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Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent Into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland
Chris Thrall left the Royal Marines to find fortune in Hong Kong, but following a bizarre series of jobs ended up homeless and in psychosis from crystal meth.
He began working for the 14K, a notorious crime syndicate, as a nightclub doorman in the Wan Chai red-light district, where he uncovered a vast global conspiracy and the 'Foreign Triad' - a secretive expat clique in cahoots with the Chinese gangs.
Alone and confused in the neon glare of Hong Kong's seedy backstreets, Chris was forced to survive in the world's most unforgiving city, hooked on the world's most dangerous drug.
Engaging, honest and full of Chris's irrepressible humour, this remarkable memoir combines gripping storytelling with brooding menace as the Triads begin to cast their shadow over him. The result is a truly psychotic urban nightmare...
He began working for the 14K, a notorious crime syndicate, as a nightclub doorman in the Wan Chai red-light district, where he uncovered a vast global conspiracy and the 'Foreign Triad' - a secretive expat clique in cahoots with the Chinese gangs.
Alone and confused in the neon glare of Hong Kong's seedy backstreets, Chris was forced to survive in the world's most unforgiving city, hooked on the world's most dangerous drug.
Engaging, honest and full of Chris's irrepressible humour, this remarkable memoir combines gripping storytelling with brooding menace as the Triads begin to cast their shadow over him. The result is a truly psychotic urban nightmare...
420 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2011
About the author
Chris Thrall
7books225followersChris Thrall was born in South-East London and is the host of the popular 'Bought the T-Shirt Podcast'. A former Royal Marines Commando, he served in the Northern Ireland Conflict and trained in parachuting and Arctic warfare and survival. In 2011, Chris wrote the bestselling memoir Eating Smoke, detailing his descent into crystal meth psychosis while working as a nightclub doorman for the Hong Kong triads. A qualified pilot, skydiver and keen snowboarder, Chris has explored over eighty countries across seven continents, including backpacking through all of North, South and Central America. In 2018, he ran the length of Britain, an ultramarathon a day for #999miles, unsupported and carrying a 14kg backpack, to highlight the issue of veterans suicide. In 2019, for his 50th birthday, Chris completed a quadruple ironman-distance triathlon. Chris has firewalked over red-hot coals to raise money to work with street children in Mozambique. He has driven aid workers to India and back by coach and scuba-dived in the Antarctic Polar Circle. In 2001, the Finnish Nation awarded Chris their Second Level Commendation on the grounds of human generosity. He has a degree in youth work and is a life coach and addiction specialist. Chris lives with his partner and son in the UK and plans to continue adventuring and charity work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 18, 2017
Chris Thrall’s memoir Eating Smoke (sensationally subtitled One Man’s Descent Into Drug Psychosis In Hong Kong’s Triad Heartland) was published in 2011 but resparked buzz last year when the book was adapted into a radio dramatization for Hong Kong’s RTHK station.
The memoir is about Thrall’s time in Hong Kong in the 90s when he found himself addicted to ice—that is, methamphetamine—and indeed written in the style one would expect while on speed.
It is a dazzling ride, full of flowing neon and inebriation. First, the British Royal Marine suddenly quits his military position and moves abroad with dreams of making it big in the business world. Before he knows it, his business fails and he has to start hustling. The bulk of the story consists of jumping from one sketchy employment opportunity to the next, constantly maneuvering through new scams which grow increasingly desperate. He stays in the infamous Chungking Mansions, then hangs out among the hippie scene on Lamma Island where it starts out innocently enough with some strong weed, and ends up in the seediest parts of Wan Chai addicted to crystal.
“Quiss” Thrall meets a seemingly never-ending parade of colorful characters who live on the very edge of Hong Kong society, the caliber getting lower and lower as he is dragged down to the dregs. But there are so many he meets that it becomes difficult for the reader to follow what’s going on after a while.
The subtitle of the book declares his descent into the “Triad Heartland”, but the part when he becomes a doorman for a Triad-connected club is just one section among many, which comes rather late in the book. The stakes do get higher as threats of violence and death race towards the climax.
The radio drama, an audiobook really, overall can be quite superior to the book because as an edited abridged version it can get to the point quickly and highlight the best sections. Many odd jobs are skipped over in order to focus on the Triad and drug-crazed scenes. I did miss some, such as the English-teaching episode, although that is a story that has been told before. The unique nature of Thrall’s perspective is worth focusing on, though my personal favorite was the weekend-long DJing gig in China which unfortunately didn’t make it to the radio for some reason.
The narration from RTHK is excellent, with acting that can be funny when necessary as well as solemn, and always powerful. One noted part details the time a woman passed out due to a possible overdose at the club, Thrall calls an ambulance but the boss coldly stated he just wanted her thrown out. Stories like these are best listened to and not only read, so be sure to download the free podcasts…
For the most part, Thrall remains likable through it all until perhaps the finale of the memoir when he descends deeper into madness. His greatest talent is his ability to get by in Cantonese, which grants him a window into an authentic world which most foreigners never get to see. Eating Smoke is a fascinating insight into 1990s Hong Kong that readers and listeners from all over the world would do well to appreciate.
The memoir is about Thrall’s time in Hong Kong in the 90s when he found himself addicted to ice—that is, methamphetamine—and indeed written in the style one would expect while on speed.
It is a dazzling ride, full of flowing neon and inebriation. First, the British Royal Marine suddenly quits his military position and moves abroad with dreams of making it big in the business world. Before he knows it, his business fails and he has to start hustling. The bulk of the story consists of jumping from one sketchy employment opportunity to the next, constantly maneuvering through new scams which grow increasingly desperate. He stays in the infamous Chungking Mansions, then hangs out among the hippie scene on Lamma Island where it starts out innocently enough with some strong weed, and ends up in the seediest parts of Wan Chai addicted to crystal.
“Quiss” Thrall meets a seemingly never-ending parade of colorful characters who live on the very edge of Hong Kong society, the caliber getting lower and lower as he is dragged down to the dregs. But there are so many he meets that it becomes difficult for the reader to follow what’s going on after a while.
The subtitle of the book declares his descent into the “Triad Heartland”, but the part when he becomes a doorman for a Triad-connected club is just one section among many, which comes rather late in the book. The stakes do get higher as threats of violence and death race towards the climax.
The radio drama, an audiobook really, overall can be quite superior to the book because as an edited abridged version it can get to the point quickly and highlight the best sections. Many odd jobs are skipped over in order to focus on the Triad and drug-crazed scenes. I did miss some, such as the English-teaching episode, although that is a story that has been told before. The unique nature of Thrall’s perspective is worth focusing on, though my personal favorite was the weekend-long DJing gig in China which unfortunately didn’t make it to the radio for some reason.
The narration from RTHK is excellent, with acting that can be funny when necessary as well as solemn, and always powerful. One noted part details the time a woman passed out due to a possible overdose at the club, Thrall calls an ambulance but the boss coldly stated he just wanted her thrown out. Stories like these are best listened to and not only read, so be sure to download the free podcasts…
For the most part, Thrall remains likable through it all until perhaps the finale of the memoir when he descends deeper into madness. His greatest talent is his ability to get by in Cantonese, which grants him a window into an authentic world which most foreigners never get to see. Eating Smoke is a fascinating insight into 1990s Hong Kong that readers and listeners from all over the world would do well to appreciate.
December 12, 2014
I rarely pre-order books due to an incident a while ago involving a dodgy publisher...BUT...I pre-ordered this book and I couldn't wait for it to be delivered to my Kindle.
I've heard how Meth destroys peoples lives and I tend to enjoy reading about real life, gangs, the underworld and so forth...Sooooo, when I was browsing Amazon one day I stumbled onto this book and was highly intrigued about the title "Eating Smoke".
Sometimes it's hard to believe what people do during their life and how they survived certain life events...This was really no different! I was hooked by the writers style of writing, the truth behind it, the down right grittiness of it, the OMG moments and a few other things I don't wish to spoil for others.
Chris thought he could make his millions in China leaving a life behind in the military...His life quickly span out of control when he was introduced to some little crystals aka Meth. He basically lived a life of getting fired from job to job because of his meth addiction. Nothing lasted very long in his life, relationships often failed, friendships died off and then the paranoia from all the meth started to play a big part in his life. Things really took a turn for the worst when the "voices" entered his head among other things.
The thing that stuck out in my head the most was the condensed milk and fruit bread because it's what he craved after coming off a meth high...Talk about sugar rush to diabetes.
I also loved reading the Chinese through out the book and the translations next to it...I know very little about Hong Kong and the language they speak but this was a small eye opener...Even if much of it was full of delusions.
Very glad I pre-ordered this novel!
I've heard how Meth destroys peoples lives and I tend to enjoy reading about real life, gangs, the underworld and so forth...Sooooo, when I was browsing Amazon one day I stumbled onto this book and was highly intrigued about the title "Eating Smoke".
Sometimes it's hard to believe what people do during their life and how they survived certain life events...This was really no different! I was hooked by the writers style of writing, the truth behind it, the down right grittiness of it, the OMG moments and a few other things I don't wish to spoil for others.
Chris thought he could make his millions in China leaving a life behind in the military...His life quickly span out of control when he was introduced to some little crystals aka Meth. He basically lived a life of getting fired from job to job because of his meth addiction. Nothing lasted very long in his life, relationships often failed, friendships died off and then the paranoia from all the meth started to play a big part in his life. Things really took a turn for the worst when the "voices" entered his head among other things.
The thing that stuck out in my head the most was the condensed milk and fruit bread because it's what he craved after coming off a meth high...Talk about sugar rush to diabetes.
I also loved reading the Chinese through out the book and the translations next to it...I know very little about Hong Kong and the language they speak but this was a small eye opener...Even if much of it was full of delusions.
Very glad I pre-ordered this novel!
September 15, 2015
Decent story about an ex-military gweilo who comes to Hong Kong, falls into some rough times in Wanchai and gets hooked on crystal meth while working as a bar bouncer. If you've ever spent time as a foreigner in the Pearl of the Orient, you'll be able to relate to a lot of what Chris is describing here. The rough and tumble, gotta-make-money-or-die-trying nature of Hong Kong, the greasy expats that spend way too much time in dirty bars hitting on local girls and Filipinas, the way so many down-on-their-luck folks get hooked on drugs in this city because the nightlife scene can be so fast and heavy at times... It's all described in good detail here, and even though Chris is sometimes overly verbose (and certainly in need of an editor) he does have a knack for slapping together a vivid picture of the Fragrant Harbor's underbelly.
My main beef with this book, however, is how it was marketed. There's a blurb on the cover that this is the story of "one man's descent into drug psychosis in Hong Kong's triad heartland," and the back summary makes a big deal of how Chris was always in danger, working closely with numerous members of the 14K triad. Unfortunately, what's presented in the novel is a lot less glamorous. Chris does work at a bar which seems to be triad-owned, but he doesn't really interact with these dudes much and most of the time he's actually stuck in the midst of a meth-created paranoia, IMAGINING that the triads are out to get him. The entire last half of the book actually becomes more and more incoherent as Chris spirals out of control and can't separate fact from fiction, and while this is a pretty nifty literary trick (and would make for a cool psychedelic movie), Eating Smoke's advertising and opening chapter makes it seem like the author was fighting for his life on the mean HK streets, taking down triad assassins who wanted to kill his expat ass and living a life truly teetering on the edge. In reality...no, he was just high all the time, and kind of lost his marbles for a while before finally packing up and moving back to the UK.
Is this a decent tale of morality and what can happen to one poor fella on drugs? Yep. A gripping work of crime fiction "in Hong Kong's triad heartland?" Ehhh...not so much.
My main beef with this book, however, is how it was marketed. There's a blurb on the cover that this is the story of "one man's descent into drug psychosis in Hong Kong's triad heartland," and the back summary makes a big deal of how Chris was always in danger, working closely with numerous members of the 14K triad. Unfortunately, what's presented in the novel is a lot less glamorous. Chris does work at a bar which seems to be triad-owned, but he doesn't really interact with these dudes much and most of the time he's actually stuck in the midst of a meth-created paranoia, IMAGINING that the triads are out to get him. The entire last half of the book actually becomes more and more incoherent as Chris spirals out of control and can't separate fact from fiction, and while this is a pretty nifty literary trick (and would make for a cool psychedelic movie), Eating Smoke's advertising and opening chapter makes it seem like the author was fighting for his life on the mean HK streets, taking down triad assassins who wanted to kill his expat ass and living a life truly teetering on the edge. In reality...no, he was just high all the time, and kind of lost his marbles for a while before finally packing up and moving back to the UK.
Is this a decent tale of morality and what can happen to one poor fella on drugs? Yep. A gripping work of crime fiction "in Hong Kong's triad heartland?" Ehhh...not so much.
October 6, 2011
When Chris Thrall left England for Hong Kong in search of his fortune and fame, the outcome he received was most likely not the one that he had hoped for. Leaving a career in the military, he hurried out to Hong Kong to capitalize on a booming business, ready to entertain the wealthy and make a fortune. While he found a fun-loving group of friends, he also found the potent and dangerous drug, crystal meth. This blunt and entertaining read is the story of Mr.Thrall’s coming of age the hard way, and I mean hard.
Filled with ambition and the confidence that he could succeed in a new country, Chris begins his career in the business world only to realize that his need for adventure is not being met. He turns to the nightclub world, doing stints as a DJ as well as a doorman. During this time, Chris gives an honest and heartfelt impression of the inside of Hong Kong ethos, throwing little tidbits in while he’s making every effort to remain respectful of a culture in which he is the ex-pat. However, the drug takes a deeper hold on him and makes it impossible for him to remain long in each job, and his friends come and go. He ends up working for a club run by triads, and as his addiction increases he plays a dangerous game of inadvertently offending the most feared group in Hong Kong.
Chris does an exceptional job portraying his decline into the deepest forms of addiction. Once a self-assured go-getter, he becomes a shell of the man he once was to the point where his friends begin to fear him, his employers have no choice but to release him, and the locals all know of him. His confused and paranoid thoughts leave the reader confused and paranoid as well, all the while hoping that things will eventually get better for our hapless hero. Ever the survivor, Chris takes matters into his own hands, standing up to the triads’ games, facing his problem and fighting to take control back. We are left cheering on our tormented protagonist as he stands on the ledge of death or survival, eagerly praying he makes the right choice.
This is a great, fast-paced and engaging read where one will laugh, cry and shiver with fear right along with Mr. Thrall all the way through.
Filled with ambition and the confidence that he could succeed in a new country, Chris begins his career in the business world only to realize that his need for adventure is not being met. He turns to the nightclub world, doing stints as a DJ as well as a doorman. During this time, Chris gives an honest and heartfelt impression of the inside of Hong Kong ethos, throwing little tidbits in while he’s making every effort to remain respectful of a culture in which he is the ex-pat. However, the drug takes a deeper hold on him and makes it impossible for him to remain long in each job, and his friends come and go. He ends up working for a club run by triads, and as his addiction increases he plays a dangerous game of inadvertently offending the most feared group in Hong Kong.
Chris does an exceptional job portraying his decline into the deepest forms of addiction. Once a self-assured go-getter, he becomes a shell of the man he once was to the point where his friends begin to fear him, his employers have no choice but to release him, and the locals all know of him. His confused and paranoid thoughts leave the reader confused and paranoid as well, all the while hoping that things will eventually get better for our hapless hero. Ever the survivor, Chris takes matters into his own hands, standing up to the triads’ games, facing his problem and fighting to take control back. We are left cheering on our tormented protagonist as he stands on the ledge of death or survival, eagerly praying he makes the right choice.
This is a great, fast-paced and engaging read where one will laugh, cry and shiver with fear right along with Mr. Thrall all the way through.
April 5, 2012
Chris Thrall is a young man with extraordinary gifts - gifts that I hope have survived the terrible psychotic breakdown that he experienced after living on little else but drugs, it would seem, for a year in Hong Kong. Other reviewers have mentioned the humour, but what, for me, was the most remarkable part of this tale was the way reality and paranoia merged. The slip from normality to madness was extremely well portrayed. I will throw books away after a few chapters if they don't grab me - this had me grabbed right to the end. As someone who knows Hong Kong well, I learnt quite a bit that was new. My own book King Hui: The Man Who Owned All the Opium in Hong Kong was a street-view tale of Hong Kong up to the early 1990s - Chris Thrall's book adds an important element to the continuing story of that extraordinary city, Hong Kong
May 1, 2012
An hallucinating journey fantastically written! Congratulations Chris, on your talent, and your courage!
April 2, 2023
I’ve read a few drug/prison/crime memoirs based in Asia but, even by these standards (especially the first 1/3 of the book) the author seems particularly unlikeable. Still by the end (and after learning more about Chris Thrall’s quite incredible life) you start to get more and more into it. A bit of a chaotic book without a clear “storyline” but ultimately an interesting account of nightclub life in HK in the mid 90s.
November 11, 2012
Chris Thrall’s “Eating Smoke” is a fascinating, beautifully written account of a British Royal Marine’s descent into methamphetamine addiction. Thrall is adept at description -- the hustle and bustle of the city of Hong Kong, and the dope fiends and hard-drinking expats he hung out with come alive as the story unfolds. Chris is so likeable and funny that readers will find themselves spinning out with him, but clinging desperately to the hope that he will get his head straight. The author has captured the turmoil and paranoia of crank addiction, accurately depicting the inner workings of an active addict’s mind in downward spiral, no surprise considering he not only has experienced it personally but is himself an addiction professional.
I hold four professional certifications in addiction treatment, and have worked as a program counselor with homeless veterans in San Francisco. “Eating Smoke” contains glimpses of the military mindset, the courage, resilience, and discipline I witnessed in so many of my clients who emerged victorious from the struggle with addiction.
I’m not a veteran of the military, but I am a veteran of crystal meth addiction and homelessness, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I can say that in describing drug psychosis, Chris Thrall got the crazy shit right!
I had a lot of fun reading the British pop culture references along the way, and I got a big kick out of trying to translate some of the Brit street slang. I noticed that dope fiend references are apparently universal, something that, as a recovering addict, I personally found oddly endearing.
Marti MacGibbon, author of “Never Give in to Fear: Laughing All the Way Up from Rock Bottom
I hold four professional certifications in addiction treatment, and have worked as a program counselor with homeless veterans in San Francisco. “Eating Smoke” contains glimpses of the military mindset, the courage, resilience, and discipline I witnessed in so many of my clients who emerged victorious from the struggle with addiction.
I’m not a veteran of the military, but I am a veteran of crystal meth addiction and homelessness, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I can say that in describing drug psychosis, Chris Thrall got the crazy shit right!
I had a lot of fun reading the British pop culture references along the way, and I got a big kick out of trying to translate some of the Brit street slang. I noticed that dope fiend references are apparently universal, something that, as a recovering addict, I personally found oddly endearing.
Marti MacGibbon, author of “Never Give in to Fear: Laughing All the Way Up from Rock Bottom
June 14, 2012
Chris Thrall. Should be Chris Thrill.
A Brilliant book. Once I started it I couldn't put it down.
It has exemplary pacing, is completely engaging and The tone he writes in is honest, sometimes sad, and sometimes humoursous, and it has a wealth of winning detail.
Chris uses such verve, enthusiasm and faultless comic timing that it is hard not to be swept along.
Sometimes when a person comes close to death, they find their soul.
Chris Thrall shows us his in what is bound to be a best seller.
An inspirational read.
A Brilliant book. Once I started it I couldn't put it down.
It has exemplary pacing, is completely engaging and The tone he writes in is honest, sometimes sad, and sometimes humoursous, and it has a wealth of winning detail.
Chris uses such verve, enthusiasm and faultless comic timing that it is hard not to be swept along.
Sometimes when a person comes close to death, they find their soul.
Chris Thrall shows us his in what is bound to be a best seller.
An inspirational read.
February 9, 2013
Completely gripping read about the transition between reality and a drug induced psychosis. Told with humour and honesty you can't help feeling sympathy with Chris and the path he took in Hong Kong in Clubland. Its a brave thing to be so honest about making some bad choices and skill to allow you to experience that shift in reality to the mental breakdown caused by crystal meth. It was actually really informative too about the Hong Kong psyche and complex social rules that govern the triads.
August 7, 2022
Read this for researching a writing project. Certainly an eye opener. Moral to this: don’t take drugs or work with underworld crime groups.
3.5 stars ✨
3.5 stars ✨
May 18, 2015
Amazon Review from Andrew Carter
I read Eating Smoke when I was living in Hong Kong so it had that added interest for me. At the time it was doing the rounds among my friends and colleagues and I'd only heard good things so picked up a copy.
I finished it over a weekend. Chris Thrall writes with such clever pacing and wit that you are immediately drawn in.The start of the book is interesting in itself; a twenty something marine starting a new chapter in his life by moving to Hong Kong in the mid nineties. There are some amusing accounts of his relationship with the locals (he writes in the Chinese accent particularly accurately! ''Kwissa!'') - and there are some very funny depictions of the loopholes in expatriate employment in Hong Kong, as Chris finds work, with a burger-flipper cum project manager.
As the title suggests, we know that things do not all go smoothly in this memoir. Getting into crystal methamphetamine is of course, a pretty serious thing to happen, but the way Chris writes about it shows that despite the stigma attached to the drug, circumstances can unfold where normal (ish!) people can find themselves involved and quickly going down a slippery slope. Having lived in Wan Chai, I can say from first hand that Chris' representation of it's bars, clubs and alleyways is second to none and if you haven't been to Hong Kong, he paints a very accurate picture of it for you!
Whilst drugs are a major theme of the book, the adventures that Chris finds himself in as a parallel are fascinating and incredibly varied! Working with the Triads, teaching English, DJing in a superclub in China and much more! It's an incredibly unpredictable memoir, which despite it's dark subject matter and dangerous situations, will only be a paragraph away from making you laugh at any time.
He writes with such wit and honesty that you really feel part of the story and as Eating Smoke develops and his mental health deteriorates, you begin to wonder how much is in Chris' head and how much is actually happening. It becomes a rather unsettling blurring of lines but nonetheless, incredibly absorbing and you will find yourself flying through this book in no time at all.
This is the best book I have read set in Hong Kong and I would recommend it to anyone who lives there or has been there. Actually, scrap that, I would recommend it to anyone! A great read.
I read Eating Smoke when I was living in Hong Kong so it had that added interest for me. At the time it was doing the rounds among my friends and colleagues and I'd only heard good things so picked up a copy.
I finished it over a weekend. Chris Thrall writes with such clever pacing and wit that you are immediately drawn in.The start of the book is interesting in itself; a twenty something marine starting a new chapter in his life by moving to Hong Kong in the mid nineties. There are some amusing accounts of his relationship with the locals (he writes in the Chinese accent particularly accurately! ''Kwissa!'') - and there are some very funny depictions of the loopholes in expatriate employment in Hong Kong, as Chris finds work, with a burger-flipper cum project manager.
As the title suggests, we know that things do not all go smoothly in this memoir. Getting into crystal methamphetamine is of course, a pretty serious thing to happen, but the way Chris writes about it shows that despite the stigma attached to the drug, circumstances can unfold where normal (ish!) people can find themselves involved and quickly going down a slippery slope. Having lived in Wan Chai, I can say from first hand that Chris' representation of it's bars, clubs and alleyways is second to none and if you haven't been to Hong Kong, he paints a very accurate picture of it for you!
Whilst drugs are a major theme of the book, the adventures that Chris finds himself in as a parallel are fascinating and incredibly varied! Working with the Triads, teaching English, DJing in a superclub in China and much more! It's an incredibly unpredictable memoir, which despite it's dark subject matter and dangerous situations, will only be a paragraph away from making you laugh at any time.
He writes with such wit and honesty that you really feel part of the story and as Eating Smoke develops and his mental health deteriorates, you begin to wonder how much is in Chris' head and how much is actually happening. It becomes a rather unsettling blurring of lines but nonetheless, incredibly absorbing and you will find yourself flying through this book in no time at all.
This is the best book I have read set in Hong Kong and I would recommend it to anyone who lives there or has been there. Actually, scrap that, I would recommend it to anyone! A great read.
August 26, 2011
This book works on so many levels. For starters, Chris Thrall's character is very sympathetic throughout the book: on his first two trips to Hong Kong, at the end of his seven-year career in the Royal Marines, and during his roller-coaster ride through Hong Kong during the bulk of his story.
Not since Richard Mason’s The World of Suzie Wong (Collins, 1957) and Han Bangqing’s The Sing-Song Girls of Shanghai (Columbia University Press, 2005 [first published in 1892]) has a writer taken such an in-depth look into a Chinese red-light district. Thrall brings the reader smack dab in the middle of Hong Kong’s colorful Wan Chai district, which includes local Chinese, but also other Asian nationals, Caucasians, and Africans.
And that’s another thing I love about this book. Thrall floats between these different worlds and is just as comfortable in expat crowds as he is in local ones. Unlike stereotypical Caucasian expats, he doesn’t look down on anyone and develops his closest friendships with locals.
People always say the teenage years are difficult and awkward. But once folks reach their twenties they’re suddenly expected to become well-adjusted and focused adults. In Eating Smoke, Thrall honestly delves into the insecurities and inner struggles most twenty-somethings experience. So his story will resonate whether or not you’ve battled controlled substance addiction.
Not since Richard Mason’s The World of Suzie Wong (Collins, 1957) and Han Bangqing’s The Sing-Song Girls of Shanghai (Columbia University Press, 2005 [first published in 1892]) has a writer taken such an in-depth look into a Chinese red-light district. Thrall brings the reader smack dab in the middle of Hong Kong’s colorful Wan Chai district, which includes local Chinese, but also other Asian nationals, Caucasians, and Africans.
And that’s another thing I love about this book. Thrall floats between these different worlds and is just as comfortable in expat crowds as he is in local ones. Unlike stereotypical Caucasian expats, he doesn’t look down on anyone and develops his closest friendships with locals.
People always say the teenage years are difficult and awkward. But once folks reach their twenties they’re suddenly expected to become well-adjusted and focused adults. In Eating Smoke, Thrall honestly delves into the insecurities and inner struggles most twenty-somethings experience. So his story will resonate whether or not you’ve battled controlled substance addiction.
December 11, 2011
What a fabulous read. This book definitely leads you into the descent into drug psychosis as you watch helplessly as Chris Thrall spirals out of control and is seemingly unaware of his ability to grasp reality. It all starts swimmingly for Chris Thrall who is forever optimistic when he heads to Hong Kong to become wealthy off a business venture only a young and naive individual would think would be successful. When this unsurprisingly fails, Chris (or Quiss as his Chinese or Filipino friends refer to him) finds a job that hires basically anyone as long as they are white. You are introduced to strange characters in this job from schizophrenic Neil to his outrageous boss. Things take a turn for the worse or in Chris's eyes for the best when he is introduced to crystal meth (ice). He begins to make numerous social faux pas and starts rapidly losing job after job. It almost appears that he is completely clueless to the reason that is and due to his increasing paranoia that ensues from his using, he blames all of his problems on imaginary conspiracies against him by the Chinese. The reader will sometimes wonder how real ANY of it all is because Chris is rarely if ever sober so what he thinks happened in a conversation; most likely didn't. Good read. As he described himself in the book, he is the perfect character for the "Just Say No."
September 10, 2014
This book came to my attention via social media. After several days of seeing it show up on Twitter and Facebook I decided to purchase a copy.
I was expecting a sad tale, as I have seen crystal meth addicts on television on their death bed and trying to warn others not to go down this road.
The book was informative about the mindset of the author during his stay in Hong Kong, but more than that it was funny. I have never taken drugs or been to Hong Kong, nor have I served in the military. However, my husband served in the United States Marine Corp, my father served in the Army during the Korean War or action, and my oldest son served in the Navy during the war in Iraq. I know a little bit about the military mindset. This book had me anticipating the next problem that Chris would solve and hoping he didn't run afoul of the dangerous elements of Hong Kong. This is a must read book for its insights into British owned Hong Kong, drugs and the problems they cause, and the way a Royal Marine faces challenges.
I was expecting a sad tale, as I have seen crystal meth addicts on television on their death bed and trying to warn others not to go down this road.
The book was informative about the mindset of the author during his stay in Hong Kong, but more than that it was funny. I have never taken drugs or been to Hong Kong, nor have I served in the military. However, my husband served in the United States Marine Corp, my father served in the Army during the Korean War or action, and my oldest son served in the Navy during the war in Iraq. I know a little bit about the military mindset. This book had me anticipating the next problem that Chris would solve and hoping he didn't run afoul of the dangerous elements of Hong Kong. This is a must read book for its insights into British owned Hong Kong, drugs and the problems they cause, and the way a Royal Marine faces challenges.
November 22, 2014
EATING SMOKE
I've read many books on drugs and drug addicts; some good, some not. This book happens to be great. This is the true story of a young man who moves to Hong Kong, hoping to make his fortune. Instead, he discovers crystal meth, and pretty much becomes immediately addicted. Anyone who has ever been addicted to meth knows that it pretty much gets a hold of you almost immediately. Chris Thrall, the author of this book, was no exception. He holds back nothing on his roller coaster ride of smoking meth, plus some other drugs to fill in between meth fixes.
This is a terrifically written book, with lots of extremely interesting whom people he meets at the many jobs he works over his 13 months in Hong Kong.
I really loved this book because the author just tells us what happened to him, and why it did. If you enjoy drug memoirs, like I do, I highly recommend EATING SMOKE!! This is a solid 5 star book.
Thank you, Mr. Thrall, for writing such an honest book. You have a lot of guts, and I wish you nothing but the best!!
I've read many books on drugs and drug addicts; some good, some not. This book happens to be great. This is the true story of a young man who moves to Hong Kong, hoping to make his fortune. Instead, he discovers crystal meth, and pretty much becomes immediately addicted. Anyone who has ever been addicted to meth knows that it pretty much gets a hold of you almost immediately. Chris Thrall, the author of this book, was no exception. He holds back nothing on his roller coaster ride of smoking meth, plus some other drugs to fill in between meth fixes.
This is a terrifically written book, with lots of extremely interesting whom people he meets at the many jobs he works over his 13 months in Hong Kong.
I really loved this book because the author just tells us what happened to him, and why it did. If you enjoy drug memoirs, like I do, I highly recommend EATING SMOKE!! This is a solid 5 star book.
Thank you, Mr. Thrall, for writing such an honest book. You have a lot of guts, and I wish you nothing but the best!!
April 10, 2012
A former Royal Marine trying to find his place in life. Running to Hong Kong using all of the resources on the table would've been my same thought if I were in the same position.
Ultimately, circumstances didnt work out as planned and his experience slipped into the realm of paranoia from drug psychosis.
What hooked me was I could relate to it as it seemed similar to my own life. I may not be a marine as they wouldnt accept a cancer survivor into their ranks, but I understand how hard it is to come out of a life changing experience and attempt to integrate into a civilian life.
Chris Thrall's memoir of his adventures in Hong Kong remind me of my own adventures and experiences in China when sometimes I felt like strangling my employer for never paying me for my labor. His book is an inspiration to me and I hope someday soon I will find the spare time needed to cough up my own memoir.
Ultimately, circumstances didnt work out as planned and his experience slipped into the realm of paranoia from drug psychosis.
What hooked me was I could relate to it as it seemed similar to my own life. I may not be a marine as they wouldnt accept a cancer survivor into their ranks, but I understand how hard it is to come out of a life changing experience and attempt to integrate into a civilian life.
Chris Thrall's memoir of his adventures in Hong Kong remind me of my own adventures and experiences in China when sometimes I felt like strangling my employer for never paying me for my labor. His book is an inspiration to me and I hope someday soon I will find the spare time needed to cough up my own memoir.
September 25, 2019
Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye.
These words perfectly summarize Thrall's novel. Every page is packed with new characters constantly being introduced, only to leave in the next paragraph and never be heard from again. A typical chapter has the main character going to a job where he meets new co-workers, all of which are vehemently described in both their appearance and characteristics. At one point he introduces 5 new people at once, and reading it I thought I better pay attention so that I would remember who all these characters were, but it was all for nothing as 3 of them disappeared the very instant the author was done with their descriptions.
The whole book feels like an unedited diary by someone who wanted to remember as much about their day as they possibly could, without any concern about what might be interesting to the reader or what drives the story forward. But there's a limit to how many times I can read about how good a bowl of noodles taste.
These words perfectly summarize Thrall's novel. Every page is packed with new characters constantly being introduced, only to leave in the next paragraph and never be heard from again. A typical chapter has the main character going to a job where he meets new co-workers, all of which are vehemently described in both their appearance and characteristics. At one point he introduces 5 new people at once, and reading it I thought I better pay attention so that I would remember who all these characters were, but it was all for nothing as 3 of them disappeared the very instant the author was done with their descriptions.
The whole book feels like an unedited diary by someone who wanted to remember as much about their day as they possibly could, without any concern about what might be interesting to the reader or what drives the story forward. But there's a limit to how many times I can read about how good a bowl of noodles taste.
January 12, 2012
Eating Smoke is a gritty true story of a young man who leaves the Royal Army for a better life in Hong Kong, or so he thought. Chris Thrall finds that life in Hong Kong is full of drugs, prostitution and the Triads and is not a particularly great place to be. As his addiction to crystal meth leaps out of control, he finds himself homeless, doing more and more meth, not taking care of his body and becoming extremely paranoid. I found this story to be sad, emotional and happy at the same time. Sad because of what the drug does to the body. Emotional because I can not imagine anyone living a life like that. Happy because Chris left Hong Kong and is now off drugs and living a much better life. I think this book should be read by anyone, whether you or someone you know is addicted to any substance or you just want a great non fiction book to read.
July 19, 2016
I could NOT put this book down. A gripping read that takes you through some bizarre and terrifying events as psychosis takes hold and becomes more and more intense. I have read numerous books about personal experiences of addiction and mental illness, most of which I have found immensely brave and raw, but no other memoir has unnerved me quite as much as this. You were right in the middle of the madness in a far away land just willing him to get help. Combining addiction, mental illness and the Hong Kong underworld makes Chris Thrall's experience simply terrifying. The idea of meth addiction on its own is frightening but combined with the environment he was in....It's quite a trippy experience just reading it!
June 28, 2012
This book had a very unexpected effect; while reading it I actually had the most bizarre sensation of speeding on some sort of substance stronger than my usual caffeine. This continued throughout the book, causing me to feel oddly at home in this frightening world where the author lived and very nearly died.
This is more than a cautionary tale. This book is an amazing bird's eye view into a world that hopefully you will never go. You may find, like I, that you want to know more once you finish reading this book. I hope the author considers writing another. There is much more he can tell.
This is more than a cautionary tale. This book is an amazing bird's eye view into a world that hopefully you will never go. You may find, like I, that you want to know more once you finish reading this book. I hope the author considers writing another. There is much more he can tell.
August 8, 2015
As a former Hong Kong expat myself, I found this book to be a highly entertaining read and and a very accurate portrayal of the side of Hong Kong that most tourist never see... One of my all time favorites!
March 14, 2013
Excellent insight into the real life drug world, excellent.
June 28, 2014
well written and overall a good read but I did find myself losing interest at times
April 7, 2014
Absolutely fabulous book. More insight into a collectivist culture than any anthropological study. Similar to Shantaram but much much better.
February 23, 2019
One of the funnest and at times disturbing true reads. Well worth it.
November 20, 2018
It seemed to take forever for me to receive this book and I actually thought I was never going to. But it did arrive and I was surprised to find it actually came from Hong Kong. I found the book to be a very engaging account of the authors life dealing with drug addiction. Very well worth the read and the wait it took to get to me. Memoirs are among the top three of my favorite genres to read. Author does an excellent job taking the reader and putting them right there with him. Thumbs up on this one!!!
FTC Advisory: I recieved this copy of "
Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent Into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland "from" LibraryThing "thru" Early Review Program ". No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
FTC Advisory: I recieved this copy of "
Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent Into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland "from" LibraryThing "thru" Early Review Program ". No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
July 25, 2017
pretty entertaining and vivid but the annoying feeling of white adverturist in a weird wacky world never leaves. hes an ex british soldier who clearly writes from the perspective of a white man in hong kong and it gets really old the way he describes every single chinese person. we get it, youre white.
im a sucker for a good drug memoir, though, and its not that relentlessly racist--some of the people in the book are even treated like people, sometimes. its worth a read if youve got nothing better to do.
im a sucker for a good drug memoir, though, and its not that relentlessly racist--some of the people in the book are even treated like people, sometimes. its worth a read if youve got nothing better to do.
January 14, 2020
It took me so long to finish this book because it never felt like there was anything drawing me in, I wasn’t particularly interested in needing to know what happens next. It was okay, the last few chapters were good, like others have mentioned, the gangs and working as a doorman that are mentioned in the description of this book doesn’t start being mentioned until like 75% of the way through so the beginning is a bit slow.
July 26, 2018
Initially interesting ended up being page after page of the same paranoid nonsense without resolution. Characters came and went with hints on their means of sustenance without finding out answers and then book abruptly ends without any story on how author kicked his habit.
Mainly interesting for a glimpse into pre-handover oHong Kong
Mainly interesting for a glimpse into pre-handover oHong Kong
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