Drinking: A Love Story

[retteacher]

Hi Everyone:

I'm listening to an excellent audio-book right now by Caroline Knapp: "Drinking: A Love Story." I read the book last year, but listening to it read by the author is very powerful. She really emphasizes the progression of alcoholism & our denial ("I'm not so bad...I'm not lying in the gutter drinking."). The fact is that most alcoholics & problem drinkers are functional: never miss work, don't lose family & homes etc. I know I've deluded myself this way. How bad can I be if I am so successful? Also, she delves into the secretive nature of our (especially women) disease. If you read or listened to this book, I'd love your thoughts on it. If you haven't, it's a real eye-opener. Thanks for being there everyone. This forum means a lot to me, because it is breaking my isolation about my alcoholism.

[nancy]

Drinking: A Love Story

Hi Retteacher

I have read this one also. There is a thread on this in the What We are Reading message board.

I read a lot so check out these threads often!

[ducky]

Drinking: A Love Story

I read it years ago and knew then it applied to me but ignored it. I also read her book pack of two, about her relationship with her dog. I believe she died a few years ago of cancer, in her 40s. I should have paid more attention and I might not be here now, lol.

[cke123]

Drinking: A Love Story

I read this too. She did die in her 40's, of lung cancer I believe.

[Janice]

Drinking: A Love Story

Retteacher, just ordered that one - waiting for it to arrive, also Dry by Augusten Burroughs got a good write up on the reading forum. Janice

[Otie]

Drinking: A Love Story

Hi,

I read her book when way back possibly 10yrs and it made be be sober for 2 weeks back then - at the time I did not yet have realised I was alkie.

Drink is our love when we are alcoholics. She is so right in telling how it is to leave a lover when giving up drinking.

Oats

[jane rees]

Drinking: A Love Story

Hi. i'm so pleased to hear about a couple of new books to read. i have just finished Allen Carr's and i'm slightly panicking about staying motivated.
Ta.
Jane

[MonaCat]

Drinking: A Love Story

Thanks Reteacher for this information. Caroline Knapp is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her books. I'd like to listen to Drinking A Love Story, on CD, so I can hear her voice. She also had an eating disorder, which she discuss in her book "Appetites".
Yes, she died young from Lung Cancer, but she did marry shorthly before she passed away. So Lucy her dog had a Dad in the end. Dry is a great book too, but as a woman, I could relate to Caroline's addiction.

[sunflo]

Drinking: A Love Story

Hi, I'm presently reading Drinking a love story. I can really identify with Caroline's addiction. Reading it and coming here is helping me be sober on day 3 today. I also read Dry when actively drinking years ago. I'm going to read it again.

[Starlight Impress Forever]

Drinking: A Love Story

Hi Mary........good to see you.

Yes, I too have read Caroline Knapp`s book......sometime last year. Saddest part of all is that she didn`t get that many years to enjoy her sobriety after quitting drinking........heartbreaking to learn that she died a young woman, succumbing to cancer.

Who can say if her years of excessive drinking and smoking caused her early death, or if she would have fallen prey to the Big-C irrespective of her lifestyle???

I thought she was still alive when I read her book.........chilled me to the bone when I learned otherwise and really brought home to me just how much havoc we wreak on our bodies through our `silly` dependencies...........

Star x

[Winefree]

Drinking: A Love Story

Wow. I read that book a few weeks ago and yes I could relate to a lot of her drinking as well. I didn't know she had passed away. How sad.

Winefree

[Liath]

Drinking: A Love Story

I reread this book a few weeks ago and then found out she had died. I was very upset and very frightened. I am not going to keep assuming I will get another chance here. I have damaged my body enough. Knapp described perfectly the suffering and struggle that AL brings. Not to be a drama queen but it has been no walk in the park.