The Basketball Diaries

*The Basketball Diaries* is a memoir by Jim Carroll, recounting his youth as a talented high school basketball player who spiraled into substance addiction and criminal behavior in 1960s New York City. The book offers a raw, honest look at his struggles with drug dependency, the destructive lifestyle he fell into, and his efforts to find redemption. It explores themes of innocence lost, addiction, and resilience, providing a gritty, personal perspective on a driven young athlete confronting the darker sides of urban life. The memoir was later adapted into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.