Best Sobriety Books I have read and so should you…
Even well before I finally stopped drinking alcohol, I read a few books on the theme given the fact that deep down I knew I was drinking too much. Reading is a great inspiration and, depending on the type of book it can encourage you in all aspects of life and not just alcohol.
As I have mentioned a few times I’m sure, understanding my emotions and the reasons why I drank was a major part of the process and my eventual success.
For me drinking was the tip of the iceberg and by sorting out the mass below the surface, i.e. the raw emotional side of why I felt like I needed alcohol, I gained an understanding of the tools I needed to quit the drink. My top selection below all have this theme of dealing with everyday life, battling the booze and eventually being successful in sobriety whilst realism, honesty and humour are prevalent.
A book I can relate to and an extremely honest account through memoirs of the life of someone burning the candle at both ends. This book tells a story of how Lisa held down a high-end job and at the same time was spiralling out of control on a personal level. I found this book rather comical and yet gripping at the same time. It takes you into a world of alcohol abuse and leaves you really routing for Lisa to come through and see the light which of course she does. I would love to have dinner with Lisa and swap stories. Excellent.
The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley
This was the first “real sobriety” book I read and the one which made me realise I was drinking a fair bit given it seems even more than what Clare was putting away. I really admire the honesty in this book, and it gets you thinking about the normalised way we use alcohol as a wind down, particularly with the day to day stresses of parenting. It is also a good indication of what to expect when you quit, and this is what the Sober Diaries is all about. It was also my introduction to Becks Blue.
Clare has also recently published her first novel called The Authenticity Project which I haven’t read yet, however I’m told it is a cracking read so it would be worth checking it out, I will be doing.
The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
Catherine is a top writer by trade and her story resonates with me so much in terms of the way her drinking intertwined with her work and some of the scrapes involved. It combines some of the facts with personal experience, is self-help advice and Catherine demonstrates that what people see on the outside can differ from feelings within. Above all, it demonstrates that going sober will make you happier. A must read and it will leave you knowing that you are not alone in some of the things you have gone through.
Recovery – Freedom from our Addictions by Russell Brand
You may or may not know that I had a dabble with AA and whilst I have the utmost respect for the 12 steps it just wasn’t for me. However, although this book is based on the 12 steps, Russell has demonstrated it in more of a “universal” way, in his own style and with the use of the F word rather a lot to demonstrate them. An insight into addiction and how the 12-step program has helped many. In Layman’s terms
One of the main things I took from reading this book is the way Annie Grace looks at the way society perceives alcohol. In a nutshell people fear that they cannot have a good time without it and be deprived, and I was one of this people.
From psychological to culture and other factors this book looks at reasons why we drink and I like this style because it is similar to some of the NLP work I went through, where we deal with causes rather than symptoms and alter the thought process. The book also touches on the issues faced by others rather than the drinker but to sum it up this book dispels the cultural myth that alcohol is a requirement of life happiness and replaces it with fact that regaining control over alcohol is essential to personal happiness and fulfilment.
In summary, these are just 5 books out of many I have read, and they all have their different merits. I chose these 5 because each has its unique style and quite frankly, I couldn’t choose which one I liked the best because they are all brilliant in their own way.
All the best…. Darren
