
Richie
A Father, His Son, and the Ultimate American Tragedy
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Narrated by:
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Shawn Compton
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By:
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Thomas Thompson
George Diener, World War II veteran and traveling salesman, and his wife, Carol, had old-fashioned values and ordinary aspirations: a home, a family, the pleasure of watching their two sons grow up. But in February 1972, an unthinkable tragedy occurred in the basement of their Nassau County residence, shattering their hopes and dreams forever.
George and Carol doted on their shy eldest son, Richie. But at 15, the boy fell into a devastating downward spiral. He started smoking marijuana, shoplifting, and hanging out with drug dealers, and was soon arrested for assault and expelled from school. By the time his parents sought psychiatric counseling for their son, Richie was addicted to barbiturates and given to violent outbursts and threats. The boy George and Carol knew was long gone. Then, one winter evening, Richie came at his father with a steak knife and a suicidal cry of "Shoot!"
Edgar Award-winning author Thomas Thompson delivers a "scary, harrowing" account of a turbulent era in American history when the gulf between young and old, bohemian and conservative, felt wider and more dangerous than ever before (the New York Times Book Review).
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I was born just one year after Richie, so I lived through all this and saw and experienced this first hand within my own family as well as those of my friends and schoolmates.
A very sad but important book. 🫤
Truly a great American Tragedy
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Heartbreaking
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I'm thankful I didn't get into the drug scene which was escalating at an alarming pace at the time of this story.
And now I read this as a mother of 3 children with a different set of eyes- the eyes of Richie's parents.
This is the story of what drugs did to one family. It's truly an American tragedy that has played out over and over for so many.
The book was expertly written and while this is an old title it's timely as the drug war continues.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although enjoyed isn't really the word I'm looking for. It was a very good read/listen.
Powerful Read- How Drugs Destroyed One Family
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The story is sad, and I don’t know how else the dad could have reacted. It’s terrible situation! Very interesting true crime!
Wow! very well written and performed.
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Voice actor had a clear and compelling manner of portraying the characters
Is substance abuse an illness or a moral failure?
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Stupid kid had it coming
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Interesting but sad story
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every parents worst nightmare.
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Really told and written well.
Such a sad story.
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Relatable to the teenager and the parent at each stage in their lives. Narration was also perfect.
Excellent Book
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