That the Heroin Diaries was not written posthumously is unbelievable if not a miracle. Nikki Sixx’s account of his year long love affair/struggle with heroin is in a word harrowing. And we should be glad that thru all this Sixx was able to keep this journal which is a fascinating must read. Comments throughout the book on what Sixx wrote come from Vince, Tommy, Mick and the rest of the Crue camp and assorted other friends who were able to witness Sixx’s decline and add to what was going on around keeping Sixx going especially since he was also heavily touring with Motley. Vanity, one time Prince Protégé and fellow junkie and partner in addiction and romance and now a born again Christian makes some interesting comments about their relationship. I just think she was embarrassed by it all. The sad tale of another hulking big guy rocker and one of Sixx’s best buds, Ratt’s Robbin Crosby, is also brought up. Not being as strong as Sixx he was not so lucky and didn’t make it out alive literally begging in the street at the end and succumbing to AIDS after contacting HIV thru needle use. The treatment of women in the book pretty much reeked. The groupie episodes were a bit off the cuff and while many of them were probably willing personally it’s creepy to read. Women = trouble is mentioned more than once in the book by Mr. Sixx but it seemed he still could not live without them so the conquest were numerous if not romantic. I was surprised that he could still get it up after abusing so many drugs. Guess he had great stamina. Can't help but like the dude though, Sixx has since shaped himself up and is now there for his 4 kidz, something he never got as a youngin and which is a recurring doubt to his failing drug induced esteem. Young Nikki or Frank as he used to be was pretty much abandoned by his parents as a child and was left to live with his grandparents. While his grandparents provided him with love his relationship with his mom was strained and it is an ongoing issue and struggle in the book. And the dad was just not in the picture at all. The book is written in a short sharp style and is a page turner. The size makes for perfect bathroom or bus reading. Love the accompanying illustrations though there didn't seem to be credited so I don't know whether they were Nikki’s artwork. It’s books like this one and movies such as Darren Aranofsky’s Requiem for A Dream that give nightmarish versions of drug addiction that would turn any kid off of drugs and despite maybe the star power of Mr. Sixx should be in every high school library but because of their honest portrayals are not and that is a shame.