Beautiful Things: A Memoir

Is it possible to have a whitewashed memoir about being a drug addict? Hunter Biden is unsparing about the depths to which he plunged after his beloved brother Beau died from cancer, when his lifelong struggle with alcohol use turned into an even more dangerous crack addition. I give him a lot of credit for grabbing the narrative and telling his own story, and maybe there are others with similar issues who will be inspired by his honesty. But the rest of his family is portrayed as completely saintly and heroic, with nary a flaw. I mean, I get that his dad is the current President of the United States, but surely he lost his patience with Hunter occasionally, and even though Beau was the Golden Child, he and Hunter must have fought sometimes like all brothers do. I guess Hunter didn't want to write anything that could be used against Joe or besmirch Beau's legacy, but it made the book feel less than completely candid. Still a worthwhile read and a lesson that addiction can happen to anyone.