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{{Infobox writer
{{Infobox writer
| name = David Sheff
| name = David Sheff
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|December 23, 1955}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2008/02/29/father-and-son-memoirs/|title=Father and son memoirs|website=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref><ref name="Lennon Interview">{{cite news |last1=Sheff |first1=David |title=Playboy Interview: John Lennon and Yoko Ono |url=https://ipb-reader.playboy.com/19810101/index.html#p=80 |access-date=20 December 2020 |work=[[Playboy]] |issue=1 |date=January 1981 |volume=28 |page=75 |quote=The interview apparently depended on Yoko's interpretation of my horoscope, just as many of Lenons' business decisions are reportedly guide by the stars. I could imagine explaining to my Playboy editor, 'Sorry, but my moon is in Scorpio–the interview's off.' It was clearly out of my hands. I supplied the info: December 23, three P.M., Boston.}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|December 23, 1955}}<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2008/02/29/father-and-son-memoirs/|title=Father and son memoirs|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref><ref name="Lennon Interview">{{cite news |last1=Sheff |first1=David |title=Playboy Interview: John Lennon and Yoko Ono |url=https://ipb-reader.playboy.com/19810101/index.html#p=80 |access-date=20 December 2020 |work=[[Playboy]] |issue=1 |date=January 1981 |volume=28 |page=75 |quote=The interview apparently depended on Yoko's interpretation of my horoscope, just as many of Lenons' business decisions are reportedly guide by the stars. I could imagine explaining to my Playboy editor, 'Sorry, but my moon is in Scorpio–the interview's off.' It was clearly out of my hands. I supplied the info: December 23, three P.M., Boston.}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S.
| notableworks = {{plainlist|* ''[[Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction]]''}}
| notableworks = {{plainlist|* ''[[Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction]]''}}
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''[[Game Over (1993 book)|Game Over]]''
''[[Game Over (1993 book)|Game Over]]''
| education = [[University of California, Berkeley]]
| education = [[University of California, Berkeley]]
| occupation = Writer
| occupation = [[Writer]]
| spouse = Karen Barbour
| spouse = Karen Barbour
| children = 3
| children = 3, including [[Nic Sheff]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.davidsheff.com/}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.davidsheff.com/}}
}}
}}


'''David Sheff''' (born December 23, 1955) is an American author. He is best known for his interviews with artists, scientists, and pop culture figures and his non-fiction books. Much of his writing, including his memoir [[Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction|''Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction'']], deals with [[Addiction|substance addiction]].
'''David Sheff''' (born December 23, 1955) is an American author of the books ''[[Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction]]'', ''Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy'',<ref name="Sussman">Sussman, Mick (April 19, 2013). [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/books/review/clean-by-david-sheff.html?_r=0 "A Disease, Not a Crime"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> ''[[Game Over (Sheff book)|Game Over]]'',<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lehmann-Haupt|first=Christopher|date=1993-05-13|title=Books of The Times; Taking the Frivolity of Games Seriously Indeed|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/13/books/books-of-the-times-taking-the-frivolity-of-games-seriously-indeed.html|access-date=2021-09-30|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Why Nintendo Rules (Fortune, 1993)|url=https://fortune.com/1993/05/31/why-nintendo-rules-game-over-book/|access-date=2021-09-30|website=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|language=en}}</ref>''The Buddhist on Death Row'' <ref>[https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-sheff/the-buddhist-on-death-row/ "An indelible portrait of an incarcerated man finding new life and purpose behind bars"]. ''[[Kirkus Reviews]]''. March 1, 2020.</ref> and ''All We Are Saying: The Last Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sheff |first=David |date=2000 |title=All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |isbn=978-0312254643}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Sheff is originally from [[Boston, Massachusetts]].<ref name="sheff"/> His family is of [[History of the Jews in Russia|Russian Jewish]] descent.<ref>{{Cite book|first=David|last=Sheff|url=https://archive.org/details/beautifulboyfath00shef|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/beautifulboyfath00shef/page/149 149]|title=Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]]|location=Boston, Massachusetts|date=2009|isbn=978-0547347929|language=en}}</ref> He graduated from the [[University of California, Berkeley]].<ref name="sheff"/>
Sheff is of [[History of the Jews in Russia|Russian Jewish]] descent.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sheff |first=David |url=https://archive.org/details/beautifulboyfath00shef |title=Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction |date=2009 |publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]] |isbn=978-0547347929 |location=Boston, Massachusetts |page=[https://archive.org/details/beautifulboyfath00shef/page/149 149] |language=en |url-access=registration}}</ref> Sheff is originally from [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]].<ref name="sheff">[http://www.davidsheff.com/contact.html David Sheff's home page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708091224/http://www.davidsheff.com/contact.html|date=2008-07-08}} Author's bio</ref> He graduated from the [[University of California, Berkeley]].<ref name="sheff"/>


==Career==
==Career==
Sheff, a journalist, has written for ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', ''[[Playboy]]'', ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', [[Fortune (magazine)|''Fortune'']], and National Public Radio's ''[[All Things Considered]]''. His interview subjects have included [[John Lennon]], [[Frank Zappa]], [[Steve Jobs]], [[Ai Weiwei]], [[Keith Haring]], [[David Hockney]], [[Jack Nicholson]], [[Ted Taylor (physicist)|Ted Taylor]], [[Carl Sagan]], [[Betty Friedan]], [[Barney Frank]], and [[Fareed Zakaria]], among others. In addition to ''Beautiful Boy'', Sheff wrote the books ''[[Game Over (1993 book)|Game Over]]'', ''Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Crisis'',<ref name="Sussman"/> ''China Dawn'', and ''All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono''. He has also been an editor of ''New West'', ''California'', and other magazines.<ref name="sheff">[http://www.davidsheff.com/contact.html David Sheff's home page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708091224/http://www.davidsheff.com/contact.html |date=2008-07-08 }} Author's bio</ref>
Working as a journalist, Sheff has written articles and conducted interviews for ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', ''[[Playboy]]'', ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', [[Fortune (magazine)|''Fortune'']], and NPR's ''[[All Things Considered]]''. His interview subjects have included [[John Lennon]], [[Frank Zappa]], [[Steve Jobs]], [[Ai Weiwei]], [[Keith Haring]], [[David Hockney]], [[Jack Nicholson]], [[Ted Taylor (physicist)|Ted Taylor]], [[Carl Sagan]], [[Betty Friedan]], [[Barney Frank]], and [[Fareed Zakaria]].


He has also been an editor of several magazines including ''New West'', ''California''.<ref name="sheff" />
''Beautiful Boy'' was based on Sheff's article, "My Addicted Son", that first appeared in the ''[[The New York Times Magazine|New York Times Magazine]]''.<ref>{{cite news|first1=David|last1=Sheff|access-date=2020-11-29|title=My Addicted Son|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/magazine/my-addicted-son.html|newspaper=The New York Times Magazine|date=2005-02-06}}</ref>


In January 2019, ''High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction'' was published. A resource for middle-school readers offering clear, direct information about the realities of drugs and alcohol, it is Sheff and his son Nic's first collaborative project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.marinmagazine.com/January-2019/David-and-Nic-Sheff/|title=The Marin Family Behind the Film Beautiful Boy |website=Marin Magazine |date=January 2019 |access-date=2019-03-13}}</ref>
Sheff's books include ''[[Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction]]'', ''Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy'',<ref name="Sussman">Sussman, Mick (April 19, 2013). [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/books/review/clean-by-david-sheff.html?_r=0 "A Disease, Not a Crime"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> ''[[Game Over (Sheff book)|Game Over]]'',<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lehmann-Haupt |first=Christopher |date=1993-05-13 |title=Books of The Times; Taking the Frivolity of Games Seriously Indeed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/13/books/books-of-the-times-taking-the-frivolity-of-games-seriously-indeed.html |access-date=2021-09-30 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Nintendo Rules (Fortune, 1993) |url=https://fortune.com/1993/05/31/why-nintendo-rules-game-over-book/ |access-date=2021-09-30 |website=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |language=en}}</ref>'' The Buddhist on Death Row,''<ref>[https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-sheff/the-buddhist-on-death-row/ "An indelible portrait of an incarcerated man finding new life and purpose behind bars"]. ''[[Kirkus Reviews]]''. March 1, 2020.</ref> and ''All We Are Saying: The Last Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sheff |first=David |title=All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono |date=2000 |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |isbn=978-0312254643}}</ref> ''Beautiful Boy'' was based on Sheff's article, "My Addicted Son", that first appeared in ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sheff |first1=David |date=2005-02-06 |title=My Addicted Son |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/magazine/my-addicted-son.html |access-date=2020-11-29 |newspaper=The New York Times Magazine}}</ref> In January 2019, ''High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction'' was published. This book serves as a resource for middle school readers offering clear, direct information about the realities of drugs and alcohol. It is Sheff and his son Nic's first collaborative project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.marinmagazine.com/January-2019/David-and-Nic-Sheff/|title=The Marin Family Behind the Film Beautiful Boy |website=Marin Magazine |date=January 2019 |access-date=2019-03-13}}</ref>

In 2019, Sheff founded the Beautiful Boy Fund, a charity devoted to making quality, evidence-based treatment for substance-use disorder accessible to those in need of treatment, and identifying and supporting research to further the field of addiction medicine.


== Honors and awards ==
== Honors and awards ==
{{Peacock|section|date=April 2021}}
{{Peacock|section|date=April 2021}}
In 2009, Sheff was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's [[Time 100|''Time'' 100]] and on the magazine's World's Most Influential People list.<ref>{{cite web|first=Nora|last=Velkow|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893209_1893466,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503142139/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893209_1893466,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 3, 2009|title=The 2009 Time 100 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]]|location=New York City|date=30 April 2009}}</ref> ''Beautiful Boy'' won the [[Barnes & Noble]] "Discover Great New Writers Award"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/awards/index.asp?PID=21575&cds2Pid=16450&linkid=1123471|title=Barnes & Noble: Discover Great New Writers Award|access-date=2009-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328193551/http://www.barnesandnoble.com/awards/index.asp?PID=21575&cds2Pid=16450&linkid=1123471|archive-date=2009-03-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> for nonfiction and was an [[Amazon Best Book of the Year]] in 2008. The article in which the book is based won an award for "Outstanding Contribution to Advancing the Understanding of Addictions" from the Society of Addiction Psychology.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Outstanding Contributions to Advancing the Understanding of Addictions |url=https://www.addictionpsychology.org/awards/outstanding-contributions-advancing-understanding-addictions|access-date=2021-07-26|publisher=Society of Addiction Psychology}}</ref>
In 2009, Sheff was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's [[Time 100|''Time'' 100]] and on the magazine's World's Most Influential People list.<ref>{{cite web|first=Nora|last=Velkow|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893209_1893466,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503142139/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893209_1893466,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 3, 2009|title=The 2009 Time 100 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]]|location=New York City|date=30 April 2009}}</ref> ''Beautiful Boy'' won the [[Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award]] for [[Non-fiction|nonfiction]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Barnes & Noble: Discover Great New Writers Award |url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/awards/index.asp?PID=21575&cds2Pid=16450&linkid=1123471 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328193551/http://www.barnesandnoble.com/awards/index.asp?PID=21575&cds2Pid=16450&linkid=1123471 |archive-date=2009-03-28 |access-date=2009-05-07}}</ref> and was one [[Amazon's Best Books of the Year]] in 2008.


He received media awards from [[College on Problems of Drug Dependence]] (CPDD), [[American Society of Addiction Medicine]], the [[Partnership for Drug-free Kids]], [[American College of Neuropsychopharmacology]] (ACNP), [[American Society of Addiction Medicine]] (ASAM), and was the first recipient of the [[American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry]] (AAAP) Arts and Literature Award.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}
He received media awards from the [[College on Problems of Drug Dependence]] (CPDD), [[American Society of Addiction Medicine]], the [[Partnership for Drug-free Kids]], [[American College of Neuropsychopharmacology]] (ACNP), and the [[American Society of Addiction Medicine]] (ASAM), and was the first recipient of the [[American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry]] (AAAP) Arts and Literature Award.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}


==Views on addiction==
==Views on addiction==


Sheff educates about addiction as a brain disease and is an advocate for putting addicts into therapy programs early.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://drugfree.org/parent-blog/when-my-son-became-addicted-i-thought-it-was-his-problem-but-addiction-is-a-family-disease/|title=When My Son Became Addicted, I Thought It Was His Problem. But Addiction Is a Family Disease |website=Where Families Find Answers on Substance Use &#124; Partnership for Drug-Free Kids}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2013/03/30/175485876/david-sheff-on-addiction-prevention-treatment-and-staying-clean|title=David Sheff On Addiction: Prevention, Treatment And Staying 'Clean'|first=David|last=Sheff|newspaper=NPR.org|publisher=[[NPR]]}}</ref>
Sheff argues [[addiction]] is a brain disease and is advocates for putting addicts into therapy programs early.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://drugfree.org/parent-blog/when-my-son-became-addicted-i-thought-it-was-his-problem-but-addiction-is-a-family-disease/|title=When My Son Became Addicted, I Thought It Was His Problem. But Addiction Is a Family Disease |website=Where Families Find Answers on Substance Use &#124; Partnership for Drug-Free Kids}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2013/03/30/175485876/david-sheff-on-addiction-prevention-treatment-and-staying-clean|title=David Sheff On Addiction: Prevention, Treatment And Staying 'Clean'|first=David|last=Sheff|newspaper=NPR.org|publisher=[[NPR]]}}</ref>He identifies factors such as stress and trauma as major factors that can cause addiction.<ref name="auto" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Winerman|first=Lea|date=June 2013|title=Breaking free from addiction|url=https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/06/addiction|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-26|website=American Psychological Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224162641/https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/06/addiction |archive-date=February 24, 2019 }}</ref> He argues for teaching life skills to reduce the risk of addiction in response to these risk factors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kleantreatmentcenters.com/author-david-sheff-focuses-on-the-war-on-prevention/|title=Author David Sheff Focuses on the War on Prevention|date=2013-08-01|website=KLEAN Treatment Centers|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-23}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/botvin-lifeskills-training-most-widely-used-evidence-based-prevention-program-in-elementary-schools-117570258.html|title=Botvin LifeSkills Training Most Widely Used Evidence-Based Prevention Program in Elementary Schools|first=Botvin LifeSkills|last=Training|website=www.prnewswire.com}}</ref>

He believes life stresses and traumas are risk factors, and that therapy for these can help addiction prevention.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Winerman|first=Lea|date=June 2013|title=Breaking free from addiction|url=https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/06/addiction|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-26|website=American Psychological Association}}</ref> He is an advocate of life skills training to aid addiction prevention.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kleantreatmentcenters.com/author-david-sheff-focuses-on-the-war-on-prevention/|title=Author David Sheff Focuses on the War on Prevention|date=2013-08-01|website=KLEAN Treatment Centers|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/botvin-lifeskills-training-most-widely-used-evidence-based-prevention-program-in-elementary-schools-117570258.html|title=Botvin LifeSkills Training Most Widely Used Evidence-Based Prevention Program in Elementary Schools|first=Botvin LifeSkills|last=Training|website=www.prnewswire.com}}</ref>


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
Sheff lives in [[Northern California]] with his wife, Karen Barbour, an artist, illustrator, and author of children's books. He has three children: Nic, Jasper, and Daisy Sheff. [[Nic Sheff]], who has also written a memoir recounting his years of addiction in the book ''Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines'', is a writer for television and film.<ref>{{cite news|first=Charles|last=McGrath|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/books/26meth.html |title=A Twice-Told Tale of Addiction: By Father, by Son |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=February 26, 2008 |access-date=January 16, 2009}}</ref> [[Jasper Sheff]] is a Grammy Award-nominated<ref>https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2022-grammys-complete-winners-nominees-nominations-list</ref> musician who has cowritten and produced songs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jasper Sheff|url=https://genius.com/artists/Jasper-sheff|access-date=2021-09-30|website=Genius|language=en}}</ref> for [[Lil Nas X]], [[Elton John]],<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Lil Nas X & Take a Daytrip Lead Hot 100 Songwriters & Producers Charts Thanks to 'Montero' Hits|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9638027/lil-nas-x-take-a-daytrip-top-hot-100-songwriters-producers-charts|access-date=2021-09-30|magazine=Billboard|date=September 29, 2021|language=en}}</ref> [[Halsey (singer)|Halsey]] and [[XXXTentacion]]. [[Daisy Sheff]] is an artist whose paintings have been exhibited at [https://whitecolumns.org/ White Columns Gallery],<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-04-28|title=6 Art Gallery Shows to See Right Now|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/arts/design/6-art-gallery-shows-to-see-right-now.html|access-date=2021-09-30|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Ratio 3, Clearing Gallery <ref>Clearing Gallery</ref>, Grimm Gallery <ref>{{Cite web|title=Grimm Gallery {{!}} When We Said Break a Leg, We Meant It|url=https://flaunt.com/content/grimm-gallery-the-future-experience|access-date=2021-09-30|website=[[Flaunt]] |language=en-US}}</ref> and elsewhere.
Sheff lives in [[Northern California]] with his wife, Karen Barbour, an artist, illustrator, and author of children's books. He has three children: Nic, Jasper, and Daisy Sheff. [[Nic Sheff]], who is a writer for television and film,<ref>{{cite news |last=McGrath |first=Charles |date=February 26, 2008 |title=A Twice-Told Tale of Addiction: By Father, by Son |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/books/26meth.html |access-date=January 16, 2009 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York City}}</ref> has also written a memoir recounting his years of addiction'', Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines.'' [[Jasper Sheff]] is a [[Grammy Awards|Grammy]] Award-nominated<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2022-grammys-complete-winners-nominees-nominations-list|title = 2022 GRAMMYs Awards: Complete Nominations List|date = November 23, 2021}}</ref> musician who has cowritten and produced songs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jasper Sheff|url=https://genius.com/artists/Jasper-sheff|access-date=2021-09-30|website=Genius|language=en}}</ref> for [[Lil Nas X]], [[Elton John]],<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Lil Nas X & Take a Daytrip Lead Hot 100 Songwriters & Producers Charts Thanks to 'Montero' Hits|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9638027/lil-nas-x-take-a-daytrip-top-hot-100-songwriters-producers-charts|access-date=2021-09-30|magazine=Billboard|date=September 29, 2021|language=en}}</ref> [[Halsey (singer)|Halsey]], and [[XXXTentacion]]. [[Daisy Sheff]] is an artist whose paintings have been exhibited in many places including White Columns Gallery,<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-04-28|title=6 Art Gallery Shows to See Right Now|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/arts/design/6-art-gallery-shows-to-see-right-now.html|access-date=2021-09-30|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Ratio 3, Clearing Gallery,<ref>Clearing Gallery</ref> and Grimm Gallery.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Grimm Gallery {{!}} When We Said Break a Leg, We Meant It|url=https://flaunt.com/content/grimm-gallery-the-future-experience|access-date=2021-09-30|website=Flaunt |language=en-US}}</ref>


== In popular culture ==
== In popular culture ==
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni]]
[[Category:American memoirists]]
[[Category:21st-century American memoirists]]
[[Category:Writers on addiction]]
[[Category:Writers on addiction]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Jewish American writers]]
[[Category:Jewish American memoirists]]
[[Category:Jewish American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]

Latest revision as of 18:43, 6 January 2025

David Sheff
Born (1955-12-23) December 23, 1955 (age 69)[1][2]
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
OccupationWriter
EducationUniversity of California, Berkeley
Notable works

All We Are Saying: The Last Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Game Over
SpouseKaren Barbour
Children3, including Nic Sheff
Website
www.davidsheff.com

David Sheff (born December 23, 1955) is an American author. He is best known for his interviews with artists, scientists, and pop culture figures and his non-fiction books. Much of his writing, including his memoir Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, deals with substance addiction.

Early life and education

[edit]

Sheff is of Russian Jewish descent.[3] Sheff is originally from Boston, Massachusetts.[4] He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley.[4]

Career

[edit]

Working as a journalist, Sheff has written articles and conducted interviews for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Wired, Fortune, and NPR's All Things Considered. His interview subjects have included John Lennon, Frank Zappa, Steve Jobs, Ai Weiwei, Keith Haring, David Hockney, Jack Nicholson, Ted Taylor, Carl Sagan, Betty Friedan, Barney Frank, and Fareed Zakaria.

He has also been an editor of several magazines including New West, California.[4]

Sheff's books include Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy,[5] Game Over,[6][7] The Buddhist on Death Row,[8] and All We Are Saying: The Last Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono.[9] Beautiful Boy was based on Sheff's article, "My Addicted Son", that first appeared in The New York Times Magazine.[10] In January 2019, High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction was published. This book serves as a resource for middle school readers offering clear, direct information about the realities of drugs and alcohol. It is Sheff and his son Nic's first collaborative project.[11]

Honors and awards

[edit]

In 2009, Sheff was included in Time magazine's Time 100 and on the magazine's World's Most Influential People list.[12] Beautiful Boy won the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award for nonfiction[13] and was one Amazon's Best Books of the Year in 2008.

He received media awards from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD), American Society of Addiction Medicine, the Partnership for Drug-free Kids, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP), and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and was the first recipient of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) Arts and Literature Award.[citation needed]

Views on addiction

[edit]

Sheff argues addiction is a brain disease and is advocates for putting addicts into therapy programs early.[14][15]He identifies factors such as stress and trauma as major factors that can cause addiction.[15][16] He argues for teaching life skills to reduce the risk of addiction in response to these risk factors.[17][18]

Personal life

[edit]

Sheff lives in Northern California with his wife, Karen Barbour, an artist, illustrator, and author of children's books. He has three children: Nic, Jasper, and Daisy Sheff. Nic Sheff, who is a writer for television and film,[19] has also written a memoir recounting his years of addiction, Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines. Jasper Sheff is a Grammy Award-nominated[20] musician who has cowritten and produced songs[21] for Lil Nas X, Elton John,[22] Halsey, and XXXTentacion. Daisy Sheff is an artist whose paintings have been exhibited in many places including White Columns Gallery,[23] Ratio 3, Clearing Gallery,[24] and Grimm Gallery.[25]

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In 2018, Felix van Groeningen adapted Sheff's book Beautiful Boy into a feature film of the same name. In the film, Sheff is portrayed by Steve Carell, with Timothée Chalamet as his son, Nic. Actress Maura Tierney portrays David's wife, artist Karen Barbour, and Amy Ryan plays Nic's mother, Vicki.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "Father and son memoirs". Entertainment Weekly.
  2. ^ Sheff, David (January 1981). "Playboy Interview: John Lennon and Yoko Ono". Playboy. Vol. 28, no. 1. p. 75. Retrieved December 20, 2020. The interview apparently depended on Yoko's interpretation of my horoscope, just as many of Lenons' business decisions are reportedly guide by the stars. I could imagine explaining to my Playboy editor, 'Sorry, but my moon is in Scorpio–the interview's off.' It was clearly out of my hands. I supplied the info: December 23, three P.M., Boston.
  3. ^ Sheff, David (2009). Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 149. ISBN 978-0547347929.
  4. ^ a b c David Sheff's home page Archived 2008-07-08 at the Wayback Machine Author's bio
  5. ^ Sussman, Mick (April 19, 2013). "A Disease, Not a Crime". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Lehmann-Haupt, Christopher (May 13, 1993). "Books of The Times; Taking the Frivolity of Games Seriously Indeed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  7. ^ "Why Nintendo Rules (Fortune, 1993)". Fortune. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  8. ^ "An indelible portrait of an incarcerated man finding new life and purpose behind bars". Kirkus Reviews. March 1, 2020.
  9. ^ Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0312254643.
  10. ^ Sheff, David (February 6, 2005). "My Addicted Son". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  11. ^ "The Marin Family Behind the Film Beautiful Boy". Marin Magazine. January 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  12. ^ Velkow, Nora (April 30, 2009). "The 2009 Time 100". Time. New York City: Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009.
  13. ^ "Barnes & Noble: Discover Great New Writers Award". Archived from the original on March 28, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
  14. ^ "When My Son Became Addicted, I Thought It Was His Problem. But Addiction Is a Family Disease". Where Families Find Answers on Substance Use | Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
  15. ^ a b Sheff, David. "David Sheff On Addiction: Prevention, Treatment And Staying 'Clean'". NPR.org. NPR.
  16. ^ Winerman, Lea (June 2013). "Breaking free from addiction". American Psychological Association. Archived from the original on February 24, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  17. ^ "Author David Sheff Focuses on the War on Prevention". KLEAN Treatment Centers. August 1, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2019.[dead link‍]
  18. ^ Training, Botvin LifeSkills. "Botvin LifeSkills Training Most Widely Used Evidence-Based Prevention Program in Elementary Schools". www.prnewswire.com (Press release).
  19. ^ McGrath, Charles (February 26, 2008). "A Twice-Told Tale of Addiction: By Father, by Son". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  20. ^ "2022 GRAMMYs Awards: Complete Nominations List". November 23, 2021.
  21. ^ "Jasper Sheff". Genius. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "Lil Nas X & Take a Daytrip Lead Hot 100 Songwriters & Producers Charts Thanks to 'Montero' Hits". Billboard. September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  23. ^ "6 Art Gallery Shows to See Right Now". The New York Times. April 28, 2021. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  24. ^ Clearing Gallery
  25. ^ "Grimm Gallery | When We Said Break a Leg, We Meant It". Flaunt. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 15, 2018). "Steve Carell & Timothée Chalamet Title 'Beautiful Boy' Sets Fall Release". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
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