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    In My Skin: A Memoir of Addiction
    Unavailable
    In My Skin: A Memoir of Addiction
    Unavailable
    In My Skin: A Memoir of Addiction
    Ebook300 pages5 hours

    In My Skin: A Memoir of Addiction

    By Kate Holden

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    This is the frank, harrowing, and true story of one young woman’s descent into addiction and prostitution, and the long arduous struggle to reclaim her life. A shy, bookish college graduate, a nice girl from a solid middle-class home but uncertain of her way in life, Kate Holden tried her first hit of heroin as a one-time experiment—an adventure with friends—but the drug took over. Hooked, she lost her job and her apartment, and she stole from her family.   

    Desperation drove her onto the streets, where she became “Lucy,” offering her body for cash to the first car to stop, risking arrest and, worse, the human predators—anything for her next fix. With her name on the police blotter, she eventually left the streets and offered her services to a high-class brothel. There she discovered hidden strengths, as well as parts of herself that frightened her.   

    Throughout, however hurt and dismayed, her family never abandoned her, and their acceptance and unyielding love helped her defeat the drug and leave her netherworld behind. In taut, devastating prose, Kate Holden recounts her journey with an emotional honesty and genuineness that will leave no reader untouched.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcade Publishing
    Release dateOct 21, 2011
    ISBN9781628722055
    Unavailable
    In My Skin: A Memoir of Addiction

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    Reviews for In My Skin

    3.5/5

    110 ratings10 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Very well written book about a former heroin addict and prostitute who has turned her life around. Some wonderful insights into the world of commercialized sex and its customers, and of course the ladies in this industry.
    • 5/5
      Well written, succinct and straight to the point. Here's one to make the hairs on any "normal", middle class, classically educated girl's neck stand on end. It's a sickening account of the horrors of heroin addiction, but one worth reading if you can stomach it. Reading this book was an essential part of my education in the university of life.
    • 4/5
      Very honest look into drug addiction and the path of prostitution as a form of income for the habit. Almost a 5 star for me but I was put off a little by words chosen. In defense of the book and the author it really couldn't have been done any differently, it just at times made me uncomfortable.
    • 4/5
      Kate Holden's story of her descent into addiction and by extension, prostitution. While Kate's story story is neither new nor unique but it is well told, and makes you want to follow it.My only complaints are not with the book itself but with some of the details. Holden's casualness about first trying and then continued use of heroin made it difficult to feel any compassion for her. Even more than this was towards the end of the book when she finally starts getting her act together, was the presence of her boyfriend. Every mention of this guy made my skin crawl and stomach turn with aggravation.But then again we are dealing with the story of heroin addicts here, I don't suppose we should expect strong moral characters right? This one is certainly worth the time, check it out.
    • 4/5
      What I enjoyed most about this book is that it isn't remotely self-pitying and that she didn't try to justify her decisions at all. It's changed the way I think about working-girls and drugs and opened my eyes alot.
    • 2/5
      A no-holds barred look at drug addiction a where it leads. Very frank account of prostitution and its affect on life. Hard going and at times grinding account but in the end I was glad I read it. It opened my eyes and educated me about how this sort of thing can easily happen to anyone who maked a few bad choices.
    • 3/5
      This book was interesting to me because I was at primary school with the author and have had heroin addiction in my family. No disrespect to the book is intended, but all heroin addiction stories seem to me much the same. The stuff seems to take control of people, make them do anything for a 'taste'. It doesn't make people stupid (except in their judgement of how well they are concealing their habits from others) and they can still use their skills and cleverness -- to score more heroin. For me the more interesting part of the book was the author's description of the inner workings of brothels and the sex-industry in Melbourne. The book was dispassionate (maybe too much?) and quite well-written.
    • 4/5
      so sad to become a heroin addict, even a university degree didn't help, family did much later. details of the oldest profession
    • 4/5
      Kate completed a degree at university and from a shy, bookish background with a loving family she started to use heroin recreationally. She tells us that no-one forced her to start using but she wanted to....just once , to know.She describes the early days with a beautiful boyfriend who then disappears from her life and goes into rehab. Alone she drifts, using heroin, holds down a job, visits her family but then she begins to steal from both. Soon she has no option but to hit the streets. This world is a very dangerous one and she then moves to the safety of inner city brothels of varying price and class. The bulk of the book recounts these experiences. This is a very confronting read and she holds nothing back. In her own admission she finds her experiences 'empowering' building self esteem from her desirability. I found this engrossing about a world I knew nothing about and insightful into the darker underbelly of urban Australian life.I enjoyed the intimate writing style and the only reservation I have is the relative ease at which she was able to leave this period of her life especially that of her dependence on drugs. It just seemed a bit too easy and unbelievable.
    • 5/5
      Amazing memoir. Kate's story is like none other and she has a real knack for story telling. Completely honest, raw and unforgiving, it's a haunting look into the world of a heroin addict and a refreshing look at the world of prostitution. A must read if memoirs are your cup of tea.