Crooked Smile, Jared Klickstein
Crooked Smile, Jared Klickstein
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.00
Club: $12.49

Crooked Smile
What It Took to Escape a Decade of Homelessness, Addiction, & Crime

Author: Jared Klickstein, Michael Shellenberger

Narrator: Graham Rowat

Unabridged: 11 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 02/25/2025


Synopsis

Featured in the Wall Street Journal

Crooked Smile details one man's journey that left him homeless on Skid Row, and what it took to escape a decade of addiction.

"Darkly humorous" is an understatement when it comes to this tale of addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and redemption. Jared Klickstein, the child of two heroin addicts who eventually became addicted himself, takes listeners on a raw and personal journey from his unsettling and secretive childhood in the suburbs to the slums of Skid Row. Through tales of violence, relapse, and deep inner struggle, Klickstein provides a harrowing account of his personal encounter with near-death.

But this story is not just about one man's life—it's about the hundreds of thousands of homeless and drug-addicted Americans who are on the streets right now. It's about those who need help the most, and what can be done to address the growing addiction and homelessness problems. Klickstein offers a fresh take and solutions to both epidemics, providing firsthand experience and insight into what policies should be put in place to mitigate the suffering. Crooked Smile recounts one man's escape from a hellish life—and carves a valuable path for others.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Travis on September 07, 2024

This book is amazing and every American should read it for insight into the addiction epidemic. Thank you Matt McCusker for the recommendation!......more

Goodreads review by Kelby on July 26, 2024

The most important voice concerning homelessness and addiction is probably an ex-homeless addict. Raw, funny, well-written, and full of actual ideas and refreshing optimism. Check out my conversation with the author here: [URL not allowed]......more

Goodreads review by Chantel on December 14, 2024

klickstein’s words were a breath of fresh air that everyone needs to inhale. unapologetically written, funny, and insightful, crooked smile drives home the intersectionality between addiction, homelessness, and crime through klickstein’s lived experiences. it’s firsthand accounts like this that shou......more

Goodreads review by Barbara on October 18, 2024

It’s not an easy read, it's heart-wrenching, it is too long, never ending suffering, worse and worse. If Jared didn't write with such self-irony and humor I probably could not have finished this book. But it's so important not to talk about addicts but to hear them, to get their point of view. A book......more

Goodreads review by Brendan on January 10, 2025

An enthralling, disturbing, and funny read. I'm just happy that Jared made it out of the shit.......more