Again: A Memoir of Addiction, Now, More

At the outset, I found this book readable because of Wurtzel's laughably bad writing. It was almost fascinating how someone with nothing to recommend her could be so grandiose and egomaniacal. At one point early in the book she even compares herself to a vietnam vet, and says that if you haven't been a vietnam vet, that you don't know what it feels like to be her. Excuse me, but has she ever been a vietnam vet? However, such stupidity, after page 50 or so, simply becomes intolerable. To think that drivel likes this gets published, and sometimes even praised!

Rather than focusing on depression as Elizabeth Wurtzel did in her first novel, Prozac Nation; More, Now, Again: A Memoir of Addiction records her experiences as a drug addict. The novel touches on experimentation with several different substances and displays a gradual decline into dependency upon a Ritalin prescription and other speedy drugs. The books real life feel and explicit content keep the readers attention through the entire novel.

. . . if anyone recommends this book. The writing is horrible, and Wurtzel is a petty, spoiled, navel-gazing, self-impressed airhead. I agree with other reviewers that people who suffer from depression and addiction deserve sympathy and support. That doesn't mean you have to *like* them, or read their mindless self-indulgent drivel. Wurtzel does not make herself into a sympathetic character, and comes across instead as so self-absorbed that she needs to be taken down a few pegs.

Sadly, her book is also a disservice to everyone suffering from addiction; anyone who thinks Wurtzel is typical is likely to have little empathy for drug users. To get a fair, honest and compassionate picture of addiction and recovery, read Shavelson's HOOKED and Frey's A MILLION LITTLE PIECES.

Feel bad for Wurtzel, sure. She's human. Read this book? NO - run screaming from the room.

Elizabeth Wurtzel- YOU ROCK! Brilliant! A huge success! It takes a brilliant writer to produce a memoir that is so powerful you find yourself thinking about the book months after you have read it. More, Now,Again is a harrowing account of Elizabeth's addiction to ritalin. You find yourself grossly involved in the minute by minute details of her suffering to her recovery. Beautifully written. Elizabeth Wurtzel is a genius beyond her years. Brutally honest and raw. I feel as though I have known Elizabeth for years...I cannot wait for the next one!

both for the contents of the book and the author. It could have been a contender, though. The basic skeletal structure was there for an interesting and maybe informative read. As for Ms. Wurtzel? Ayn Rand, she ain't.

I usually enjoy true stories of addiction ("Christiane F", "Wired" etc.) but this one has little or nothing going for it. While it was relatively easy to sympathize with Wurtzel when she wrote her first set of memoirs, "Prozac Nation" about her struggles with depression, depression is a disease that happens to people and is hard to overcome - it's not anything that a person brings on themself through their own foolish choices. By contrast, "More, Now, Again" is mostly about Wurtzel's struggles with addiction to Ritalin and other drugs. She makes the choice to abuse a Ritalin prescription rather than taking it in the prescribed manner, and well, one thing leads to another, with all the usual junkie-type antics such as missing planes, screwing up work projects, and lying to cover all of it up. In addition to incredible self-absorption and vanity, Wurtzel seems to have a general problem with candor and truthiness in various areas of her life (read her Wiki page and you'll see what I mean) which makes you wonder just how much of this book was sincere and how much was made up in hopes of having another Prozac-Nation-style bestseller - obviously all those drugs and doctors don't come for free.

Wurtzel's attitude through the entire business is so "poor me" that you just wish some tough-love Dr. Phil would arrive to tell her to get honest with herself. Even when Wurtzel goes to rehab, you don't get a sense that she's really taking responsibility for the fact that SHE made a choice to abuse drugs. She even gets resentful of one of her rehab acquaintances who is apparently actually working at her program, staying sober, and trying to help Wurtzel out. Wurtzel wonders why it's so easy for other people to stay clean and not for her. Give me a break.

Buy this book only if you want a super-trashy read about someone who's made feeling sorry for themself into an art form. I personally am sorry she didn't stop after "Prozac Nation" because that book, while irksome at times, seemed to be a lot more sincere and of value than this one. As for Wurtzel herself, good thing she has such a high opinion of her looks and talent and so forth, because after reading this book I sure don't think very much of her.

This book was okay. The author describes her descent into cocaine abuse and her subsequent recovery. She comes off as whiney and bitchy at times. Also, she makes you question her dedication to her work as she describes her excessive drugging during the creation of her books (designed to empower).

The only distinction of this memoir is that it is unusually self-absorbed even for an addict. The author demonstrates a complete lack of empathy for those around her. This personality must have been edited out of Prozac Nation which is a "self-portrayal" of a very different woman.
This book is boring, boring, boring. I contemplated a few hits of Ritalin to help get me through it.

Next time you're cleaning out the bathroom medicine cabinet, put all your leftover prescription meds in an envelope and send them to the author of this book. Because if Wurtzel stays clean and sober, then where will the world turn to for more penetrating prose on the dark mysteries of addiction?

this book is basically prozac nation, part 2. elizabeth is still every bit as rich, self-absorbed and dramatic, and whiny. but hey, just because i wouldn't want to be her best friend doesn't mean i can't like her books! if you didn't like prozac nation, this one certainly won't change your mind. if you did like it, you'll like this one.

for some reason i just can't stop reading her books when i start them.. i guess it's her way of laying all her emotions completely bare and hiding nothing

Years ago, I read Prozac Nation. I found the story very interesting. Wurtzel was intriguing. But this book? Well, it lacks everything that Prozac Nation had. The writing is poor. The stories are not very exciting or interesting. Wurtzel seems to enjoy writing just to entertain herself.

I could not make it past chapter five. I was bored while reading the book, and my life's too short and my free time is too rare to try to force myself to read a below-average book. I decided not to waste my time. I wouldn't waste yours either by reading the book.

...this one can write and tells funny though unedited stories of what a train wreck she is and you got to dig the courage to say that in print when all the rest of us are train wrecks but walk around in docker pants talking about the lakers game...

A mesmerizing memoir by the talented, vivacious Elizabeth Wurtzel. The pages fly by, the layers are unpeeled, and in the end the reader is left with a raw and very real sense of the addict and all her complexities. Is she a brat? Yes. But a fearless and brilliant one. Great work.

I had no idea anyone could be this self involved...how many books about herself are we all going to get? 12? 20? Reading this was truly an ordeal; I should have known better. People who actually do something other than stare at their reflection and sigh deserve memoirs and biographies...she is just wasting perfectly good paper.

She was published initially because there was sex! and drugs!...etc... and she looked pretty in the photo shoots - I guess we just need for her to wrinkle up and then we'll be spared yet more of this inane self pitying dross.

I'll keep this short. Read the quotes Wurtzel made regarding 911 before buying this, or any Wurtzel book. Having enjoyed Prozac Nation, I was horrified to read her comments regarding the tragedy. I don't know if they were made for shock value, or if she was simply stating how she truly felt. Any admiration I had for her as a writer, has been erased by my disgust upon reading these excerpts. This may not be the place for political commentary, but I want people to be informed before contributing a dime to this woman. By the way, I'm a liberal, and a firm supporter of women's rights. How very sad, Elizabeth.

This book was absolutely amazing and so powerful!! If you liked Prozac Nation then you will love this book. I am such a fan of hers and I love her style of writing. When I read her books I feel as though she is talking directly to me and that she understands everything and helps those who don't. I thank God for her books and writings

Prozac Nation has been one of my favorite books since I was fifteen years old. I was on the speech team in high school and cut it into a serious prose, won numerous rewards because of it.

If you like this book, I would recommend you read this blog-
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Reading this book was one of the most agonizing ten minutes of my life. You get a little ways in, start skimming, see it's she same old whine, whine, whine, and then toss it across the room, run after it, and begin stomping. Wurtzel is talentless, pathetic, and gives a whole new meaning to the word "narcissism." I can't imagine why anyone would want to read her drivel. She's one of those people who are famous for being famous, so I guess we'll be subjected to more books like this ... but I won't. She gives depression a bad name, and I know a little bit about depression, being subject to it myself. I only wish she'd been INSIDE the World Trade Center instead of just fairly close. She says she enjoyed the show from the outside. Think how much more exciting it would have been even closer.

this book is basically prozac nation, part 2. elizabeth is still every bit as rich, self-absorbed and dramatic, and whiny. but hey, just because i wouldn't want to be her best friend doesn't mean i can't like her books! if you didn't like prozac nation, this one certainly won't change your mind. if you did like it, you'll like this one.

for some reason i just can't stop reading her books when i start them.. i guess it's her way of laying all her emotions completely bare and hiding nothing