A darkly humorous and inspiring first-person account of the
larger-than-life exploits and ultimate redemption of an Irish
gangster-turned-actor-turned-sober-storyteller--written in collaboration
with the creators of Silicon Valley.
Richie Stephens is an actor who often plays hardened gangsters and
criminals. This is easy for him because he was a drug trafficker,
kidnapper, drug addict, alcoholic, and all-around criminal himself. His
life twisted and turned in harrowing self-destructive adventures that
took him from his native Ireland to San Francisco, Australia, and
finally, Los Angeles, coalescing into a classic tale of a man trying to
run from his problems by moving to new and more exotic locations--a hard
and painful realization that comes at a point in which he's about to
take his own life. The only reason there is a story to tell is because
he did not. Instead, he found help, and in doing so, found himself. More
than that, he found that help comes in different forms, and oftentimes
it just takes the right thought to hit at the right time for it all to
make sense.
The Gangster's Guide to Sobriety chronicles Richie's descent into the
abyss of crime and dependency and how his personal understanding of
freedom allowed him to become the functioning positive force he is
today. Richie's story is sprawling and epic, but the key to the book is
the same key to his recovery: the 12 Steps. With his own flair and
original understanding of life and the world, he followed the 12 Steps
to find the clarity he needed to save his own life and evolve into a
positive force for others. As Richie says, "Hopefully if people see that
someone as f--ked up as me could change their life, then there is hope
for anyone."
The Gangster's Guide to Sobriety is gripping in its honesty and
openness. Even at its darkest moments, there is a keen understanding of
the absurd nature of life as the author comes to grips with his failings
and his faith, while also entering a place of self-acceptance. This is a
story of redemption and the power of the human spirit and how sometimes
you have to turn to something greater than yourself.
