'Agony and Ecstasy' is the heart-rending story of the author's son's descent into substance abuse, criminality, addiction, incarceration and - ultimately - tragic death. Detailing the metamorphosis from happy sociable young child to depressed, aggressive addict, it examines both the author's own reminiscences and the various theories behind addiction. Genetics, learned behaviour, peer influences, role models and family dynamics are examined alongside the medical and psychological effects of the various substances. Marijuana, cocaine and alcohol are explored in depth, alongside the Ecstasy which ultimately killed Jimmy. 'Celebrity addicts' are quoted and there are interviews with a former drug user, the mother of a drug addict, a recovering alcoholic, a bereaved mother, and two of Jimmy's closest friends. They reveal the dark side of an attraction to illicit substances and the author painfully details his son's decline. From supposedly 'moody' teenager to fully-fledged homeless addict, the book offers a brutally honest guide to families of potential substance abusers. Whilst detailing his son's addiction and describing the horror of his child's death, the author was also forced to face his own long-denied alcoholism. 'Agony and Ecstasy' is the painful truth behind the partying façade of our society.