Carder Stout - Lost in Ghost Town: A Memoir of Addiction, Redemption, and Hope in Unlikely Places

Praise for Lost in Ghost Town

This is a great read. I was deeply moved and inspired by the story. The writing is rich and poignant. I highly recommend it.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Academy Awardwinning actress, founder of goop

Carder Stouts Lost in Ghost Town is a stark reminder that addiction knows no socio economic bounds. His easy writing style, that seamlessly slips the reader between his childhood and his raging addiction to crack cocaine, reads like a cautionary tale with an emotional index of how to build an addict. It had me at the first hit.

Will Arnett, five-time Emmy Awardnominated actor (Arrested Development)

With his storytelling Carder brings clarity, humor, and compassion to a harrowing personal chapter. Its a book that many will relate to and all will find difficult to read and remain unmoved. This book is outstanding.

Billy Crudup, Tony Awardwinning actor (Almost Famous, Alien: Covenant)

Lost in Ghost Town is equal parts memoir and thrilling true crime story. Beautifully written, I could not put it down. The interactions with the Shoreline Crips and LAPD set my heart racing. For a descent into hell, it gives Dantes Infernoa run for its money. The most shocking part of Lost in Ghost Town is that Carder lived to write it all down. What a truly amazing story. I give it 5 stars.

Thomas Lennon, actor and creator of Reno 911!, New York Times bestselling author of Ronan Boyle

This is a compelling story that provides a unique lens into the dark world of addiction. It is well-written, captivating, and full of surprises. I believe it will have broad appeal.

Jason Blum, Academy Awardnominated producer (Whiplash, Get Out, BlacKkKlansman)

I was blown away by this memoir. Carder breathlessly navigates his journey from a posh DC childhood to the Crips and crack subculture of a pre-gentrified Venice. This is a beautiful story about a young man trying to heal the wounds of a childhood born largely without guidance. I was particularly moved by his newfound family in California, tragically linked to a violent gang as well as the prostitute he falls in love with. Unpredictable, exciting, a true peek at a hardscrabble life lived on the streets day to day. I could not put this book down.

Sam Trammell, Tony Awardnominated actor (True Blood, Homeland)

I couldnt put it down. I loved the juxtaposition between Carders desolate but privileged childhood and the dark despair of his life in the hood. The writing is powerful, direct, and filled with color. This is a book that will touch so many.

Craig Borten, Academy Awardnominated screenwriter (Dallas Buyers Club)

A blistering read and a powerful cautionary tale, Carder Stout has written an unforgettable memoir. It is intensely emotional and brilliantly written.

Jeffrey Clifford, Academy Awardnominated producer (Up in the Air)

Lost in Ghost Town is a gripping, haunting portrait of addiction thats impossible to put down. Carder Stout lays bare his soul as he recounts the privilege he was born into, and the pain that led him into the bowels of hell once crack and heroin had him in its vice grip. The triumph of the book is Carders ever-present humanity. Its an addictive, heart-rending read. This is an astonishing story.

Jessica Queller, executive producer and writer of Supergirl, bestselling author of Pretty Is What Changes

This incredible memoir is a powerful and heartbreaking look into addiction and everything that comes with it. Dr. Carder Stout crafts a harrowing yet beautiful story and deserves all of the praise its received.

Jennifer Todd, producer of the Academy Awards, executive producer of City on a Hill (Showtime)

Lost in Ghost Town is a terrifying, hilarious, and ultimately moving cautionary tale. Like a modern-day Icarus, Carder Stout was born privileged, had to escape from a labyrinth, and flew too close to the sun. However, unlike Icarus, the labyrinth Stout escaped from was one of his own creation, and he miraculously survived to share his tale with the rest of us. He covers the distance from the top to the bottom unsparingly in this gripping, upsetting, beautifully written memoir.

Jonathan Marc Sherman, award-winning playwright (Things We Want)

This book is a must-read for anyone doubting the possibility of personal redemption. Full of psychological insight and expertly told with an entertainers instinct for a riveting crazier-than-fiction story.

Alessandro Nivola, Tony Awardnominated actor (Laurel Canyon, The Many Saints of Newark)