A review by wishfulfillment
Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie

5.0

I'm still in the middle of reading it, but I can safely say it's one of the most helpful works I've read. I'm a therapist and will recommend this to my clients. I'm not codependent as far as I know, but I could easily find myself in this book. Coming from the backgrounds of substance use, substance use treatment providing, and being in a relationship with someone who used substances, the author seems to understand how to speak to those of us who defy, resist, poke holes in, and wave away most useful advice. This work is her ode to the topic and it feels like she accumulated all of the information she could find about it, condensed it, and translated it for all of us, to save us time and energy. If you only read one chapter, make it the one about emotions (In my edition it's Chapter 13: Feel Your Own Feelings).

From a strictly technical writing perspective: her voice is charming, it feels like she's speaking to us and yet the paragraphs make formal sense with each other, and it's wildly engaging to read.