Just read 'Drinking:A Love Story' Any other suggestions?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 119
"A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. It's fiction, but it could have happened.
If you also like movies then watch the 80's movie "Clean and Sober" with Michael Keaton. I saw that movie before I even drank. Somehow I knew that would be me someday.
If you also like movies then watch the 80's movie "Clean and Sober" with Michael Keaton. I saw that movie before I even drank. Somehow I knew that would be me someday.
Member of SMART Recovery
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,722
My favorite isn't really a memoir, it's a collection of the stories of over 200 people who have recovered (people with at least 5 years of recovery). I liked it so much that I read the whole thing in the bookstore before buying it and taking it home!
The book is called "Sober for Good", by Anne Fletcher. What I like most about this book is that it describes the great variety of ways in which people recover.
OTT
The book is called "Sober for Good", by Anne Fletcher. What I like most about this book is that it describes the great variety of ways in which people recover.
OTT
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 223
a couple of entries I put on the book club forum here
The Book Club - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
just listened to Anne Lamott, Plan B on audio book. Funny, honest, wise. I have a waiting list on the rest of her books at my library now, great new discovery. She is a recovered alcoholic.
just finished 'Dry' by Augusten Burroughs. Listened to it on audio book, the author read it and did a fantastic job. This is probably not for everyone as he is very honest and has a quick wit on topics some might be offended by. I on the other hand loved the tone of this book, there are lots of laugh out loud moments with his witty observations.
copied this review below from Amazon as they have done a great job, link here for more: Amazon.com: Dry: A Memoir (9780312423797): Augusten Burroughs: Books
Augusten Burroughs has a talent for describing events with a sickening realism. Dry: A Memoir is a shining example of Burroughs talent. The book takes a dive into the life of alcohol-fueled workaholic and binge drinking Burroughs only days before an intervention sends him to rehab. The reader experiences the ups and downs of his journey and watches Burroughs troubled existence as he stumbles across his path to recovery.
Describing the book as emotional is somewhat unrealistic, as it extends deeper than the emotions that most of us can comprehend. Dry shows the cycles that Burroughs must travel through on his trip toward sobriety and the pitfalls that await him along the way. Dry also gets deeply personal diving into Burrough's personal life, his career life, and his love life. Burroughs spares nothing revealing his own personal successes and failures along with the most traumatic events that leave him teetering on the brink of relapsing.
Dry is at times painful, and you find yourself wanting to scream advice at Burroughs regarding his slip ups and the perils of substance abuse. Instead the reader is relegated to the sidelines forced to witness a series of mishaps and poor choices as Burroughs stumbles. It isn't all bad though. Dry balances Burrough's failing with his successes and his redemption. Dry is also uplifting as it shows the control that Burroughs regains over his life.
Dry a moving narrative. Burroughs does a spectacular job of conveying an extremely powerful experience through his own snarky sense of humor. I was a fan of Running with Scissors and I was a fan of Dry, but the Dry most certainly maintains a darker appeal. Dry isn't a light read, but it's certainly worth reading. It's riveting. It's harsh. It's realistic in an emotional way that most authors try to shield us from.
The Book Club - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
just listened to Anne Lamott, Plan B on audio book. Funny, honest, wise. I have a waiting list on the rest of her books at my library now, great new discovery. She is a recovered alcoholic.
just finished 'Dry' by Augusten Burroughs. Listened to it on audio book, the author read it and did a fantastic job. This is probably not for everyone as he is very honest and has a quick wit on topics some might be offended by. I on the other hand loved the tone of this book, there are lots of laugh out loud moments with his witty observations.
copied this review below from Amazon as they have done a great job, link here for more: Amazon.com: Dry: A Memoir (9780312423797): Augusten Burroughs: Books
Augusten Burroughs has a talent for describing events with a sickening realism. Dry: A Memoir is a shining example of Burroughs talent. The book takes a dive into the life of alcohol-fueled workaholic and binge drinking Burroughs only days before an intervention sends him to rehab. The reader experiences the ups and downs of his journey and watches Burroughs troubled existence as he stumbles across his path to recovery.
Describing the book as emotional is somewhat unrealistic, as it extends deeper than the emotions that most of us can comprehend. Dry shows the cycles that Burroughs must travel through on his trip toward sobriety and the pitfalls that await him along the way. Dry also gets deeply personal diving into Burrough's personal life, his career life, and his love life. Burroughs spares nothing revealing his own personal successes and failures along with the most traumatic events that leave him teetering on the brink of relapsing.
Dry is at times painful, and you find yourself wanting to scream advice at Burroughs regarding his slip ups and the perils of substance abuse. Instead the reader is relegated to the sidelines forced to witness a series of mishaps and poor choices as Burroughs stumbles. It isn't all bad though. Dry balances Burrough's failing with his successes and his redemption. Dry is also uplifting as it shows the control that Burroughs regains over his life.
Dry a moving narrative. Burroughs does a spectacular job of conveying an extremely powerful experience through his own snarky sense of humor. I was a fan of Running with Scissors and I was a fan of Dry, but the Dry most certainly maintains a darker appeal. Dry isn't a light read, but it's certainly worth reading. It's riveting. It's harsh. It's realistic in an emotional way that most authors try to shield us from.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,193
I've read "Drinking" (loved it) and "Lit" (liked it but didn't love it) and most recently I finished "Parched" by Heather King and I have to say that was my favorite in terms of inspiration for getting/staying sober and the life that can be lived without alcohol. It does, however, get very religious towards the end (and she has a sequel called "Redeemed" that I'm reading now, that is very very religious) and I can't really relate to all of that as I'm an agnostic who is trying to kindle some spirituality but I can't believe all the dogma stuff. Still the book ("Parched") was so touching and easy to relate to and made me cry with her desire to change and the happier life she found once she did. I highly recommend it.
Also I would recommend "The Glass Castle" which is a memoir not by an alcoholic but her father was an alcoholic and it opened my eyes to the damages that alcoholism and co-dependency can cause to a family.
I'm currently reading "Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic" which isn't a memoir but is very educational and relatable. Also the Big Book-- again I can't really relate to the religious stuff but I could relate to the stories of the alcoholics and it was very eye-opening.
Also I would recommend "The Glass Castle" which is a memoir not by an alcoholic but her father was an alcoholic and it opened my eyes to the damages that alcoholism and co-dependency can cause to a family.
I'm currently reading "Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic" which isn't a memoir but is very educational and relatable. Also the Big Book-- again I can't really relate to the religious stuff but I could relate to the stories of the alcoholics and it was very eye-opening.
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 184
Drinking, A love story was absolutely phenomenal. I enjoyed reading that so much. It's a shame what happened to Ms. Knapp.
"Smashed: Story of a drunken girlhood" by Koren Zailckas
and
"Orangutan" by Colin Broderick.
"Smashed: Story of a drunken girlhood" by Koren Zailckas
and
"Orangutan" by Colin Broderick.
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