matter what happened, I could always feel the love the parents had for their son, through good times and bad. And it was also obvious how much he loved them and how deeply he knew of their love for him.
Maybe some of that was because most of the book took place in Seattle, not too far from where I live. Maybe because we had similar parenting styles in many ways. Maybe because our children were close in age. But whatever the reasons, my heart kept breaking for the author and her family as they struggled with their oldest son's addictions.
We can't always predict how our kids will behave as they grow up. Kids don't come with guarantees. Throughout the book, though, no matter what happened, I could always feel the love the parents had for their son, through good times and bad. And it was also obvious how much he loved them and how deeply he knew of their love for him.
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