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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
informative
This is hardly the book it purports to be; this is not a researched study into the causes and implications of drinking among women but instead a weepy memoir of a woman who would still be drinking unless her boyfriend hadn't left her. I almost think this was a public plea to whomever poor "Jake" was to come back to her - "I've changed!"
Johnston threw statistics in toward the end but never really explored them to my satisfaction. Instead, she rehashed a lot of what Caroline Knapp did in her book, which felt truer and was clearly better-written. The majority of Johnston's research consisted of personal anecdotes from various women who were using alcohol as a crutch.
Having lived with two alcoholics (one recovered, one not) at two different times in my life, I began to recognize the tell-tale signs: self-righteousness, condemnation of anyone who can control themselves, and disdain for all alcohol, in any form. I want to be clear: I do not, in any way, believe alcoholism is a disease; I do not believe addiction is a disease; I do not believe AA is the end-all, be-all to "save" alcoholics. And I certainly resented her chapter on embracing spirituality as the *only* way to achieve control in one's life.
She implied several times that essentially, if you're drinking a glass of wine a couple of nights a week you're in the first stage of alcoholism. That lasts about 10-15 years and then you become this sick, raging, dependent leech on all alcohol; blackouts and physical abuse will occur - beware!
I'm really sorry she grew up with an alcoholic mother and all but she doesn't need to condemn everyone who can control their alcohol intake in the name of sanctimony. It is sad to see someone not able to control themselves. I think the *structure* of AA works, just like Weight Watchers works; continue to go for "group therapy" often. Call for support from others when you need it.
Mostly, I'm disappointed that she only scratched the surface of what makes women drinking different from men drinking. She discussed thoroughly the stigma of women being labeled alcoholic vs. men being labeled the same. But beyond "women don't metabolize alcohol as fast," she said basically nothing. Women are drinking more, alcohol is being targeted toward women, etc. etc. She turns her nose up at all studies of a drink being good for you, implying that one will believe and latch onto whatever one wants. She's a sad, desperate, maladjusted AA robot.
For the record - and in case you're curious - I've had exactly three drinks in the past three weeks and I have no desire to have another. But when I do get the desire, I will have a drink. And that does not make me an alcoholic. It makes me a person with a choice I can, and do, control.
Johnston threw statistics in toward the end but never really explored them to my satisfaction. Instead, she rehashed a lot of what Caroline Knapp did in her book, which felt truer and was clearly better-written. The majority of Johnston's research consisted of personal anecdotes from various women who were using alcohol as a crutch.
Having lived with two alcoholics (one recovered, one not) at two different times in my life, I began to recognize the tell-tale signs: self-righteousness, condemnation of anyone who can control themselves, and disdain for all alcohol, in any form. I want to be clear: I do not, in any way, believe alcoholism is a disease; I do not believe addiction is a disease; I do not believe AA is the end-all, be-all to "save" alcoholics. And I certainly resented her chapter on embracing spirituality as the *only* way to achieve control in one's life.
She implied several times that essentially, if you're drinking a glass of wine a couple of nights a week you're in the first stage of alcoholism. That lasts about 10-15 years and then you become this sick, raging, dependent leech on all alcohol; blackouts and physical abuse will occur - beware!
I'm really sorry she grew up with an alcoholic mother and all but she doesn't need to condemn everyone who can control their alcohol intake in the name of sanctimony. It is sad to see someone not able to control themselves. I think the *structure* of AA works, just like Weight Watchers works; continue to go for "group therapy" often. Call for support from others when you need it.
Mostly, I'm disappointed that she only scratched the surface of what makes women drinking different from men drinking. She discussed thoroughly the stigma of women being labeled alcoholic vs. men being labeled the same. But beyond "women don't metabolize alcohol as fast," she said basically nothing. Women are drinking more, alcohol is being targeted toward women, etc. etc. She turns her nose up at all studies of a drink being good for you, implying that one will believe and latch onto whatever one wants. She's a sad, desperate, maladjusted AA robot.
For the record - and in case you're curious - I've had exactly three drinks in the past three weeks and I have no desire to have another. But when I do get the desire, I will have a drink. And that does not make me an alcoholic. It makes me a person with a choice I can, and do, control.
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Well, to put it simply, it was a "sobering" book and though I'm not ready to give up alcohol completely, it is very interesting to see how how women's alcohol drinking has changed over time.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol
informative
reflective
fast-paced
The topic of this book is so important and several chapters were stellar. Overall, it was too choppy for me and I think she lost a lot by only featuring stories from women matching the stereotypical label of "alcoholic/addict" even though one of the messages of the book is that problematic drinking - not at the level of the stories shared - is on the rise and one of the final chapters mentions "only a small proportion of the population are alcoholic". The personal sharing of her own story was brave and one of my favorite parts as well as the discussion on stigma. Finally, I don't always pick up on editing things, but it was driving me crazy how she continually described what things were over and over again. For example, every mention of MacLean's in the first half of the book was accompanied with some variation of the description of "the Canadian national news publication".