A House On Stilts by Paula Becker

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Air date: 
Mon, 01/06/2020 - 5:30pm to 5:45pm
A House On Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction
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Paula Becker (photo courtesy of David Ryder)

Our In Depth guest today is Paula Becker, author of the new memoir A House on Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction, from University of Iowa Press.

The book tells the story of Paula’s son, Hunter -- raised in a close, supportive, and loving family – who later falls victim to heroin addiction, and spirals into a life of desperation and homelessness. Paula and her husband Barry do everything they can to help Hunter, while still trying to keep their marriage together and protect Hunter’s younger siblings Sawyer and Lillie.

Andrew Solomon, a writer and professor of clinical psychology, calls A House on Stilts “a remarkable book. And an utterly terrifying one.”

Personally, I would add that it’s also an utterly heartbreaking one.

Author photo courtesy of David Ryder

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