Drinking: A Love Story

I like the way she writes - very honestly and straightforward. Her story is familiar to me and I felt comfortable reading her words. There is no lecture, no judgement. There is only a good description of the choices we face and why we thought (or think) that booze can help us through them.

Whenever I buy something from the store, I always read the reviews first, especially the negative ones. The positive ones are always glowing, but the negative ones sometimes shed a different light and/or provide insight.

When I read the negative reviews for this book I had to chuckle. I would bet that people who were bored by this book have never grappled with a serious alcohol addiction. I would bet that they didn't wake in the morning as Caroline says, wondering what they did the night before or perhaps finding out what happened and that it was something awful.

As many types of alcoholics as there are in the world, there are as many roads to sobriety and recovery. Some reviewers obviously don't like AA and feel the book is an AA endorsement. Knapp never endorses AA, she simply reveals that it worked for her. AA is only one way, and there are many who are quietly trying to remain sober using different methods.

Caroline's description of her alcholic life and her road to recovery is an inspiring one that rings very true and it moved me greatly. Her story gives hope that an alcohol addiction can be dealt with and that a sober life is possible. It hurts my heart that she perished from another addiction, cigarettes, and that her life was cut short.

Read this if you're worried about your drinking or that of a loved one. It may provide inspiration on the road to recovery. It has for me.

I appreciated the honesty of the writer. If you have ever wondered if you may have a drinking problem, this is a good book to read. She lists the questions to ask yourself. The list will identify which stage of alcoholism you are in. There are three stages. What I like about her story is seing the progression. The thinking, such as when everything is ok, then I will stop drinking. Of course, there are always problems, so you keep drinking. She talks about the circle of drinking creating problems, and the only way to deal with the problems is drinking, so it never ends. This book does recommend AA. Instead of going drinking every night, once she goes through rehab, she goes to AA meetings right after work instead. The author is a good writer, open and honest with her life and helping one see the lies a person tells themself so they can keep drinking. If you have a loved one that is an alcoholic, it may help you understand them better.

This book tells a gripping story about a young woman's increasing dependence on alcohol, how she rationalized it and adapted to it, and then how she ultimately came to recognize that life became much better, although more challenging, once she left booze behind.

The writing is terrific, which helps the book hold your interest from beginning to end. The best thing about the book is that you learn a lot about both alcoholism and life itself. This is one of the best books I've read recently.

A very powerful, personal love story of what it's like to be married to alcohol and then decide to divorce (to use the author's metaphor). It's beautifully written, was hard to put down, and has given me insight into what it's like to think alcoholically, which gives me a chance to practice more compassion and to offer more love to those who struggle with addiction. I feel very honored that the author shared her intimate story with us. What a privilege, and what a loss that she's no longer with us.

Only another alcoholic can describe the feelings, emotions and pain that envelopes an alcoholic in their late stages of this disease. Ms. Knapp has done favor for all those caught in this disease. I applaud her strength and resiliency, and the courage she has in laying it on the line. I am a recovering alcoholic myself, and it is good to see someone else who is stricken with this chronic illness come face to face with it and keep it in remission - for it will never be cured, but it can be lived with - if your heart and soul are strong. Thank you Caroline.

"Drinking: A Love Story" is a brave, sober look at the author's honesty about her addiction and the difficult journey into sobriety. I read it again recently because it parallels my late daughter's life and failure to take that same journey.

Caroline Knapp and my daughter were born the same year, and grew up in and around Boston; both young women died at age 42. Tragically, for all who loved them.

Constance Richardson, Author, "Swimming Upstream: A Memoir."

I loved this book for putting into words the thoughts and deeds so many of us think and do but seldom talk about. You realize all those little "secret things" we do and think no one else have ever done are very common amongst all of us. You find yourself reading along and nodding your head throughout much of the book. If you've "been there, done that" you will love this book. It's a definite wake up call.

Beautifully written, but so tragic. She finally gets clean from alcohol, but continues to smoke and dies of lung cancer. Regardless, this is so on point, neither shocking for the sake of shocking, nor candy coating, this book walks the line of the functional alcoholic- it's a lot of people's story and it's her story, She does conquer and that also showed the very real side of how hard recovery is. Read this one.

It's obvious that myself in person or by someone else in particular has been possesed or addicted by desstructive and yet so powerfull drug, the drug so ingrain in our lives that sometimes i personally feel like thare is no possible way to escape. Recently i have already purchased couple of books about alcoholism, selfhelp books, and also this book, based on her personal struggle with addiction; Caroline struggle. Of course there are many others, but her story is somehow related to my own. Once i started reading i couldnt stop until i've finished the book.It was very emotinal and in a few sentences i swear i could feel her pain and so much confusion and insecurity. The book itself should and must be excellent motivational guide for everyone who is in pain from alcohol, or for someone who is afraid for someone else.

P.S. I'm from Croatia and if my english is somehow bad written, than sorry about it.
P.S. Thanks's Caroline.