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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
I honestly did not love this… reading this memoir I can see that she truly felt helpless with her substance abuse, and this might not be a nice thing to say but I couldn’t help but wonder if she romanticises pain and thus her writing about it felt indulgent. It was honestly a little off-putting especially because after all reading one drunk story after another drunk story after yet another story, I still didn’t really get a sense of who she was.
That said, some of the book was honestly informative. It’s filled with statistics, history, explanations, and questionnaires from the National Council on Alcoholism. It also does a good job of showing that alcoholism (or any other type of addiction) could happen to just about anybody of any demographic, especially if you’ve not found effective, non-destructive self-soothing techniques before experimenting with alcohol or other forms of escapist/obsessive behaviour leading to addiction.
That said, some of the book was honestly informative. It’s filled with statistics, history, explanations, and questionnaires from the National Council on Alcoholism. It also does a good job of showing that alcoholism (or any other type of addiction) could happen to just about anybody of any demographic, especially if you’ve not found effective, non-destructive self-soothing techniques before experimenting with alcohol or other forms of escapist/obsessive behaviour leading to addiction.
Exceptionally well written. Uncomfortably too familiar at times. Definitely need to read something light and fluffy after reading this one.
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
This is really well written and Knapp is quite good at reviewing her own life with introspection. It would be interesting to know whether those close to her thought that she was as high-functioning as she thought she was - especially towards the end. It is an uplifting read full of hope without being sappy or ignoring the realities of her disease.
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
This was a “you might also like” find after I finished Ambition Monster… and as memoirs go this one felt actually honest. Knapp lays it out there.
I recognized people I love in her story. The effort she made to hide her drinking, the drama her choices created. And knowing what happened to the author after made this even more poignant.
One of those “I wish more people would read this so we can all talk about it.”
I recognized people I love in her story. The effort she made to hide her drinking, the drama her choices created. And knowing what happened to the author after made this even more poignant.
One of those “I wish more people would read this so we can all talk about it.”
Her writing is captivating and fluid. Although some stories feel like they repeat at times, she always makes a new point or reveals a new insight each time. Even as a non-drinker, this book is incredibly relatable. I love how honest her insights are, the way she lays out her thought processes as an addict. She brings you into her world with descriptive language and honesty. A really lovely example of a memoir that weaves in different topics while staying true to the central mission of the book.
For anyone who has ever had a love affair with alcohol, this book will make you cringe, shudder, and rejoice. The author very candidly reveals her history with the bottle, and its effect on her life, especially her relationships. Not just with men, but with her parents, siblings, and friends.
Caroline Knapp was a high functioning alcoholic- she had a great job in Boston as a journalist, was successful in her career, never went to jail, paid her bills on time, etc., etc.
But she drank, daily, and obsessed about alcohol when there wasn't enough of it to meet her needs. For example, at a restaurant with her boyfriend and his parents, when she eyes the one bottle of wine at the table, Caroline panics. One bottle will not be enough to give her the state of being she longs for. She excuses herself to go to the ladies room and downs a glass of wine at the bar instead.
She learns to keep a bottle stashed in her car, and behind the refrigerator on her boyfriend's porch, so she can run outside and take a little nip when she needs to.
After her parents succumb to cancer, within a year of one another, her drinking worsens, and she is finally able to come to the realization that she is an alcoholic.
The book touches only briefly on her recovery, and I wished for more.
One shocking fact of her recovery- of the 6 people she grew closest to in treatment, only one besides herself stay sober.
As she describes venturing into life sober, I found myself relating, and celebrating for her. The first night she hangs out with her boyfriend without drinking (the same boyfriend she had before getting sober), the first time she has coffee instead of drinks with a friend from work. The first birthday without booze, etc., etc.
She mourns her parents, and poignantly wishes she could have shared her sobriety with them.
Beautiful story. Well told. Anyone with a current drinking problem, or with one that is now resolved, will relate to this book
Caroline Knapp was a high functioning alcoholic- she had a great job in Boston as a journalist, was successful in her career, never went to jail, paid her bills on time, etc., etc.
But she drank, daily, and obsessed about alcohol when there wasn't enough of it to meet her needs. For example, at a restaurant with her boyfriend and his parents, when she eyes the one bottle of wine at the table, Caroline panics. One bottle will not be enough to give her the state of being she longs for. She excuses herself to go to the ladies room and downs a glass of wine at the bar instead.
She learns to keep a bottle stashed in her car, and behind the refrigerator on her boyfriend's porch, so she can run outside and take a little nip when she needs to.
After her parents succumb to cancer, within a year of one another, her drinking worsens, and she is finally able to come to the realization that she is an alcoholic.
The book touches only briefly on her recovery, and I wished for more.
One shocking fact of her recovery- of the 6 people she grew closest to in treatment, only one besides herself stay sober.
As she describes venturing into life sober, I found myself relating, and celebrating for her. The first night she hangs out with her boyfriend without drinking (the same boyfriend she had before getting sober), the first time she has coffee instead of drinks with a friend from work. The first birthday without booze, etc., etc.
She mourns her parents, and poignantly wishes she could have shared her sobriety with them.
Beautiful story. Well told. Anyone with a current drinking problem, or with one that is now resolved, will relate to this book
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced