Written by Sam Brown.

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An entirely true account, The Real Story follows a 5-year-old boy and his manic father on a wild, traumatic, inspirational trek through the Alaskan wilderness. Setting out with no plan or proper gear, the two find themselves hitchhiking along Alaska's lonely highways, stalked by a pack of howling wolves, homeless, and caught in the passenger seat of a high-speed deathtrap with a truck driver intent on killing them both.

 

Across their journey, we see a child who realizes that no one can protect him. That his father’s passion and spontaneity comes at a price. His Dad’s lessons on survival teach self-reliance, but also cross the line into neglect. Following the summer, the boy returns home to his normal life and starts first grade, but only after being burdened with the unfair weight of a secret pact he made with his father.  

 

This is my story. My heart and soul are woven into this collection of writing. (My heart and soul are woven into this collection of dark, witty, and honest short stories.)

 

Alaska made me. There were knife fights. Public fucking.  And upon returning home to my normal life in New Jersey I was burdened with the unfair weight of a secret pact I made with my father.  

 

Honest, unapologetic, and darkly humorous, The Real Story follows my struggles through post-traumatic stress disorder, leading to my checkered life of drug smuggling, MMA fighting, and corporate fraud. In this self-help/ true-crime thriller, readers are given open permission and transparency to view my recovery in real time. As I inspect my harsh childhood memories, overcome suffocating emotional pain, find forgiveness for my father, and presently strive to build a purposeful life.  With flash-forwards to the 90’s East Coast Rave Scene, confronting the AIDs epidemic, and my direct involvement in the 2008 financial crisis. 

 

I hope this book changes your life. Writing it certainly changed mine.