1undone

Both great reads. I liked the Second one better because I could relate to her relationship issues and with other addictions. Now I'm trying to figure out my next read will be.

I tend to get a little frustrated with books like "Lit" though as I think the writer was a little self endulgent with her quotes and need to slide her knowledge of writing and literature throughout the book. that's just me though, I think "Drinking, A Love Story" felt more real. I'm no book guru obviously! Lol

So what shoul I read next? I'm still very new to my nondrinking life so these books are keeping me sane.

Zebra1275

Here's a few I've read,
Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
Drinking, A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
and Life by Keith Richards (I wasn't a Keith fan until I read the book).

Pigtails

Hi 1Undone. I read both books and I agree with you that Knapp's was a better read than Karr's. I felt frustrated by Karr's language/style and I related a lot more to Knapp. That being said, I understand that Karr's title "Lit" was a double entendre meant to express how literature played a role in her life as well as drinking/being drunk/"lit." I love to read so I appreciated that literature played a big role in the book, but, I agree that at time it didn't flow/felt too erudite, and at others points I was like, huh?, what is she even trying to say?

I've read a lot of recovery memoirs and my absolute favorite to date is "Parched" by Heather King. To me it focuses more on recovery than alcoholism/drunk-a-logs, and left me feeling so hopeful and encouraged!! That being said, a lot of emphasis is placed on religion (Catholicism) and I am not religious so that part turned me off a bit... although I even read the sequel which is ALL about her religious experience/spiritual recovery, and, although I can't get into the theoretical parts of the religion, I love her writing and find her very inspiring. So definitely check out that book.

I also read "A Drinking Life" by Peter Hamill, which was much more about his drinking than his recovery, but I found it an interesting read in terms of where/how he grew up (big Irish family in Brooklyn during World War II, with an alcoholic father). I also like "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Wells (I think), which is actually about the child of an alcoholic father/co-dependant and unstable mother, but, it woke me up to the devastation that alcoholism causes to a family, and the writing is just GREAT, I couldn't put it down.

wpainterw

So if you liked "Drinking- A Love Story" why not read her other book, "Pack of Two". Both beautiful books written by the same author. The second one describes her dependency on her dog, something I share with her. Both of us, in recovery, became dependent on dogs. I still am...i do wish Caroline Knapp were still alive and with us!

W.

Dee74

Eric Claptons book is mostly about music as you'd expect but he talks about his recovery too

D

grateful101010

Moments of Clarity, by Christopher Kennedy Lawson, is a collection of recovery accounts of many people, half of whom are celebrities, including Alec Baldwin, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many others. Very very inspiring, I still read it all the time.

Zebra1275

Eric Claptons book is mostly about music as you'd expect but he talks about his recovery too

Yep, forgot about that one since it's been a few years. He went through hell and back.

collegegirl

I'm sad to hear Caroline Knapp died. I could relate to her so much, and I recommend her book to all alcoholics (especially women).

1undone

Cancer has not been kind to the Knapp Family!!!!! Seems Caroline went pretty quick though.

NewWay

Wow, surprised and sorry to hear that Caroline knapp died. Just checked Wikipedia and she was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2002 and died in June of 2002. I will have to read "Drinking: A Love Story" again. I read it back in the late '90s.

Here are a few:

Note Found In a Bottle: My Life As a Drinker, Susan Cheever (1999). I have to re-read this one as it has been a long time.

Terry: My Daughter's Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholism, George McGovern (1996). This is a tough one to get through. It always makes me cry.

I Want: My Journey from Addiction and Overconsumption to a simpler, Honest Life, Jane Velez-Mitchell (2009).

Pigtails

Thank you for these suggestions; I haven't heard of most of them but they all seem great! I just got gift cards to Amazon for my birthday and I can't wait to stock up on my reading pile. Thanks again!

1undone

PigTails reading these books really helps! Especially when the author really admits and comes to terms with the fact that they really are an Alcoholic.

LookingUp23

Just finished "Drinking: A Love Story" It was definitely one I couldn't put down. "Tweak" and "Beautiful Boy" are also a nice book set about addiction (one by the father, one by the addicted son). Although not about alcoholism specifically, a lot of the themes seem similar.

I think I'm on to "Dry" next. My boyfriend has recommended that one to me before

TexasNative

Thanks D...I'll have to check this one out, didnt know EC wrote a book. He really went through it, including heroin if I'm not mistaken.

onlythetruth

My own favorite book, which I find very inspirational, is Sober For Good, by Anne Fletcher. This isn't one story, it's a compilation of many and shows the variety of different approaches to long term recovery.

1undone

"Tales of Addiction, Inspiration and Recovery" is one Im reading right now. So far it's pretty good. It's 20 short stories about people who have dealt with addiction on many levels and then the author tells of her sons addiction while he is one of the 20 stories! Have I confuesed everyone? LOL.

Anna

"Unbearable Lightness" by Poria deRossi - it's about recovering from anorexia, but a great story of recovery.

"Found" by Tatum O'Neal

"Wishful Drinking" by Carrie Fisher

"Finding It" by Valerie Bertinelli - not about alcoholism, but a great story of changing and recovery from a food addiction.

DarrenW

Thanks for starting this thread. We should keep this one alive. I just purchased Moments of Clarity thanks to one of the posts.

gaffo

I just finished "It's So Easy and Other Lies" by Duff McKagan, the Guns & Roses bass player. It was a good story of recovery. I also read Ozzy Osbourne's book, "I am Ozzy" recently. Both of them were lots of fun, Ozzy's book had me laughing out loud as I read.

1undone

Man I can see I'm going to be reading for a while - this is a good thing!