16 Inspiring Books for Evaluating Your Relationship with Alcohol

by Ellie St. Aubin January 31, 2023

So you’ve completed Dry January and are enjoying all the alcohol-free benefits of taking a drinking break, plus the surprisingly delicious taste of NA bevs.

Maybe you had more of a “dryish” month and are still exploring how you want to move forward with alcohol. That’s okay, too!

No matter where you stand with your drinking habits, it can be incredibly helpful to hear other people’s stories and experiences. There are plenty of “quitting drinking” books out there to help guide you through your own journey of mindful drinking.

Even if you don’t plan on quitting drinking permanently, it can be good to gather information on what you’re consuming, how our brains and bodies function with alcohol, and remind yourself why you do breaks and other forms of mindful drinking.

Check out the most raved-about quitting drinking books:

1. Recovery Freedom From Our Addictions 

by Russell Brand

From the brutally honest and hilarious Russell Brand.

“With a rare mix of honesty, humor, and compassion, comedian and movie star Russell Brand mines his own wild story and shares the advice and wisdom he has gained through his 14 years of recovery.

Brand speaks to those suffering along the full spectrum of addiction - from drugs, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar addictions to addictions to work, stress, bad relationships, digital media, and fame.”

BOOZE-FREE BEVS & BOOKS

2. We Are The Luckiest 

by Laura McKowen

You can’t go wrong with a book that comes highly recommended by Glennon Doyle herself! Ms. Doyle says, “We Are the Luckiest is a masterpiece. It’s the truest, most generous, honest, and helpful sobriety memoir I’ve read. It’s going to save lives.”

Author, Laura McKowen recounts personal stories and addresses common sobriety issues. Without sugarcoating the struggles of sobriety, she relentlessly emphasizes the many blessings of an honest life, one without secrets and debilitating shame.

3. The Dry Challenge

 by Hilary Sheinbaum

“Whether you’re eager to try Dry January or simply want to lessen your quarantine drinking habits in a positive and approachable way, as daunting as it may seem, you too can do it!

The Dry Challenge provides an easy step-by-step guide for completing your first Dry January, Sober October, or any other alcohol-free month. You’ll find plenty of booze-free activities from prompts to checklists to the best mocktail recipes around. "

4. Alcohol is Sh!t 

by Paul Churchill

A book from the creator and host of the Recovery Elevator podcast and community.

“With lightheartedness, clarity, and no BS, Alcohol is Sh!t will allow the reader to remove the fog created by alcohol and provide them with the tools necessary to quit drinking. Follow the advice in this book, and your new life awaits - one filled with inner peace, self-compassion, and an abundance of joy.

Within the first chapter, the listener will begin to feel a weight lifting, and for probably the first time, will know what role alcohol is playing in their lives.”

5. The Sober Curious Reset 

by Ruby Warrington

“In The Sober Curious Reset, Ruby goes a step further by inviting you into a 100-day process of radically rethinking your drinking. Each "day" features observations, exercises, and insights, offering a more profound process of self-discovery than common month-long programs like Dry January or Sober September. "

6. Not Drinking Tonight 

by Amanda E. White, LPC

A judgment-free and relatable book from popular therapist, Amanda E. White LPC, of “Therapy For Women.”

"Not Drinking Tonight isn’t a program to stop drinking. It is the first book to help you unpack your relationship with alcohol by addressing the root issues that cause you to reach for a drink in the first place and help you build a sober life you love."

7. Quit Like A Woman

 by Holly Whitaker

"When Holly found an alternate way out of her own addiction, she felt a calling to create a sober community with resources for anyone questioning their relationship with drinking, so that they might find their way as well.

Her resultant feminine-centric recovery program focuses on getting at the root causes that lead people to overindulge and provides the tools necessary to break the cycle of addiction, showing us what is possible when we remove alcohol and destroy our belief system around it."

8. This Naked Mind 

by Annie Grace

With raving reviews and a full-on Naked Mind community out there, this one is a must read!

"With clarity, humor, and a unique blend of science and storytelling, This Naked Mind by Annie Grace will give you the tools for a life free of alcohol. It explains how to do away with psychological dependence to reduce alcohol cravings, allowing you to drink less (or stop drinking altogether)."

CHEERS WITH AF WINE

Best Quitting-Drinking Book Recs

9. Sober on a Drunk Planet 

by Sean Alexander

"Sober On A Drunk Planet will help you explore eight areas that can dramatically improve if you decide to go alcohol-free.

From looking ten years younger to securing your next promotion at work, quitting alcohol can be the unexpected shortcut to life-changing results."

10. Alcohol Explained 

by William Porter

“The Alcohol Explained details how alcohol affects human beings on a chemical, physiological and psychological level, from those first drinks right up to chronic alcoholism.

Despite being entirely scientific and factual in nature, this book is presented in an accessible and easily understandable format.”

11. The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober

 by Catherine Gray

"This inspirational and highly relatable narrative from Catherine Gray celebrates the benefits of sobriety via the author's personal experience, factual reportage and contributions from expert sources.

There is plenty of self-help advice for anyone who wants to reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake. With over 5,000 Amazon reviews, this is a staple to add to your quit lit library."

TRY AWARD-WINNING NA BEER

12. Drinking Games 

by Sarah Levy

"Drinking Games explores the role alcohol has in our formative years, and what it means to opt out of a culture completely enmeshed in drinking.

This book speaks to the all-consuming cycle of working hard, playing harder, and trying to look perfect while you’re at it. Sarah takes us by the hand through her personal journey with blackouts, dating, relationships, wellness culture, startups, social media, friendship, and self-discovery."

13. The Sober Diaries 

by Clare Pooley

"This book is the story of a year in Clare's life. A year that started with her quitting booze having been drinking more than a bottle of wine every day. It sees her starting a hugely successful blog, then getting and beating breast cancer.

By the end of the year she is booze free and cancer free, two stone lighter and with a life that is so much richer, healthier and more rewarding than ever before. Sober Diaries is an upbeat, funny and positive look at how to live life to the full."

14. Girl Walks Out of a Bar

 by Lisa Smith

""Raw, naked and unflinching, Girl Walks Out of A Bar catapults the reader into the sordid, desperate reality of high-functioning addiction: the booze, the coke, the lies; the denial, the depression, the blackouts.

All are on full display as New York lawyer Lisa Smith loses herself in a deep and all-too-human descent into perpetual numbing. A chilling, cautionary tale."

15. Sunshine Warm Sober 

by Catherine Gray

"Whether you're a dedicated boozehound, flirting with teetotalling or already sober, this witty, gritty listen may just change how you think about alcohol forever."

16. The Sober Lush 

by Amanda Eyre Ward & Jardine Libaire

"For anyone curious about lowering their alcohol consumption or quitting drinking altogether, or anyone established in sobriety who wants inspiration, this shimmering and sumptuous book will show you how to keep indulging in life even if you stop indulging in alcohol."

Grab an NA bev and your favorite book and enjoy those hangover-free weekends!