Maya's review

Drinking: A Love Story
by Caroline Knapp

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73965.Drinking_A_Love_Story?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Drinking: A Love Story" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170846378m/73965.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73965.Drinking_A_Love_Story?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">Drinking: A Love Story</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/41895.Caroline_Knapp">Caroline Knapp</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3662632?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 5 of 5 stars I also recommend this to anyone who feels they are trying too hard to avoid negative emotions.
 
 
 I just started reading this book, and it's really good. I have to say I'm wondering though at this point if I am a low-functioning human being who would have more success as a high-functioning alcoholic (the author talks about her her professional success was spurred on in a way by the need to conceal her alcoholism.)
 
 I like addiction stories. You've got to serve somebody.
 
 I finished this book last night, and I loved it! The structure was really good--by theme (Denial, Family, Relationships etc.) Not so coincidentally (since I'm the one who requested this book from the library), I've been thinking about alchol's effects on my life, and she really hits the nail on the head about a lot of the illusions and comforts it provides. Also just the whole nature of using something as an escape and then that thing becoming what you build your life around. After reading this I felt like I should take a magnifying glass to my own life and figure out what I'm using. Very sensitive, well-written, and damn, I really felt for her. By the end of the book, when she had to quit drinking, I felt so relieved that I don't have to. But I was scared for her. I kind of thought of it like her whole life had to become one big awkward party which she couldn't leave and she couldn't even have one drink to get through. 
 
 Also both her parents died within a year of one another and had a very painful marriage. I don't know, there's not much humor in this book, but I think this woman is very brave to open up like she did. I can't imagine how painful this book must have been to write.
 
 UGH. I just read about how she died of lung cancer. Her mother's last words to her were to quit smoking and in DRINKING she talks about how she was puzzled her mother would say that instead of the real problem (drinking). Depressing, depressing, depressing. 
 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/72257?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Maya's review
rating:

bookshelves: saddestbooks
recommended for: Anyone who has ever questioned their relationship with alcohol.
status: Read in July, 2007

I also recommend this to anyone who feels they are trying too hard to avoid negative emotions.

I just started reading this book, and it's really good. I have to say I'm wondering though at this point if I am a low-functioning human being who would have more success as a high-functioning alcoholic (the author talks about her her professional success was spurred on in a way by the need to conceal her alcoholism.)

I like addiction stories. You've got to serve somebody.

I finished this book last night, and I loved it! The structure was really good--by theme (Denial, Family, Relationships etc.) Not so coincidentally (since I'm the one who requested this book from the library), I've been thinking about alchol's effects on my life, and she really hits the nail on the head about a lot of the illusions and comforts it provides. Also just the whole nature of using something as an escape and then that thing becoming what you build your life around. After reading this I felt like ...more

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