Description

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Crooked Smile details one man’s journey that left him homeless on Skid Row, and what it took to escape a decade of addiction.

“Darkly humorous” is an understatement when it comes to this poignant tale of addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and eventually, redemption. Jared Klickstein, the child of two heroin addicts who eventually became addicted himself, takes readers on a raw and personal journey from his unsettling and secretive childhood in the suburbs to the slums of Skid Row. Through tales of violence, relapse, and deep inner struggle, Klickstein provides a harrowing account of his personal encounter with near-death—including what he calls dying in “slow motion.”

But this story is not just about one man’s life—it’s about the hundreds of thousands of homeless and drug-addicted Americans who are on the streets right now. It’s about those who need help the most, and what can be done to address the growing addiction and homelessness problems we face. In this moving memoir, Klickstein offers a fresh take and solutions to both epidemics, providing firsthand experience and insight into what policies should be put in place to mitigate the suffering. Crooked Smile recounts one man’s escape from a hellish life—and carves a valuable path for others.

About the Author

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Jared Klickstein was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1989 to heroin-addicted parents. He spent his teenage years outside of Oakland, California after being adopted by his aunt and uncle. He attended UC Santa Cruz where he got addicted to heroin himself, dropped out, and spent nearly ten years chronically homeless and addicted around the country. After a notorious run on Skid Row in Los Angeles and a subsequent jail sentence, he sobered up in 2018, wrote this book, and currently resides in Oakland, California. He works as an independent journalist.

Praise For…

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“This memoir is a vivid, humanizing and tragic story of the self-destructive horrors of addiction. For anyone seeking to understand the homeless crisis gripping America’s cities, Klickstein’s writing is a must-read.”
— Lee Fang, Journalist

“Jared hit absolute rock bottom in life but ultimately scratched and crawled his way out of hell. His story is incredibly fascinating and insanely humbling. Anyone can learn a great deal from his journey into and out of the depths.”
— Eddie Bravo, Martial Arts Instructor, Podcaster, Comedian

“A supremely fascinating glimpse into hell.”
— Matt McCusker, Comedian, Author, Podcaster

“Jared’s life story is the wildest I’ve ever heard. And fortunately for us, he’s an extraordinary storyteller.”
— Leighton Woodhouse, Journalist, Co-Founder of Public

“Crooked Smile provides one of the most spine-chilling accounts of homelessness and addiction, while at the same time consistently making the reader laugh.”
— Sam Tripoli, Comedian, Podcaster

“Jared is a brave man. His story is powerful and the country would be in better shape with more people like him. Great read.”
— Jesse Watters, Host of Jesse Watters Primetime and Co-Host of The Five