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I Quit Everything: How One Woman's Addiction to Quitting Helped Her Confront Bad Habits and Embrace Midlife
An experimental account of one woman’s quest to shed addictive substances and behaviors from her life—which dares to ask if we’re really better off without them. In January 2021, Freda Love Smith, acclaimed rock musician and author of Red Velvet Underground, watched as insurgents stormed the U.S. Capitol. It felt like the culmination of eight months of pandemic anxiety. She needed a drink, badly. But she suspected a midday whiskey wouldn’t cure what was really ailing her—nor would her nightly cannabis gummy, or her four daily cups of tea, or any of the other substances she relied on to get through each day. Thus began her experiment to remove one addictive behavior from her life each month to see if sobriety was really all it was cracked up to be. With honesty and humor, Smith describes the effects of withdrawal from alcohol, sugar, caffeine, cannabis, and social media, weaving in her reflections on the childhood experiences and cultural norms that fed her addictions to these behaviors. Part personal history, part sociological research, and part wry observation on addiction, intoxication, media, and pandemic behavior, I Quit Everything will resonate with anyone who has danced with destructive habits—that is, those who are “sober curious” but not necessarily sober. Smith’s experiment goes beyond simply quitting these five addictive behaviors. Moved by the circumstances of the pandemic and the general state of the world, she ends up leaving an unsatisfying job for more meaningful work and reevaluating other significant details of her life, such as motherhood and the music that defined her career. More than a simple sobriety story, Smith’s book is an exploration of passion, legacy, and what becomes of our identities once we’ve quit everything.
200 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2023
4 people are currently reading
1875 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 2, 2023
I truly like the idea of the experiment that Frida Love Smith attempted after being dissatisfied with her experiences after covid. Giving up one vice a month for 6 months. However, I didn't really enjoy this book that much. I feel like there was just a lack of personal reflection on the effects of quitting everything. The writing was clunky and the chapters just felt like unfinished journal entries. This isn't supposed to be a self help book, but there was nothing to support the title of "confronting bad habits and embracing midlife". There was just 'I quit' and then 'I started again.' Which is just kind of boring. The reader doesn't find out how she embraces or learns anything. She weaves in some eastern thoughts and slight meditations on why she drinks or sits on social media but its just giving recycled 'women who does yoga' trying to analyze herself. All in all there are many other writers who have done these personal challenges and written much clearer, more entertaining and enlightening essays and books on the topic.
November 17, 2023
I adore this book. It sits right in the spot where I spin in circles with too much, too little, just right and none at all when it comes to... balance.
I bet some people will go into this thinking it’s a self help book. But it’s really a book about being yourself.
I bet some people will go into this thinking it’s a self help book. But it’s really a book about being yourself.
January 1, 2024
The title and the back of the book made me believe that this book was about a woman quitting her addictions. I didn't know she'd go back to them after 6 months. It was disappointing. She also just threw in heroin use towards the end and referenced some professor who advocates for its recreational use. I just don't know. The book was an easy read. That's the only reason I finished it. It was not inspiring at all, and she offered little self reflection on her part.
October 5, 2023
Highly recommended. This was the right book at the right time for me, by which I mean to say, anytime. Freda boldly shares and bares the private tumult of giving up her addictions. As an accomplished artist, professional, and mother, her honest and thoughtful writing is stacked with a wealth of quotations and references that bear out the subject matter as well.
Upon completing the book I can’t help but feel a similar experience to coming to the end of a jigsaw puzzle only to find several missing pieces. I do, however, think that was the whole point. Captivating and thought provoking.
*Thank you to Jacqueline at Agate for the ARC.
Upon completing the book I can’t help but feel a similar experience to coming to the end of a jigsaw puzzle only to find several missing pieces. I do, however, think that was the whole point. Captivating and thought provoking.
*Thank you to Jacqueline at Agate for the ARC.
October 18, 2023
Strung out, anxious, and exhausted after the shitshow year that 2020 was, Smith decided to embark on a self-healing journey. She used alcohol, sugar, cannabis, caffeine, and social media to maintain her internal balance in a chaotic world (like many of us have done and still do) but found that as hard as she was trying to remain level, she was exhausted, gaining weight, not sleeping well, and losing her creative drive. Sitting over her bowl of oatmeal one morning, she decided she had to quit it all, just as an experiment, to “see what it felt like to be free”.
A short read, at only 200 pages, and an interesting one to see Smith’s approach to quitting so many addictive substances. The storytelling lacked a bit though, in my opinion, and a lot of the stories/chapters seemed like unfinished thoughts. It was difficult for me to continue reading and difficult for me to pick it back up once I set it down.
A short read, at only 200 pages, and an interesting one to see Smith’s approach to quitting so many addictive substances. The storytelling lacked a bit though, in my opinion, and a lot of the stories/chapters seemed like unfinished thoughts. It was difficult for me to continue reading and difficult for me to pick it back up once I set it down.
December 27, 2023
Started this book on my flight this morning and blew through it fast. Feels very incomplete. The author asks a lot of questions but doesn’t answer them. I was looking for something a little more thoughtful and this felt very half baked.
November 18, 2023
I really loved this book! I listened to it on Audible and the performance by the author was great.
Freda Love Smith is run down and decides to take on an Ascetics approach to life by quitting the things she had relied on to get her through the complexities of life. She embarks on an "elimination diet" of all of her pleasures/crutches on a month-by-month basis and with a naked eye turned inward exams her past and present with and without alcohol, cannibis, caffeine, sugar and social media. What's left? Ha!
This is a story of addictions. This is a story of mid-life. This is a story of finding yourself again beyond all of the modern stimulants that take us away from center.
Well researched. Beautifuly written. Candid and Honest. Entertaining and Funny.
Freda Love Smith is run down and decides to take on an Ascetics approach to life by quitting the things she had relied on to get her through the complexities of life. She embarks on an "elimination diet" of all of her pleasures/crutches on a month-by-month basis and with a naked eye turned inward exams her past and present with and without alcohol, cannibis, caffeine, sugar and social media. What's left? Ha!
This is a story of addictions. This is a story of mid-life. This is a story of finding yourself again beyond all of the modern stimulants that take us away from center.
Well researched. Beautifuly written. Candid and Honest. Entertaining and Funny.
March 21, 2024
Picked up from the featured shelf at my local library. It felt honest & fresh and I was glad to spend time with someone else’s covid personal journey & see some connections with my own. Delightfully un-preachy
October 25, 2023
I got halfway through and just couldn't take it anymore so I Quit this book. I recognize the irony. The first section alone on alcohol was utterly ridiculous.
September 11, 2023
High praise for Freda Love Smith (Author, Mom, retired rock Drummer) and "I Quit Everything".
During the height of the pandemic, Smith found herself increasingly dissatisfied with the recent state of the world (being locked down sedentary at home, the rebel storming of the nation’s capital, etc.) as well as her own physical, mental and overall health. The forced lockdown made Smith take a hard look at her own reality and a vow to give up alcohol, sugar, cannabis, caffeine and social media.
She documents in detail not only what she went through when giving up these vices, but also, an insightful, entertaining retrospective on things and experiences that may have played a part in her succumbing to them. It’s interesting to note how people react one way to her giving up a certain vice, but in a completely different manner when she talks about giving up another. This says lots about how our society gives “a pass” to some bad habits and vilifies others. Smith gets the reader thinking about their own views and the part these substances play in their lives.
Self-deprecating, brutally honest, and pulling no punches, Smith waxes nostalgic, referencing aspects of popular culture during the zeitgeists of her childhood and young adulthood. She thoughtfully connects cultural entities such as the movies “Arthur” and “The Bad News Bears”, underrated musician; Jonathan Richman, author Charles Bukowski and other figures that reflect the “looseness” of lifestyles during certain times, and its effects on the adopting of detrimental habits. Smith’s experiences will be identifiable to a wide variety of people and ages. But Gen-Xers who were kids in the seventies and had college/young adult experiences in the late eighties and nineties will be transported back to times which may be fading, fond memories.
Fans of music and arts, as well as people in general who have sought out substances and other ways of temporarily “escaping” life will likely see themselves in Smith. She serves as a truthful voice for people who may not want to talk about their own use of things which some might see as “less than flattering”.
While Smith focuses on her personal experiences in the past and present, the book is also interspersed throughout with philosophies, findings and quotes from scientists, sociologists, drug mystics and more. In the hands of other writers, these could be dry excursions into dull academia. But Smith chose to cite professionals and cultural happenings that will leave the reader informed, entertained and perhaps, in awe. Her citing of a 1964 Time Magazine ad that encouraged parents to “play it safe” with their young ones and make sure they get sugar everyday in order to avoid “dangerous exhaustion” is one such example.
In the end, this is not a typical self-help publication. In fact, Smith herself labeled it as an “anti-self-help” book. Rather than bringing the reader to any “one size fits all” conclusions, it’s simply an account of one woman’s experiment in eliminating bad substances from her life and eventually adopting a different mindset and setting limits on things that, while potentially hazardous to our health, may be needed by some people to get through life. The kinds of substances and levels of intake (if any at all) will vary among different people. This is an intriguing, hip, fun book that will likely encourage the reader to examine their own usage of Smith’s vices and the optimum levels that may work for them, without trying to preach in favor of one thing or another. Highly recommended.
-David Rangel
During the height of the pandemic, Smith found herself increasingly dissatisfied with the recent state of the world (being locked down sedentary at home, the rebel storming of the nation’s capital, etc.) as well as her own physical, mental and overall health. The forced lockdown made Smith take a hard look at her own reality and a vow to give up alcohol, sugar, cannabis, caffeine and social media.
She documents in detail not only what she went through when giving up these vices, but also, an insightful, entertaining retrospective on things and experiences that may have played a part in her succumbing to them. It’s interesting to note how people react one way to her giving up a certain vice, but in a completely different manner when she talks about giving up another. This says lots about how our society gives “a pass” to some bad habits and vilifies others. Smith gets the reader thinking about their own views and the part these substances play in their lives.
Self-deprecating, brutally honest, and pulling no punches, Smith waxes nostalgic, referencing aspects of popular culture during the zeitgeists of her childhood and young adulthood. She thoughtfully connects cultural entities such as the movies “Arthur” and “The Bad News Bears”, underrated musician; Jonathan Richman, author Charles Bukowski and other figures that reflect the “looseness” of lifestyles during certain times, and its effects on the adopting of detrimental habits. Smith’s experiences will be identifiable to a wide variety of people and ages. But Gen-Xers who were kids in the seventies and had college/young adult experiences in the late eighties and nineties will be transported back to times which may be fading, fond memories.
Fans of music and arts, as well as people in general who have sought out substances and other ways of temporarily “escaping” life will likely see themselves in Smith. She serves as a truthful voice for people who may not want to talk about their own use of things which some might see as “less than flattering”.
While Smith focuses on her personal experiences in the past and present, the book is also interspersed throughout with philosophies, findings and quotes from scientists, sociologists, drug mystics and more. In the hands of other writers, these could be dry excursions into dull academia. But Smith chose to cite professionals and cultural happenings that will leave the reader informed, entertained and perhaps, in awe. Her citing of a 1964 Time Magazine ad that encouraged parents to “play it safe” with their young ones and make sure they get sugar everyday in order to avoid “dangerous exhaustion” is one such example.
In the end, this is not a typical self-help publication. In fact, Smith herself labeled it as an “anti-self-help” book. Rather than bringing the reader to any “one size fits all” conclusions, it’s simply an account of one woman’s experiment in eliminating bad substances from her life and eventually adopting a different mindset and setting limits on things that, while potentially hazardous to our health, may be needed by some people to get through life. The kinds of substances and levels of intake (if any at all) will vary among different people. This is an intriguing, hip, fun book that will likely encourage the reader to examine their own usage of Smith’s vices and the optimum levels that may work for them, without trying to preach in favor of one thing or another. Highly recommended.
-David Rangel
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2023
Despite the premise, this is not a self-help book. Indeed, at one point Freda Love Smith notes she'd be the worst person possible to write a self-help book (which is an exaggeration, but there are better candidates). So, about that premise: Smith, in response to the pandemic, decided to eliminate five addictive behaviors (drinking, sugar, marijuana, caffeine, and social media) from her life to pull herself out of a malaise, and here she examines her relationship with each.
On the surface, this book is akin to books like Danny Wallace’s Yes Man and A.J. Jacobs’ The Year of Living Biblically, where the authors create some new set of rules to live by, and the narrative is primarily a journal of what happened as a result. While Smith certainly discusses the impact of these life changes, this is more than a journal.
The book has a natural structure, as Smith sheds a vice a month. However, as she discusses each one of these addictive behaviors, she doesn’t go with a straight linear narrative. Instead, Smith effectively stitches together a look at her past experiences with these vices, what happened after giving up the particular behavior, what science and writers have found and said about these behaviors, anecdotes, vignettes, movie references, and more. While this may sound scattershot, Smith never strays too far from her personal experiences, both past and present, and her writing is so concise, that the book never loses coherence.
Moreover, Smith’s crisp, economical prose has a conversational feel, and there are a number of nifty turns of phrase. She manages to convey a seriousness that you don't get from some of these "playing by new rules" books, which is leavened by her empathy and wit. Perhaps more importantly, Smith looks at herself honestly, which makes her a relatable and sympathetic character in her story.
This book is yet another example of how a specific personal story can resonate more broadly. This is due in part to how Smith examines these behaviors, both for the damage they can cause, and their positive aspects, creating questions of one can achieve balance in relation to each. Accordingly, the book can fuel your own dive into your relationships to these various addictions. To be able to cover so much ground in such a short, readable book, and stick the landing at the end, is really impressive.
On the surface, this book is akin to books like Danny Wallace’s Yes Man and A.J. Jacobs’ The Year of Living Biblically, where the authors create some new set of rules to live by, and the narrative is primarily a journal of what happened as a result. While Smith certainly discusses the impact of these life changes, this is more than a journal.
The book has a natural structure, as Smith sheds a vice a month. However, as she discusses each one of these addictive behaviors, she doesn’t go with a straight linear narrative. Instead, Smith effectively stitches together a look at her past experiences with these vices, what happened after giving up the particular behavior, what science and writers have found and said about these behaviors, anecdotes, vignettes, movie references, and more. While this may sound scattershot, Smith never strays too far from her personal experiences, both past and present, and her writing is so concise, that the book never loses coherence.
Moreover, Smith’s crisp, economical prose has a conversational feel, and there are a number of nifty turns of phrase. She manages to convey a seriousness that you don't get from some of these "playing by new rules" books, which is leavened by her empathy and wit. Perhaps more importantly, Smith looks at herself honestly, which makes her a relatable and sympathetic character in her story.
This book is yet another example of how a specific personal story can resonate more broadly. This is due in part to how Smith examines these behaviors, both for the damage they can cause, and their positive aspects, creating questions of one can achieve balance in relation to each. Accordingly, the book can fuel your own dive into your relationships to these various addictions. To be able to cover so much ground in such a short, readable book, and stick the landing at the end, is really impressive.
December 14, 2023
This is probably more for fans of Smith (drummer for The Blake Babies and Bloomington, IN cult band The Mysteries of Life - and a handful of other bands) than it is for people who are looking to quit their addictions.
Always a pleasure to hear about her life.
But when she starts quoting the experts ("experts" in some situations) for the different addictions, I kind of glossed over the text.
Short short chapters within the major chapters (about 3 pages long, one of them is one sentence). Late in the book she states that this is not really a self-help book, and it kind of isn't. She never really tells us how she quit her various addictions (or, in the case of heroin, stayed way from it - it sounded, and felt, too good to be true!). Meditation, yoga and exercise?
I was not surprised to hear that caffeine was the toughest to crack (I have a friend who used to drink 4 pots of coffee a day!). The "not even fruit" wjhen stopping sugar was going a bit too far. And, the one of most interest to me, was social media - I need to quit, or cut back, and make better use of my time. Interesting that her gummies is what she missed the most, and went back to the heaviest once her experiment was completed.
There is a bit of hippy/social awareness/holistic spirituality to this, that may be off-putting to some.
And, you have to wonder how she is a vegan and got there! It reminds me of a vegetarian woman who used to be the general manager of an indie bookstore chain in Chicago where I worked in the '80's. Vegetarian, but she chain smoked! And whenever the urge came over her to eat some meat, she would go snarf down a Chicago-style hot dog. And then think about what was in the dog - and throw up.
Yes, a good read for Smith fans - of her music, and her writing (her "Red Velvet Underground" is a really good read too).
My thanks to my local PL for purchasing this upon my request. I don't think it is what they think it is, but....
3.5 out of 5.
Always a pleasure to hear about her life.
But when she starts quoting the experts ("experts" in some situations) for the different addictions, I kind of glossed over the text.
Short short chapters within the major chapters (about 3 pages long, one of them is one sentence). Late in the book she states that this is not really a self-help book, and it kind of isn't. She never really tells us how she quit her various addictions (or, in the case of heroin, stayed way from it - it sounded, and felt, too good to be true!). Meditation, yoga and exercise?
I was not surprised to hear that caffeine was the toughest to crack (I have a friend who used to drink 4 pots of coffee a day!). The "not even fruit" wjhen stopping sugar was going a bit too far. And, the one of most interest to me, was social media - I need to quit, or cut back, and make better use of my time. Interesting that her gummies is what she missed the most, and went back to the heaviest once her experiment was completed.
There is a bit of hippy/social awareness/holistic spirituality to this, that may be off-putting to some.
And, you have to wonder how she is a vegan and got there! It reminds me of a vegetarian woman who used to be the general manager of an indie bookstore chain in Chicago where I worked in the '80's. Vegetarian, but she chain smoked! And whenever the urge came over her to eat some meat, she would go snarf down a Chicago-style hot dog. And then think about what was in the dog - and throw up.
Yes, a good read for Smith fans - of her music, and her writing (her "Red Velvet Underground" is a really good read too).
My thanks to my local PL for purchasing this upon my request. I don't think it is what they think it is, but....
3.5 out of 5.
February 11, 2024
I loved this book!! Im normally a slow reader but I Quit Everything had me reading without putting the book down. The bite sized chapters (a form I love) makes it accessible to even non readers.
What I loved most about this book is the way the author masterfully invites the reader in to ask questions of themselves through asking them of herself.
My favorite section was on quitting social media. So much so that I highlighted paragraphs that I want to hold onto as I navigate my own journey with social media.
Just a few highlights I’ll share….
‘SOMETIMES BEING ALONE, and even falling alone, is exquisite.’
‘I had favorite cartoons too, especially Scooby-Doo and Super Friends. Strangely, though, my most vivid memories are of the commercials, which functioned as a proto-Facebook experience, inspiring complex surges of longing, pain, delight, and exclusion.
It was all about the cereal.’
‘We had all been forced to quit so much. We quit gathering for holidays and birthdays, quit seeing or playing live music, quit going to movies, quit hugging our parents, quit having lunch with our coworkers, quit visiting our friends, quit singing in church. And here I was, quitting by choice the very coping practices that I'd turned to in the face of those constraints. Why not take all of me? After I stripped away these habits and addictions, what would remain? It scared me to think about all the parts of myself I would lose by quitting; it scared me more to think about the parts of myself I might find.’
What I loved most about this book is the way the author masterfully invites the reader in to ask questions of themselves through asking them of herself.
My favorite section was on quitting social media. So much so that I highlighted paragraphs that I want to hold onto as I navigate my own journey with social media.
Just a few highlights I’ll share….
‘SOMETIMES BEING ALONE, and even falling alone, is exquisite.’
‘I had favorite cartoons too, especially Scooby-Doo and Super Friends. Strangely, though, my most vivid memories are of the commercials, which functioned as a proto-Facebook experience, inspiring complex surges of longing, pain, delight, and exclusion.
It was all about the cereal.’
‘We had all been forced to quit so much. We quit gathering for holidays and birthdays, quit seeing or playing live music, quit going to movies, quit hugging our parents, quit having lunch with our coworkers, quit visiting our friends, quit singing in church. And here I was, quitting by choice the very coping practices that I'd turned to in the face of those constraints. Why not take all of me? After I stripped away these habits and addictions, what would remain? It scared me to think about all the parts of myself I would lose by quitting; it scared me more to think about the parts of myself I might find.’
July 7, 2024
I loved reading this book, and gifted it to my best friend as well.
Months after reading I Quit Everything, in the most subtle, maybe even subconscious way, I realized it had influenced my recent decision making about quitting some things; about making space, time, and energy for other things.
I loved that it’s not a cheerleading You-Can-Change-Your-Life! self help book. Rather, it’s series of reflections on quitting; the author describing her own experiences in a delightfully written way. The details probably resonate a little bit extra with GenXers, native Midwesterners- especially those who always felt a bit like we didn’t quite fit in growing up, and/or anyone who’s spent time in or around a rock band or three. But none of that is necessary to appreciate the very real and relatable stories Freda Love Smith tells.
My takeaway is that quitting, making changes, whether it’s sugar or a career path, doesn’t have to involve having a major revelation or committing a revolutionary act. You might quit something and it’s just different. You might want to go back, or you might be happier and quit for good. You’re an adult. Try it.
The quitting you think you want, or need, might not be, in the end, the quitting that works for you. But the quitting mindset, trying it out, might give you the push you need to get there ultimately, whether it’s a big change or just some self-awareness. In the meantime, it’s a fun read.
Months after reading I Quit Everything, in the most subtle, maybe even subconscious way, I realized it had influenced my recent decision making about quitting some things; about making space, time, and energy for other things.
I loved that it’s not a cheerleading You-Can-Change-Your-Life! self help book. Rather, it’s series of reflections on quitting; the author describing her own experiences in a delightfully written way. The details probably resonate a little bit extra with GenXers, native Midwesterners- especially those who always felt a bit like we didn’t quite fit in growing up, and/or anyone who’s spent time in or around a rock band or three. But none of that is necessary to appreciate the very real and relatable stories Freda Love Smith tells.
My takeaway is that quitting, making changes, whether it’s sugar or a career path, doesn’t have to involve having a major revelation or committing a revolutionary act. You might quit something and it’s just different. You might want to go back, or you might be happier and quit for good. You’re an adult. Try it.
The quitting you think you want, or need, might not be, in the end, the quitting that works for you. But the quitting mindset, trying it out, might give you the push you need to get there ultimately, whether it’s a big change or just some self-awareness. In the meantime, it’s a fun read.
December 10, 2023
I'm a sucker for reading about the lives of my favorite musicians, so I was excited to hear that Freda had a book coming out. The premise - a limited exploration into facing her relationship with addictive substances head on during what many experienced as the most difficult time of our lives - hooked me and the fact that it was Freda compelled me to pre-order the title. Over the past 20 or so years I have seen my attention span shrink, and I have a tendency to purchase a book only to watch it collect dust after reading a chapter or two. When Freda's book arrived, I cracked the cover and was attracted by both the subject matter and the technical structure of the book - each chapter is bite-sized so it didn't feel like a mountain to climb. Freda is about my age, so I identified with many of the pop culture references, but was ushered into a wholly different perspective of that time period by the raw, vulnerable, naked truth that Freda presents by way of background. I'm also a junkie of self-help books and I found it freeing to read about addiction, but be invited by the author to come to my own conclusions. This book has no answers. I recommend it because it will make you think.
August 17, 2024
Despite the ostensible framework of addiction and abstinence, Freda Love Smith’s highly compelling ‘I Quit Everything’ has a surprising amount to say about the Covid-19 pandemic. I found myself thrown back in time, to those uncertain early months of lockdown and isolation and despite that being a difficult thing to confront at times, I had a hard time leaving this book be. This isn’t a recovery memoir - that would be too easy, too rote. Instead, Love Smith crafts a thoughtful meditation on going cold turkey and, more importantly, returning to habits after developing a fresh relationship to them during the time away. It’s not hard to read this as a metaphor for pandemic hermeticism and the subsequent, tenuous return to public life that follows and much of the author’s anxiety is deeply relatable. ‘I Quit Everything’ is a breezy read about a difficult topic and is recommended for anyone looking to make sense of the times we live in and the various balms through which we make them bearable.
November 16, 2023
Freda Smith’s I Quit Everything is all about the “inner reset” that can take place when one has the courage to come face to face with her own personal habits and addictions which no longer serve her. Amid the lockdown and isolation at home with spouse in a small apartment she began to look more closely at her daily habits and the condition of her health and well-being, coming to realize there were 5 things standing in her way to a happier healthier life in middle age. This is her intimate personal story of quitting, and it takes you on a trip through the last 50+ years. Perhaps other readers will be moved as I was to follow her lead and make my own list. I've read it twice in the last month and highly recommend it.
March 16, 2024
The book lacks an expected, genuine narratives of the process of quitting addiction. It includes too many unnecessary information on the description of the things she quits, such as the harm that sugar does to people and her reflection on collateral literature on sugar. These information, more or less, are exposed to public. The true value lies in the actual process of achieving a life without any addiction, which is rare among the public. Thus, more detailed description on quality such as perseverance, the physical state she felt, and the way her life changed are expected, which has less volume in the actual book.
December 17, 2024
This book is not what I was expecting and I will be honest in saying I did not very much enjoy it. Being part memoir I expected of course some personal reflections and biases, but I was expecting more lessons to be learned from this book. The research and majority of her opinions were made known to be heavily politically based and I didn’t take much from the entirety of the book. She went back to her “addictions,” justified heroin, and overall it felt like the whole book was her justifying her bad habits after having quit them for a period of time and then going back to them. I just don’t understand what the point was.
November 17, 2023
Freda has a natural voice and gift for writing, and this book is a humourous, honest and fascinating examination into the nature of habits, and why we do what we do. The tone is friendly, inviting and not at all preachy. Her self-analysis and making connections through her life to her behaviours is handled thoughtfully and entertaining. As the other reviews say, it's not a self-help book... but it may encourage you to stop and have a look at the habits of your own life, something I had not thought to do before now. Highly recommended.
October 17, 2023
Solid book. As the author says herself, it is not a self-help book. The book is more about her journey of taking a break from different things/practices. It is interesting to see her reactions, and her thought process as she goes through this experiment. If a person is working through their own "quitting" with one of the things/practices she talks about it, they will find those chapters particularly interesting.
November 14, 2023
I love everything about this book, from the title to the gripping, month-by-month accounts of quitting everyday addictions, all told with humor, intelligence, and a laudable sense of tough self-reflection. I think everyone worried about (or just interested in) their dependence on substances, from caffeine to cannabis, would enjoy this read. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to share it with friends who, like me, allow these socially-acceptable substances to mess with their lives.
November 16, 2023
A quick, fun read that unintentionally makes you evaluate your own life choices. Throughout the book, Freda Love Smith chronicles her experiences as she quits various substances and behaviors in a post pandemic/post J6 world. The experiences went a little more into sociological research than I expected, but I found the added context interesting. The optima vs maxima discussion in particular made me look for ways I could find optima in my own life.
November 18, 2023
When I started Freda Love Smith’s highly relatable memoir, I was immediately transported to the events taking place during the pandemic and all the emotions and coping mechanisms that I leaned on to survive. FLS then unpacks all the things she quits through reflecting on life-moments and cultural references that resonate deeply—particularly to a kindred Gen Xer.
Highly relatable for any generation! Give “ “I Quit Everything” a read!
Highly relatable for any generation! Give “ “I Quit Everything” a read!
October 28, 2023
Freda’s second book ventures we are a few have gone before.
She honestly writes about her experience with addictive substances and behavior.
Freda quit alcohol, sugar, caffeine, cannabis, and social media.
The book is not preaching or condemning folks who are “ addictive” to any of the above.
She looks back and more importantly she looks forward.
She honestly writes about her experience with addictive substances and behavior.
Freda quit alcohol, sugar, caffeine, cannabis, and social media.
The book is not preaching or condemning folks who are “ addictive” to any of the above.
She looks back and more importantly she looks forward.
November 16, 2023
This book is a very intelligent and intellectual examination of the author’s vices, but not at all so academic that it’s not approachable. Wow, could I relate on many fronts! What was even more impressive than just her examination of self, was her courageous admission of her shortcomings. If we could all be so brave!
December 6, 2023
This book is inspirational and as we follow the author through her many aspirations, accomplishments and goals it really helps the reader begin to let go and understand more about the true process of finding out what really matters in life and how there is so much more yet to discover in oneself. I loved reading this and you shouldn't miss out on this elevating and restorative read!
December 24, 2023
Despite a strong opening, the book felt more like a blog with stats thrown in. I really love the experiment of weaning away from habits, but the disjointed bits and pieces left me wondering where this was going … and to be honest, I’m not sure Smith knew. She repeatedly said she’s not good at endings, and it showed. Sorry! I really wanted to love this book, but it just needs editing.
January 10, 2024
I enjoyed the candid writing style and the breakdown of sections by each thing the author quit. I found it very relatable with things I’m “addicted” to that aren’t typically thought of addictions. A short and quick read to put some things into perspective. The end wasn’t great but then again, the author admits she’s bad at endings, so I can’t really blame her.
January 17, 2024
Wow. This book blew me away. Freda paints a unique narrative where she discusses both the reasons we should and should not use the various substances we do. There is something to be gained and lost from reliance on anything. This book prompted many journaling discussions and had me thinking about what substances do for me personally. Amazing read.
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