Blown Away

This memoir by Richard Boothby explores a father's profound grief and his quest for understanding after losing his son to addiction and suicide.

In Blown Away, Richard Boothby shares a deeply personal and powerful memoir that chronicles his heart-wrenching journey after the tragic loss of his son, Oliver, to addiction and suicide. Fifteen years ago, a devastating phone call from his ex-wife shattered Richard's world, revealing that their twenty-three-year-old son had taken his own life. Although he had been bracing for such news due to Oliver's ongoing struggles with drug dependency, the reality of that moment was overwhelming and left him grappling with profound grief and questions that seemed impossible to answer.

Desperate to understand the reasons behind Oliver's death, Richard becomes consumed by the need to uncover the truth. Was Oliver's suicide a result of self-medication for an undiagnosed mental illness? This quest for understanding leads him to engage in psychoanalysis, an area he was already familiar with as a philosophy professor. However, this journey is not merely academic; it is a deeply emotional exploration of pain, loss, and ultimately, acceptance. Through therapy and psychedelic experiences, Boothby gradually learns to embrace the unknown and finds a renewed appreciation for life.

Blown Away delves into the broader societal issues of substance abuse and gun violence, all while maintaining an intimate focus on personal grief. Boothby’s poignant reflections illustrate how the death of a loved one can paradoxically deepen our connection to them and ourselves, offering insights that resonate far beyond his own experience.