Preach by Adam M. is a memoir in which the author shares how his substance use was an escape from deep spiritual and emotional pain rooted in childhood trauma. He describes psychosis and schizophrenia as genetic and life-altering conditions worsened by drugs but stabilized through medication. The author attributes his recovery to faith in God, spirituality, and moral discipline, leaning into painful self-awareness and long-term healing rather than quick fixes. He candidly talks about his difficulties with racism, prejudice, and self-respect, and how these intertwine with his mental health and identity as a Palestinian Muslim. He tells us how music and musicians, such as John Frusciante, are balm for spiritual solace. He critiques societal systems, politics, and economic inequality, telling us that survival, adaptability, and authentic living are what's essential.

Preach by Adam M. is a really strong piece of writing that is marked by its honest assessment of his life and his unique way of framing those experiences. I appreciate that this memoir succinctly breaks down his outlook on respect and identifies it as essential for both the individual and the well-being of society as a whole. As a reader who has moved to another country, I connected a lot to his perspective on home as a place of security, especially as he contrasts his supportive upbringing with the lack of safety many others experience. The author writes about depression and the lure of the false comfort offered by drugs with a remarkable frankness. In the most striking part of all, he compares love to a phoenix, renewed through loss, and a view that freedom is found through ease rather than control. Overall, this is a courageous, thoughtful memoir. Very highly recommended.

Addiction can change the course of a person's life in unexpected ways. In Preach, author Adam M. gives an unflinching account of his life, baring all the highs and lows through a series of essays. According to Adam, psychosis was his second chance at life. A three-year drug-fuelled journey led him to psychosis. Adam is a paranoid schizophrenic who found religion through cocaine. He used heroin to cure his cocaine-induced psychosis. Growing up in Nicosia, Cyprus, Adam was a straight-A student in school and went to university in London, where he delved into the world of drugs. He was an atheist before he did drugs and found faith in Jesus through his hero, musician John Frusciante. The author also suffered from bouts of depression since his twenties.

Preach is one of the most honest memoirs I've ever read. Author Adam M. leaves nothing out and recounts some of the most painful moments of his life, wondering if they led to some greater meaning and purpose or if it was all for nothing. Addiction is a common theme throughout the philosophical, political, religious, and societal musings in this book. Apart from addiction, the book also explores inherent hatred, racism, and bigotry in humans and how they change the way we perceive the world around us. The author is experimental in how he presents the essays. Sometimes, it's straightforward utilitarian prose, and other times, it's almost lyrical. The book isn't for everyone. But if you enjoy philosophical and societal discourse as well as authentic and raw true stories, this will be right up your alley.