Book excerpt: Black Tar is an autobiographical look at the use of black tar heroin and the toll it takes on the addict and his surroundings. It is written from an addict's perspective and details the day to day existence of one junkie as he lives from fix to fix and watches as his life spirals into uncontrollable drug addiction. From alcoholism, pills, and cocaine to black tar heroin. His attempts to free himself and live a sober life are always half-hearted at best and so his casual drug use spirals from a clean life, with a job and the hope of a family to a heroin addict; homeless, living hand to mouth - unemployed and desperate on the streets. In this smack tinted world, the extremes for a junkie are simple: Heroin abuse and death by overdose. This book deals with drug abuse and drug addiction. Especially Black Tar heroin. Also known as smack, junk, boy, and girl. It also deals with heroin withdrawal and follows our main man as he suffers through his share of both. Ultimately he finds himself dangling between the heroin that will kill him and sobriety.