kitkat2500's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve read many addiction/recovery books, but this one stands in the top three. It’s not just a memoir of the author’s journey with alcoholism, but a very well-researched account of addictions of writers, artists and ordinary AA members. The writing is excellent (which is not the case for most recovery memoirs). It’s a long book, but it kept me engaged. Highly recommended for those interested in this subject.
shellbell102186's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the parts about Leslie's own addiction and recovery, but be warned there is A LOT of content around other authors and their addictions. It often felt like talking just for the sake of talking...a little all over the place.
apocryphal_goose's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
lexbeau's review against another edition
5.0
Used it for a textbook in University at my addictions counselling program. great read.
melanieapril's review against another edition
5.0
I had a review of this book open in a tab on my phone's browser for probably three months before fortuitously swiping past it while standing in my local public library. I'm not a huge reader of non-fiction, but I loved this book's hybrid format - part memoir, part biographical study of various literary authors and their works - with lovely prose throughout. Jamison, like many of her literary heroes, almost does too good a job describing the highs of her boozin' days - I often found myself craving a drink while reading. On the other hand, reading about the high drama of Jamison's relationship foibles as an early twenty-something made me want to lie down and take a 30-year nap. Her relationship sounded more exhausting than her alcoholism.
sashaotanez's review against another edition
5.0
one of the best books I’ve read - an incredible addiction memoir that focuses on not only her journey but a handful of other artists and their addictions and attempts at recovery
laurenpedersen's review
2.0
Somewhere along the line I read an enticing review of this book and put it on my list to read. I do not understand mental illness well or the struggles with addiction to any substance. I finished the book because I kept expecting more but it just felt like a back an forth, before and after, sober and drunk again account not only of the author but myriads of other authors and poets I have never heard of. Probably wasn't a good choice for me; maybe its right up someone else's alley. Also, I think the author should have waited until she was well again to record the second half of this audiobook. Her voice changes and sounds like she's fighting a head cold partway through.
diannagendron's review against another edition
2.0
2 stars, “it was ok.”
You can read my blathering or you can read the excellent review of The Recovering, “Ginned Up” by Laura Miller: https://slate.com/culture/2018/04/leslie-jamisons-the-recovering-reviewed.html
The thing about reading an ebook is when you pick it up, you can’t tell how long it is. At 544 pages, this was too long by a good 100 pages.
Girl, your sections of drunkalog needed editing, shortened, nipped in the forever droning bud. Your story, the “what it was like, what happened, and what I am like now” of any AA speaker meeting, dwells for an insufferable amount of time in the “what it was like,” (by your own admission your favorite part of any alcoholic’s story), and boy was it a repetitive mess of uninteresting. You’re not unique, we learn this in the rooms, and your specific brand of high bottom white girl story was such an utter drag. I COULD NOT WAIT for you to get to the solution, I kept hoping you would. Sure, for most of us alcoholics we get the insanity of doing the same thing over and over and over but did you really need to batter us with boring to show that? And geez all the time spent on your relationship...just no. These chapters of you in your drinking years need a swift, unmerciful axe. Cut by half at least.
The chapters focusing on OTHER famous and infamous creative alcoholics (Raymond Carver, Billie Holiday, David Foster Wallace et al) and the history of treatment and recovery in America...now those bits were interesting. Background on Bill W and the earlier years of asylums and institutions...I thought that was good stuff.
This is a book about AA, lacking focus on recovery for some reason, lacking the humility the program is predicated on. I do wonder about its reception by people not “in the rooms,” because my own experiences of alcoholism, surrender, recovery, and AA of course shape my thoughts on this droning tome. This needed marked up by a sponsor more than an editor or thesis advisor.
You can read my blathering or you can read the excellent review of The Recovering, “Ginned Up” by Laura Miller: https://slate.com/culture/2018/04/leslie-jamisons-the-recovering-reviewed.html
The thing about reading an ebook is when you pick it up, you can’t tell how long it is. At 544 pages, this was too long by a good 100 pages.
Girl, your sections of drunkalog needed editing, shortened, nipped in the forever droning bud. Your story, the “what it was like, what happened, and what I am like now” of any AA speaker meeting, dwells for an insufferable amount of time in the “what it was like,” (by your own admission your favorite part of any alcoholic’s story), and boy was it a repetitive mess of uninteresting. You’re not unique, we learn this in the rooms, and your specific brand of high bottom white girl story was such an utter drag. I COULD NOT WAIT for you to get to the solution, I kept hoping you would. Sure, for most of us alcoholics we get the insanity of doing the same thing over and over and over but did you really need to batter us with boring to show that? And geez all the time spent on your relationship...just no. These chapters of you in your drinking years need a swift, unmerciful axe. Cut by half at least.
The chapters focusing on OTHER famous and infamous creative alcoholics (Raymond Carver, Billie Holiday, David Foster Wallace et al) and the history of treatment and recovery in America...now those bits were interesting. Background on Bill W and the earlier years of asylums and institutions...I thought that was good stuff.
This is a book about AA, lacking focus on recovery for some reason, lacking the humility the program is predicated on. I do wonder about its reception by people not “in the rooms,” because my own experiences of alcoholism, surrender, recovery, and AA of course shape my thoughts on this droning tome. This needed marked up by a sponsor more than an editor or thesis advisor.