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zachnachazel's review against another edition
4.0
@alcoholexplained by William Porter is the first book I read in the #quitlit category. I was initially drawn to it because it didn’t target the ‘Quit in 30 days’ category a lot of books I found did.
Instead, the author tackles alcohol and sobriety with brutal honesty that I think I needed to hear. I found this read helpful in the early few days of quitting because it was short, precise explanations of what I was doing to my body and mind.
I can see now, while still an infant in my sobriety, Porter speaks a lot of truth about who I was when I drank.
“The fact is that whoever you are as a drinker, it is not the real you. It is a poor quality you. It is a tired, irritable and overly emotional you. Essentially, it is not a very pleasant you.”
It’s true, I was just this shitty sack of potatoes wanting to meld into the forms of a couch.
This was a necessary read for me and while I have it on my Kindle, ordered a physical copy as well because I can see quotes like the one below helpful when I feel like I’m the only person in the world not drinking.
“Alcohol doesn’t make things interesting; it makes your mind stupid so that things that would otherwise have bored it are suddenly enough to occupy it.”
Instead, the author tackles alcohol and sobriety with brutal honesty that I think I needed to hear. I found this read helpful in the early few days of quitting because it was short, precise explanations of what I was doing to my body and mind.
I can see now, while still an infant in my sobriety, Porter speaks a lot of truth about who I was when I drank.
“The fact is that whoever you are as a drinker, it is not the real you. It is a poor quality you. It is a tired, irritable and overly emotional you. Essentially, it is not a very pleasant you.”
It’s true, I was just this shitty sack of potatoes wanting to meld into the forms of a couch.
This was a necessary read for me and while I have it on my Kindle, ordered a physical copy as well because I can see quotes like the one below helpful when I feel like I’m the only person in the world not drinking.
“Alcohol doesn’t make things interesting; it makes your mind stupid so that things that would otherwise have bored it are suddenly enough to occupy it.”
aecinf's review
4.0
I read this book for Sober October. It is a scientific and medical description of the body's response to the substance.
merilizabeth's review against another edition
3.0
Slightly beneficial
I never read books about psychology or in popular scientific style. This was new for me in many aspects. For one this book seemed to repeat its contents quite a lot, but I imagine that for a person who has a problem with alcohol brain might function on a bit less capacity than to someone without such a problem. It is quite general assumption that alcohol makes us slower in all the categories possible. But as it was loopy it does tend to get the message across to even the slowest ones I imagine which does irritated me a bit since I catch on a bit faster than that. For one I am happy that I read it and now I know more than the typical side effects of drinking. Lets me judge it all more accurate. Besides everything we do can be overcome by just rewiring out brain.
I never read books about psychology or in popular scientific style. This was new for me in many aspects. For one this book seemed to repeat its contents quite a lot, but I imagine that for a person who has a problem with alcohol brain might function on a bit less capacity than to someone without such a problem. It is quite general assumption that alcohol makes us slower in all the categories possible. But as it was loopy it does tend to get the message across to even the slowest ones I imagine which does irritated me a bit since I catch on a bit faster than that. For one I am happy that I read it and now I know more than the typical side effects of drinking. Lets me judge it all more accurate. Besides everything we do can be overcome by just rewiring out brain.
seppeds's review against another edition
5.0
This is a highly readable yet scientific standard lifestyle book on the physiological, psychological and social account of alcohol usage.
Written very clearly and applicable it is a common sense deconstruction of deeply ingrained positive ideas about drinking one might have. As well as an in depth guide on how to stop addictive behaviour.
Great for drinkers, non-drinkers, ex-drinkers and everyone with a sense of wonder about the detrimental aspects of alcohol to the body and mind, and how it shapes the actions and beliefs of individuals.
Written very clearly and applicable it is a common sense deconstruction of deeply ingrained positive ideas about drinking one might have. As well as an in depth guide on how to stop addictive behaviour.
Great for drinkers, non-drinkers, ex-drinkers and everyone with a sense of wonder about the detrimental aspects of alcohol to the body and mind, and how it shapes the actions and beliefs of individuals.
parmitareads's review against another edition
I found this book to be quite informative and believable. It not only explains how people get addicted to alcohol, but also gives out ways in which an alcoholic can overcome the addiction. It helps that the author has experienced alcoholism first hand and hence he empathetically explains the reasons behind alcohol addiction. Instead of giving a magical solution, he encourages addicts to focus on the root cause and to face the problem rather than making excuses. I don't consider myself an addict so I can't say how practically useful this book can be to an alcoholic, but this book has made me better informed about alcoholism. I can be certain of never falling into the trap.
super_cooper's review against another edition
5.0
Not as profound reading it the second time round, and now a non-drinker. But so influential, I had to stick with 5!
deekabee's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
As the widow of a man who died as a result of complications from alcoholism, I highly recommend this book to anyone who does frequently drink or those who are connected to someone who drinks. If I had read this book a long time ago, I would have realized that many of the ailments my husband had over the years were due to his alcohol consumption. With this knowledge, maybe - just maybe - he would have chosen to seek out help to change his habits.