Starbucks Selects Houghton Addiction Memoir

By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 12/4/2007 9:00:00 PM

Starbucks Entertainment announced today the next title in its book program: David Sheff’s Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction (Houghton Mifflin). Starbucks will begin selling the $24 hardcover in more than 6,500 of its stores on the book’s national release date, Feb. 26. It is the fourth Starbucks book pick, following Dave Isay’s collection of stories, Listening Is an Act of Love (which launched Nov. 8 and has sold more than 13,000 copies in Starbucks stores); Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone (Feb. 15, 2007; 116,000+ sold); and Mitch Albom’s For One More Day (Oct. 3, 2006; 100,000+ sold).

Beautiful Boy is the fourth book by magazine and newspaper writer Sheff, who initially wrote about his teenage son’s meth addiction for the New York Times Magazine. PW called the memoir “an honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic.” Starbucks Entertainment president Ken Lombard said Beautiful Boy aligns with the company’s criteria that books “inspire conversation both in our stores and with our customers.” He continued, “I am gratified that in addition to carrying Beautiful Boy in its stores, Starbucks support will encourage much needed discussion about drug abuse and addiction.”

Sheff will embark on a traditional author tour to bookstores, but will also make stops at 10 Starbucks stores across the country beginning on the book’s pub date.