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Erin Khar
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Strung Out: One Last Hit and Other Lies That Nearly Killed Me Kindle Edition

by Erin Khar (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 441 ratings
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“This is a story she needed to tell; and the rest of the country needs to listen.”
— New York Times Book Review

“This vital memoir will change how we look at the opioid crisis and how the media talks about it. A deeply moving and emotional read, STRUNG OUT challenges our preconceived ideas of what addiction looks like.”
—Stephanie Land, New York Times bestselling author of Maid

In this deeply personal and illuminating memoir about her fifteen-year struggle with heroin, Khar sheds profound light on the opioid crisis and gives a voice to the over two million people in America currently battling with this addiction.

Growing up in LA, Erin Khar hid behind a picture-perfect childhood filled with excellent grades, a popular group of friends and horseback riding. After first experimenting with her grandmother’s expired painkillers, Khar started using heroin when she was thirteen. The drug allowed her to escape from pressures to be perfect and suppress all the heavy feelings she couldn’t understand.

This fiercely honest memoir explores how heroin shaped every aspect of her life for the next fifteen years and details the various lies she told herself, and others, about her drug use. With enormous heart and wisdom, she shows how the shame and stigma surrounding addiction, which fuels denial and deceit, is so often what keeps addicts from getting help. There is no one path to recovery, and for Khar, it was in motherhood that she found the inner strength and self-forgiveness to quit heroin and fight for her life.

Strung Out is a life-affirming story of resilience while also a gripping investigation into the psychology of addiction and why people turn to opioids in the first place.
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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Park Row
  5. Publication date
    February 25, 2020
  6. File size
    2162 KB
  7. Page Flip
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From the Publisher

"This is a story she needed to tell; and the rest of the country needs to listen."-NYT Book Review

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Erin Khar's Strung Out is a searing, fearless, provocative memoir that obliterates all we think we know about addiction. Riveting at every turn."

-- "Lauren Hough, author of Different Colored Doorways"

"Khar has achieved the extraordinary: she has written a book that is a finely measured balance of heart-shattering and heart-healing, created with stunning humility, vulnerability, and wisdom mined from years of brave research of the self and society."

-- "Reema Zaman, Oregon Literary Arts Writer of Color Fellow and author of I Am Yours"

"This is a brutally honest and yet tender look inside opioid addiction. Khar pulls aside the mask of an addict, and neither self-pitying or blaming, delves deep into the personal, social and physical reasons for addiction."

-- "Rene Denfeld, author of The Child Finder "

"An addiction memoir that doesn't ask for pity or forgiveness, Erin Khar's Strung Out is raw and real."

-- "Lilly Dancyger, editor of essay anthology Burn It Down"

"Erin was beautiful even inside her pain, even inside her decade-long opioid addiction, even inside her mistakes and grief. Her beauty is her ability to share this story."

-- "Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Chronology of Water"

"The way Khar uses her own life's struggles and her gift of language to make you feel less alone, is a rare thing in this world. You don't want to put this book down as if it is a piece of your own heart, and my guess is that it will become just that."

-- "Jennifer Pastiloff, author of On Being Human"

"A deeply moving and emotional read, Strung Out challenges our preconceived ideas of what addiction looks like."

-- "Stephanie Land, New York Times bestselling author"

About the Author

Erin Khar is known for her writing on addiction, recovery, mental health, relationships, parenting, infertility, self-care, and occasionally her undying love for Beverly Hills, 90210, appearing in SELF, Marie Claire, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Redbook, among others. Her weekly advice column, Ask Erin, is published on Ravishly. She lives in New York City with her husband and two sons. Strung Out is her first book.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07PPHDCBF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Park Row; Original edition (February 25, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 25, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2162 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 441 ratings

About the author

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Erin Khar

Erin Khar

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Erin Khar is a writer and advocate who has established herself as a respected voice in the national conversation about the drug and overdose epidemic.

Erin's debut memoir, Strung Out, appeared on lists from Apple Books, Goodreads, SELF, The Rumpus, Bitch Media, and others. Of the book, The New York Times writes, "Khar’s buoyant writing doesn’t get mired in her dark subject matter. There is an honesty here that can only come from, to put it in the language of 12-step programs, a 'searching and fearless moral inventory.' This is a story she needed to tell; and the rest of the country needs to listen.”

Her long-running advice column, Ask Erin, lives on Substack and her personal essays have appeared in The Times of London Sunday Magazine, SELF, Marie Claire, Salon, HuffPost, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, and elsewhere.

Erin’s essay, “Guilty,” was published in Burn it Down: Women Writing About Anger. She was the recipient of a 2012 Eric Hoffer Editor's Choice Prize for her story, "Last House at the End of the Street," which was published in the Best New Writing 2012 anthology. In 2023, Erin was the recipient of a Walter E. Dakin fellowship from the Sewanee Writer’s Conference.

When she’s not writing, Erin is probably watching Beverly Hills, 90210. You can follow her on social @ErinKhar everywhere.

She lives in New York City.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
441 global ratings
Stunning, transparent memoir
5 Stars
Stunning, transparent memoir
Erin Khar has written a stunning book that examines the opioid epidemic with a deeply personal story. I’m not exaggerating when I say that stories like this can save lives- one of the hardest parts of addiction is the shame and loneliness that accompanies it. Erin’s book serves as a lifeline to those struggling and opens the door for those outside the world of addiction to better understand the very real human experience of what it’s like the be an addict.Go out and order your copy today.
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Top reviews from the United States

KTR
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024
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Funny to use "great read" as a header for a book that is primarily, but not wholly, about addiction. Its truly a great read - because it's incredibly raw and honest and so so so well written. Kudos to Erin for sharing so much with readers. You can feel her finding her way through her recounting of her life in this book.
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Catherine J. Collins
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific story and you won’t be able to put it down
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
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This book is such a great read. If you are an alcoholic or an addict, it’s a must read. This book had me gripped. The author has appeared on podcasts, etc. and I just love her story. I am rooting for her even though she’s showing us how to show up for life!!
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lori
4.0 out of 5 stars Life on the Brink of Disaster
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2020
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A well told, interesting, honest memoir that doesn't sugar coat or glamorize addiction. Erin is one of the lucky ones. Many addicts with habits as serious as hers don't live to write their stories.

The author was privileged, but money is a double edged sword. Altho it can pay for the best treatment and keeps many addicts away from the potentially lethal dangers of prostitution, it also pays for the drugs themselves. Wealth for an addict can be a deadly trap, we've lost many shining stars.

Addicts choose their enablers well, they are crafty manipulators. Erin was furious at her mother for being in denial about her early sexual abuse, but this tendency toward denial served Erin well when she wanted her mother to turn a blind eye to her drug abuse. Addicts can't have it both ways!! And her father, well, he finally figured out before it was too late that love can kill.

This is a cautionary tale about addiction with that rare happy ending. Erin is a sympathetic narrator and very very human.
4 people found this helpful
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L.V.
5.0 out of 5 stars Achingly honest & beautifully written
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2020
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I loved this book and could not put it down! I found myself reading it into the wee hours of the morning, when I knew I should be sleeping instead... but the story draws you in. Despite all her flaws, all the mistakes she makes, all the terrible choices, I felt a deep sense of empathy for Erin and what she was going through- and how she felt about herself the entire time. I wanted so badly to see her get better and felt crushed at every relapse.
But her story rings so true... to my own story, to people I have known who struggled with addiction. At times, I was stunned by her deep insight. Frustrated that she wouldn't allow herself to be saved. Amazed by her willingness to keep fighting for air, for clarity, for peace. In the end, it really is a story of redemption, resilience, and a reminder that sometimes love can be the thing that save us.
5 people found this helpful
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jillapollo
3.0 out of 5 stars Privilege in her story became tiresome.
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2022
Verified Purchase
Erin has a compelling story but I became tired of hearing about the swanky places she lunched or vacationed or lived. And how her wealthy parents set her up in apartments or condos and got her into treatment centers that most people can’t afford.

I get that she may have been trying to convey that money doesn’t solve problems or assures happiness. But I found I was “skim reading “ through those passages.

For me, it just felt that too much of her story was about her active addiction years. The last 10% of the book was about her recovery and I would have liked to hear more about the ups and downs of that part of her life.

No way am I minimizing Erin’s life struggles. I’m just talking about her book.

I am so happy for her recovery and her renewed life with her husband and children. Bravo and blessings to all.
One person found this helpful
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CP Corrigan
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for Every Parent, Educator, Tween, and Teen -- A Crafted and Honest Look at Addiction
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
I received and Advance Reader's Edition from Park Row Books in exchange for my honest review. Strung Out begins with a question from Khar's then twelve year old son, "Mom, did you ever do drugs?" The memoir recounts the author's fifteen year addiction to heroin and how it consumed her life, blinded her to the impact her addiction had on her relationships, particularly with her parents and close friends. It is brutally honest and powerfully written.

Khar grew up privileged in Los Angeles, getting great grades, cheerleading, horseback riding, and with expensive cars, clothing, houses, and popular friends. From the outside, she had all she could ever want or need and more. Her drug use began at age eight when she found an expired prescription for her grandmother's Darvocet in the medicine chest. She started using heroin at age thirteen to escape from emotions and feelings that she didn't understand.

For the next fifteen years, Khar used, went into rehabilitation, and relapsed, with the shame and stigma of her addiction increasing along with her denials and lies. It took motherhood for her to break from her addiction and get the help she needed. The book addresses the issues of stigma and the psychology of addiction well.

Every parent should read this book, as should middle and high school age students, educators, and parent teacher organizations. It is one thing to provide our kids with classroom drug prevention education. It is something very different to read about an individual's personal experience of it and how quickly it all spirals out of control, particularly in the current climate where opioid deaths continue to climb.
10 people found this helpful
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Sean B
5.0 out of 5 stars Timely, Powerful, Essential Read
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2020
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This memoir reads like a novel and the author’s colorful, vivid yet simple and cutting prose will transport you into a world that may be foreign to some but is all too real for all too many. Strung Out is a gripping, edge of your seat glimpse into the mind and experiences of a young woman deep in the throws of addiction and her arduous, yeoman-like road to recovery and personal growth. This is essential reading not only for those who may seek to better understand the opiate epidemic sweeping our country (or in some cases their own family/friends) but for anyone seeking to understand or deal with trauma and the associated aftermath of shame and comorbid conditions (addictions, depression, anxiety, social withdrawal and PTSD). The author’s vibrant, bold and deeply personal narrative will provide you with a new vantage point from which to understand and discuss these topics and potentially the empathy and perspective from which to help people break-out from their holdbacks and fully reach their potential.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in Canada on March 5, 2023
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I loved everything about this book it really hit home for me ...as I was once like Erin...but I just celebrated my 2 year cake ....we can all recover like Erin said it is very possible
2 people found this helpful
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Amy Gasnier
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully honest and powerful.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2020
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Beautiful book, beautifully written and spoken that addicts understand and others can empathise with. The pain is there on the page and you are urging the writer to succeed. Loved every single word.
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Jen Long
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing !
Reviewed in Canada on November 14, 2021
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This book is unreal. She is so raw, honest and candid. Thank you for writing this!!!! Brought me to tears. What a story of strength, hope and courage.bravo!!
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Zarla
3.0 out of 5 stars Another LA Drugs Saga
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2021
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What strikes me as bizarre is how critical Erin is of her father, who seems like an angel to me. Flying to get her settled in Paris, treating her and her friends to a vacation in Vegas to celebrate her birthday, buying her houses, funding her erratic college experience and her many expensive rehabs.
2 people found this helpful
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KDB
5.0 out of 5 stars Hooked
Reviewed in Canada on September 7, 2021
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Love this book - writer did a fantastic job of leaving me wanting more.
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