WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden’s son Hunter details his lifelong struggle with alcoholism and drug abuse in a new memoir, writing that “in the last five years alone, my two-decades-long marriage has dissolved, guns have been put in my face, and at one point I dropped clean off the grid, living in $59-a-night Super 8 motels off I-95 while scaring my family even more than myself.”
His “deep descent” into substance addiction followed the 2015 death of his older brother, Beau, who succumbed to brain cancer at age 46, Hunter Biden writes in “Beautiful Things.” The book is set for release on Tuesday.
“After Beau died, I never felt more alone. I lost hope,” he wrote.
He credits his second wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, with helping him sober up, along with the love from his father and late brother.
Before meeting his future wife in California, Hunter Biden cycled through addiction, rehab and sobriety all while managing to have a family and career as a lawyer and lobbyist. His family tried to intervene sometime in 2019 after his mother, Jill Biden, called and invited him to a family dinner in Delaware.
But Hunter Biden sensed that more than a hot meal was on table after he saw his three daughters and two counselors from a Pennsylvania rehab center where he’d been a patient when he arrived.
He swore at his father and bolted from the house, but was chased down the driveway by Joe Biden, who “grabbed me, swung me around, and hugged me. He held me tight in the dark and cried for the longest time. Everybody was outside now.”
To end the scene, Hunter Biden agreed to check into a facility in Maryland. He was driven there by Beau’s widow, Hallie, with whom he’d had a relationship. After she dropped him off, Hunter Biden writes, he called an Uber, told the staff he’d return in the morning and then checked into a hotel near Baltimore’s airport.
“For the next two days, while everybody who’d been at my parents’ house thought I was safe and sound at the center, I sat in my room and smoked the crack I’d tucked away in my traveling bag,” he wrote. “I then boarded a plane for California and ran and ran and ran. Until I met Melissa.”
The first drink Hunter Biden remembers having was a flute of champagne.
He was 8 and at an election-night party in Delaware celebrating his father’s reelection to the Senate in 1978. He says he didn’t know what he was doing because “to me, champagne was just a fizzy drink.”
But he writes that he knew better when he was 14 and overnighting at his best friend’s house in the summer between eighth and ninth grades. They split a six-pack of beer while the boy’s parents were out. The boys pretended to be asleep when the parents returned home because they were drunk after three beers apiece.
“Getting blasted and sick as a dog didn’t scare me or turn me off one bit,” he wrote. “Instead, I thought it was kind of cool. While I felt a nagging guilt from disappointing my father, who didn’t drink and who encouraged us to stay away from alcohol as well, I wanted to do it again.”
Drinking, he wrote, “seemed to solve every unanswered question about why I felt the way I felt. It took away my inhibitions, my insecurities, and often my judgment. It made me feel complete, filling a hole I didn’t even realize was there — a feeling of loss and my sense of not being understood or fitting in.”
At 18, Hunter Biden was busted for cocaine possession but did pretrial intervention with six months’ probation and the arrest was removed from his record. He says he disclosed the episode during a 2006 Senate committee hearing on his nomination to serve on the Amtrak board of directors.
As an adult, he once let a crack cocaine addict he first met when he was a senior at Georgetown University live with him in his Washington apartment for about five months. Hunter Biden was kicked out of the US Navy Reserve after he failed a drug test.
Hunter Biden, now 51, also writes about thinking he had developed a superpower — “the ability to find crack in any town, at any time, no matter how unfamiliar the terrain,” and about once having a gun thrust in his face when he embarked on such a hunt during five months of self-exile in Los Angeles.
It was in Los Angeles where he met Melissa Cohen, and he describes their first meeting as akin to love at first sight. He says she didn’t flinch when he told her about his addiction, his alcoholism and other problems.
“She pushed away everyone in my life connected to drugs,” taking away his phone, computer, car keys and wallet, he wrote. She deleted every contact in his phone who wasn’t family, and tossed his crack cocaine.
The South African filmmaker slowly eased him off of drinking and arranged for a doctor to come to their Hollywood Hills apartment to help with his withdrawal. He slept for three days.
He woke up on the fourth day and asked her to marry him. She asked to wait for the right time, but when they woke up the next morning — seven days after they’d met — — she told him, “Let’s do it.”
They wed in May 2019. Their son, Beau, came along in 2020.
Last week, Hunter and his family were at the White House and traveled with President Joe Biden aboard the Marine One helicopter.
Hunter Biden details lifelong addiction struggle in memoir
https://arab.news/2wyut
Hunter Biden details lifelong addiction struggle in memoir
- He credits his second wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, with helping him sober up, along with the love from his father and late brother
What We Are Reading Today: The Disappearing Act
Author: Florence de Changy
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, carrying 239 passengers, disappeared into the night, never to be seen or heard from again.
Writing for Le Monde in the days and months after the plane’s disappearance, journalist Florence de Changy closely documented the chaotic international investigation that followed, uncovering more questions than answers.
The mystery, until now, is riddled with inconsistencies, contradictions and a lack of basic communication between authorities.
De Changy draws together countless eyewitness testimonies, press releases, independent investigative reports and expert opinion, to offer an eloquent and deeply unnerving narrative of what happened to the missing aircraft.
REVIEW: ‘S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl’ tells a story of resilience and survival
LONDON: “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl,” developed by Ukrainian studio GSC Game World, stands as both a gripping survival adventure and a reflection of real-world resistance in the face of adversity.
The game’s development faced significant challenges, with the studio partially relocating to the Czech Republic due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This struggle has imbued the game with poignant cultural references and an atmosphere shaped by the harsh realities of its creators’ circumstances.
Players assume the role of Skif, a Ukrainian Marine Corps veteran drawn into the “Zone,” a dystopian take on the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In this alternate universe, the infamous nuclear disaster unleashed not only radiation but also space-time anomalies and a host of mutated threats.
The Zone is merciless, and so is the gameplay. Stalkers — explorers of this treacherous area — must navigate its dangers in pursuit of adventure, profit or ideology. The game emphasizes survival, with a steep learning curve that demands careful planning. From radiation and traps to scarce resources and malfunctioning weapons, every step is fraught with danger. Deaths are frequent and the game tracks your fatalities, adding to the sense of vulnerability.
The game shines in its atmospheric design and mechanics. The 64 sq. km open-world setting is a stunning yet haunting playground for chaos. Weapon handling is top notch, and the enemy AI is intelligent and challenging. The various human factions and mutant creatures add layers of unpredictability to the experience, while side missions pile up in classic open-world fashion.
However, the game is not without its flaws. Some elements feel restrictive, limiting creativity in problem-solving. For instance, mutant dogs may attack you relentlessly while ignoring nearby enemies. Invisible anomalies that kill instantly and radiation-related deaths can feel arbitrary, especially early on when resources like health kits and food are scarce. Additionally, the dialogue leans on cliches, which may detract from the storytelling for some players.
Despite its challenges, “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl” offers a deeply rewarding experience for those willing to persevere. The unforgiving difficulty and grounded survival mechanics create a palpable sense of tension, while the evocative setting offers a mix of chaos and beauty. Fans of open-world games, particularly those craving a grittier and more challenging experience, will find much to appreciate.
Born out of extraordinary circumstances, it is more than just a game — it’s a testament to the resilience and creativity of its developers. Stick with it, and you will discover a truly unique title forged in the most difficult of times.
What We Are Reading Today: ‘Japan: The Natural History of an Asian Archipelago’
Author: Mark Brazil
This richly illustrated guide is the first comprehensive and accessible introduction to the extraordinary natural history of the Japanese archipelago.
It explains how Japan’s geology, geography, climate, seas and currents have forged conditions supporting a diverse range of species—from cranes, bears, eagles and monkeys to plants, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs and snakes—many of which are found nowhere else in the world.
Engaging and authoritative, this book is a must-have for anyone who wants to explore or learn about Japan’s natural wonders, from the Japanese Macaque—the famous snow monkeys—to the magnificent Steller’s Eagle.
Book Review: ‘The Condiment Book’ by Claire Dinhut
When presented with a plate of piping hot French fries, what condiment do you reach for to slather, drizzle or dip into?
If you’ve ever wondered about your choice, there is a new book that will speak to your soul.
“The Condiment Book,” published late 2024, is a comprehensive guide celebrating the unsung heroes and supporting stars of our meals.
From timeless staples like ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and butter (in their various iterations) to more adventurous hot sauces, ferments, pickles, dressings, oils and dips, the book explores the myriad ways in which condiments enhance our everyday dining. Add a little squeeze, a giant dollop or a sprinkling and it completely changes the whole meal and your experience.
Packed with recipes, flavor pairings and historical insights in an Instagrammable-ready format, each page is a love letter to a condiment.
Author Claire Dinhut, better known as “Condiment Claire,” describes herself as not a chef but a “flavor adventurer.” She has built a loyal following with her engaging content, particularly on TikTok, where she taste-tests and rates everything from jams to butters.
“This book is about curiosity,” she writes. “What excites our taste buds? How can we evoke feelings with every bite? How can we travel the world while sitting at a table?”
Dinhut begins by addressing the fundamental question: What is a condiment? She explains how the term originates from the Latin “condire,” meaning “to preserve, pickle, season, spice, render pleasant or enhance flavor.” In ancient Rome, a “condominium” referred to any sauce — an addition not strictly necessary but which always elevated the dish.
However, she clarifies: “This is not a cookbook. Instead, think of this book as a flavor manual.”
While it includes recipes for homemade condiments, Dinhut reassures readers that store-bought is perfectly fine. In her words, the book serves as a “personal diary of fun eats to tantalize our taste buds and keep life exciting.”
And it is does not simply provide a sprinkling of recipes; it delivers historical gems, too.
For instance, did you know the first ketchup had a fishy story? Originating in Hokkien Chinese as “ke-tsiap,” the original version was likely made from fermented fish. It was not until 1812 in the US that tomato ketchup as we know it made its debut.
Dinhut’s non-cookbook is an invitation to embrace curiosity, creativity, and flavor in every bite and is itself a complementary condiment for your collection of recipe books.
Book Review: ‘White Nights’ by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “White Nights” is a hauntingly beautiful novella that captures the delicate interplay of dreams and reality, love and loneliness.
Written in 1848, this early work by the Russian master offers a poignant exploration of human emotions, showcasing his remarkable ability to delve into the complexities of the heart.
Told in the first person, the novella invites readers into the world of a nameless narrator, a dreamer who yearns for connection yet struggles with isolation.
Set against the ethereal backdrop of St. Petersburg’s white nights, where the sun barely sets and time feels suspended, the story unfolds over the course of four evenings and one morning.
The narrator, a solitary figure lost in his own fantasies, encounters Nastenka, a young woman whose vitality and vulnerability draw him out of his shell.
What begins as an unlikely meeting blossoms into an intense, fleeting relationship, marked by confessions, shared hopes, and the bittersweet promise of love.
Dostoevsky’s prose is lyrical and evocative, capturing the dreamlike atmosphere of the city and the emotional turbulence of his characters. The narrator’s voice is filled with longing and naivety, his idealism and vulnerability making him both endearing and tragic.
Nastenka, meanwhile, is a figure of contrasts — at once strong-willed and dependent, hopeful and heartbroken. Together, they create a dynamic that is as tender as it is heartbreaking.
At its core, “White Nights” is a meditation on loneliness and the human desire for connection. Dostoevsky paints a vivid picture of the narrator’s internal world, a place filled with grandiose dreams but devoid of real companionship.
The fleeting relationship with Nastenka becomes a mirror for his yearning, offering him a taste of the intimacy he craves while underscoring its impermanence. Their encounters are imbued with a sense of fragility, as if the story itself might dissolve with the dawn.
The novella also explores the tension between reality and fantasy, a theme that runs through much of Dostoevsky’s work.
The narrator’s idealized view of love clashes with the complexities of Nastenka’s situation, creating a narrative that is as much about disillusionment as it is about hope.
In this way, “White Nights” reflects Dostoevsky’s early interest in the psychological struggles that would later define his great novels.
Though brief, “White Nights” is rich in emotional depth and literary beauty. It captures the universal experience of longing, the ache of unfulfilled dreams, and the bittersweet nature of human connections that are as fleeting as the white nights themselves.
For readers new to Dostoevsky, the novella serves as an accessible entry point to his work, while longtime admirers will recognize the seeds of the psychological insight and moral complexity that define his later masterpieces.
In “White Nights,” Dostoevsky creates a timeless portrait of the human spirit — its capacity for love, vulnerability to heartbreak, and endless yearning for something just out of reach.
It is a story that lingers in the mind, much like the soft glow of a St. Petersburg summer night, leaving readers both moved and reflective.
