A 1/4 Gram by Essam Youssef

A 1/4 Gram by Essam Youssef (2008, English translation 2009)
Read: September – October 2012

We were lent this book by a friend after they raved about it and as it isn’t published by the AUC Press it’s doubtful that it would have otherwise come up on our radar. I’m glad it did though because it is a very real story and one that feels well set and well told.

The book follows Salah from his days with his mates in school until he is an adult, but this journey is not one of growing up, but one of growing addiction. As a reader you can see it coming; that the group of friends first try one drug and then another, until not only their friendships but their lives revolve around drugs.  The book itself is very lengthy, but this is necessary in order to tell the full tale, I feel.  It shows that the pathway to addiction is not linear and that the road to recovery is much the same.  There are many times in the story when you hope that Salah will make a different decision but when he doesn’t you know that it is just the addiction ruling his life rather than he. I did find Salah a believable protagonist and his complicated story is required, as it would not have ‘worked’ if he had simply been on drugs and then come off them.

As a reader I found it frustrating when Salah was trying to check out of the rehabilitation hospital.  This was a clear turning point in the book – and in his life.  I really wanted him to succeed, but I also felt his attitude towards rehab showed a real arrogance.  I would like to have seen him credit for doctors more for his progress and role in recovery.  Salah does succeed (in checking out, and in staying clean) and the credit for the work of the doctors is then there.  As Salah journeys along the road to recovery he finds a sponsor to guide him.  I really liked that the sponsor is younger than Salah as this emphasised the importance in the Programme of experience over anything else. The author clearly understands addiction and the Programme and is passionate that others should be exposed to the realities of both through the story.

I am not really a fan of the preface/post-script for the book trying to emphasise that this is a true story and manuscript approval etc.  I don’t feel this is required for the book to have power and impact. 

You don't often find a novel with appendices, but I did think it was important to have the NA steps in, as and this does give book power and grounding. It was interesting to see the history of NA in Egypt and I hope that this book inspires others and enables NA to expand here.  I thought that it was a missed opportunity that there were no links to encourage readers to find out more about NA in Egypt e.g to help themselves/others.