I found Under the Influence by James Milam and Katherine Ketcham to be the most illuminating book on alcoholism.
Reading the book made me understand alcoholism as a physical and likely inherited condition that I have. It made me realise I could never, ever drink again, and helped me understand why. With the information from that book, I felt empowered to do something about my condition. Alcoholism is eminently treatable ... with sobriety.