Product Description
800 METERS A Journey of Addiction, Recovery and Redemption. Mikael Luman had it all: good friends, a loving family and an outstanding future as an athlete. But his spiral into drug addiction destroyed everything Mikael valued. He traded college athletics for a world of strippers and good times, highs and lows, raves and week-long parties all fueled by ecstasy, nitrous oxide, cocaine and methamphetamines. In and out of jail, no longer possessing even a driver s license, the one-time star runner now ran from the law and from the demons that drove him. Even a son born out of wedlock could not break Mikael s addiction. He dealt and manufactured drugs, was kidnapped and shot at. He watched his friends ruin their lives. Yet even at his lowest moments, Mikael believed that he had a special calling and that the hell he was living was for a reason. His wild ride ended with an arrest and a prison term, where he slowly got back in touch with reality, his purpose in life and the son he d hardly known. Now, Mikael s told the whole story in an honest, frank and sometimes humorous memoir that only someone who s survived the criminal lifestyle of drug addiction can tell. Married with a daughter, he wants to use his experiences to bring nationwide awareness to the need for drug treatment programs that are not just reactive but proactive. Mikael Luman broke out of the prison of addiction, but many more will not. His inspiring book is a must-read for parents, educators, addicts and young people who think, It will never happen to me.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 16 reviews)

Entertaining, but definitly not about recovery

I thought the book was entertaining. but that is really abouth the extent of it. He spends 95% of the book telling "war stories" about his debauchery and drug use, but really not his drug addiction. There is very little information about what his family goes through and only mentions them as characters in his exciting stories. He definitly is not a great writer but, that also confirms for me that he wrote it himself, which is a positive. He could of summed up what took him hundreds of pages in the following, I got caught up in a party scene, with an endless stream of hardcore drugs, drug dealing and women, which eventually led to numerous arrests, a baby out of wedlock and several visits to rehab and then spent ample time on how he has changed and how he did it instead of the endless detailed, blow by blow stories of how he got high on this or that. He really seems to be fresh out of that world and it is hard to get a frame of reference of how long he has been in recovery and what the steps are he took and is taking so as not to fall back into this dismal existence. I'm wondering if he really has enough time to have been authoring a book on the subject of recovery. I just dont get the vibe from him that he is neccesarily standing on firm ground as he still seems to resonate a character of self, which is the underlying character flaw of addiction behavior. Also, I am irritated at how he just jumps into a marriage with a new girl and has a new baby with her and sort of seems to just forget about the first child he has. overall an entertaining read but I would not recommend this as a tool to educators and parents to understand how a good kid goes bad. Try, "Broken" or a "Beautiful Boy" for that subject.
October 23, 2008

Wake-Up Call

This excellently depicted story of Mikael's descent into the dark world of drugs is a wake up call to all of those out there who never thought that it could happen to them. He candidly shares the most tumultuos and low points in his life while giving a good lesson at the same time. This book is well written and easily reads in conversation format. Mikael has a unique writing style that processes truth behind the words and emplores you to learn from his mistakes while telling his story. Overall, a good read!
September 18, 2008

Attention Parents

Attention parents, educators and teens -- this book is a must read for all of you. This is the one book that parents who think "Oh, not my kid... " must read, to get a real grasp at the fact that EVERY kid has the potential to spiral into drug addiction and destroying everything of value -- just like Mikael. Unfortunately, unlike Mikael, many will not be able to brake out of their prison of addiction.
I applaud Mikael Luman for sharing his story, and for founding Generation Free - advocating proactive education.
September 09, 2008

"The Dark Side of the Fabulous Life"

It is hard to imagine how deep of a hole a person can dig for themselves, only to fall into the dark abyss of nowhere. Rarely do those people find their way out, but somehow Mikael did. Many others were not so fortunate.....I knew many of these same people. This book teaches a good lesson when it comes to drug use, friends and making good or bad choices. Read the good with the bad in this very honest account of a roller coaster ride from hell.......and back. Highly recommended for anyone thinking that drugs won't change their lives....
August 11, 2008

Deserves Attention!

This book is a manual for those who are not addicts and hear stories of addiction and cannot understand how this could happen to a good person. Mikael tells his story in such an earnest, engaging way, you cannot help but be totally transfixed following his decent into the worst of drug addiction. His descriptions of the personalities he meets and the strange situations he experiences are TOTALLY entertaining, but his message is completely serious. Instead of sensationalizing his amazing (and it is amazing, how far he goes before he is imprisoned) story, Mikael is completely humble and at the end of each chapter shares with the reader his remorse and what he thinks could be learned from his experience. What also struck me was that throughout the entire book, despite becoming an addict, thief, dealer and manufacturer, you get a sense that Mikael never maliciously damaged anyone who hadn't already decided on their own to be involved in the scene. Perhaps that is why he has devoted himself to helping others not make the wrong decision to be involved in a life addicted to drugs. My only criticism of this book is that it needs more exposure as it truly is a treasure and has so much potential to do good for many others.
July 20, 2008

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Broken
by William Cope Moyers

Addict In The Family: Stories of Loss, Hope, and Recovery.
by Beverly Conyers

Rising Above The Influence: A True Story about Alcohol, Drugs, and Recovery
by Stephen J. Della Valle

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction
by David Sheff

I Romanced The Stone
by Marvin, D Wilson