“My aunt Joan Kennedy…didn’t have whatever gene it is that runs on the Kennedy side of my family, enabling those who have it to remain functioning and stay alive far longer than they should, no matter how badly they abuse themselves…. Joan did for me what no doctor, therapist, priest, or guru could do. She brought me to a church basement full of a diverse group of apparent losers who would teach me how to live without drugs and alcohol a day at a time, and a whole lot more” (p. 302).