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High Sobriety: my year without booze
‘I’m the binge-drinking health reporter. During the week, I write about Australia’s booze-soaked culture. At the weekends, I write myself off.’
Booze had dominated Jill Stark’s social life ever since she had her first sip of beer, at 13. She thought nothing could curb her love of big nights. And then came the hangover that changed everything. In the shadow of her 35th year, Jill made a decision: she would give up alcohol. But what would it mean to stop drinking in a world awash with booze?
This lively memoir charts Jill’s tumultuous year on the wagon, as she copes with the stress of the newsroom sober, tackles the dating scene on soda water, learns to watch the footy minus beer, and deals with censure from friends and colleagues, who tell her that a year without booze is ‘a year with no mates’.
In re-examining her habits, Jill also explores Australia’s love affair with alcohol, meeting alcopop-swigging teens who drink to fit in, beer-swilling blokes in a sporting culture backed by booze, and marketing bigwigs blamed for turning binge drinking into a way of life. And she tracks the history of this national obsession: from the idea that Australia’s new colonies were drowning in drink to the Anzac ethos that a beer builds mateship, and from the six o’clock swill that encouraged bingeing to the tangled weave of advertising, social pressure, and tradition that confronts drinkers today.
Will Jill make it through the year without booze? And if she does, will she go back to her old habits, or has she called last drinks? This is a funny, moving, and insightful exploration of why we drink, how we got here, and what happens when we turn off the tap.
Booze had dominated Jill Stark’s social life ever since she had her first sip of beer, at 13. She thought nothing could curb her love of big nights. And then came the hangover that changed everything. In the shadow of her 35th year, Jill made a decision: she would give up alcohol. But what would it mean to stop drinking in a world awash with booze?
This lively memoir charts Jill’s tumultuous year on the wagon, as she copes with the stress of the newsroom sober, tackles the dating scene on soda water, learns to watch the footy minus beer, and deals with censure from friends and colleagues, who tell her that a year without booze is ‘a year with no mates’.
In re-examining her habits, Jill also explores Australia’s love affair with alcohol, meeting alcopop-swigging teens who drink to fit in, beer-swilling blokes in a sporting culture backed by booze, and marketing bigwigs blamed for turning binge drinking into a way of life. And she tracks the history of this national obsession: from the idea that Australia’s new colonies were drowning in drink to the Anzac ethos that a beer builds mateship, and from the six o’clock swill that encouraged bingeing to the tangled weave of advertising, social pressure, and tradition that confronts drinkers today.
Will Jill make it through the year without booze? And if she does, will she go back to her old habits, or has she called last drinks? This is a funny, moving, and insightful exploration of why we drink, how we got here, and what happens when we turn off the tap.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
73 people are currently reading
994 people want to read
About the author
Jill Stark
6 books79 followersJill Stark was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and now calls Melbourne, Australia home.
She is the author of two books, and is an award-winning journalist with a career spanning two decades.
Happy Never After: Why The Happiness Fairytale Is Driving Us Mad (And How I Flipped The Script) is a forensic examination of our relentless pursuit of happiness in an age of anxiety.
Her first book, High Sobriety: My Year without Booze is a best-selling memoir about her journey through a year off the grog, and a forensic exploration of Australia’s binge drinking culture. It was shortlisted for the Kibble Literary Awards and was a finalist in the Walkley Book of the Year.
She is the author of two books, and is an award-winning journalist with a career spanning two decades.
Happy Never After: Why The Happiness Fairytale Is Driving Us Mad (And How I Flipped The Script) is a forensic examination of our relentless pursuit of happiness in an age of anxiety.
Her first book, High Sobriety: My Year without Booze is a best-selling memoir about her journey through a year off the grog, and a forensic exploration of Australia’s binge drinking culture. It was shortlisted for the Kibble Literary Awards and was a finalist in the Walkley Book of the Year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
September 20, 2015
My review has been written a little different than the usual reviews. It is more along the lines of how this book affected me personally.
Jill Stark has written a book that I believe is a " MUST READ" not only for Australians but for any Country or Society in which alcohol is a consumed and deemed as a "normal" part of life. Stark has written this book in such a way that people of all races, religions, countries and socioeconomics can relate to it.
I have not touched a drop of alcohol for 15 yrs now. NOT because I had a problem with alcohol but because I originally stopped when I was on a health kick. I then realised I didn't miss it at all....It seemed that other people had a problem and the problem was they missed me drinking. I went through very similar experiences as Jill.
I have never judged people's choices when it comes to what people do whether it's alcohol or even smoking a joint. My husband drinks occasionally which I have no issue with. What astounded me was I was being judged for not drinking...rumours began that I must have had a drinking problem...I also don't think being Aboriginal helped...I became the "blackfella" that doesn't drink.
The fact is that on my father's side of the family alcoholism has been rife for generations...my father is a "whitefella" who came over to Australia as a child with his family as a "10 pound Pom". What Irony!
The point is in Multicultural Australia, we do have a huge drinking problem as a nation but also many other countries do. We need to remember that although alcohol is legal it does not mean that it it's necessarily safe. Some of the biggest traumas that have happened in my life have been alcohol related such as two of my closest friends (both aged 22) dying from a drunk driver running a red light. Another example my sister aged 14 at the time was hit by a drink driver as she crossed the pedestrian crossing on the way home from school. Her pelvis was broken in 4 places, she also had a fractured femur and tibia. I could continue with other incidents but I think you get the picture.
As a mother of teenage boys it does concern me as I am sure it does other parents. Australia's culture desperately needs to change it's attitudes towards alcohol. I believe that we as parent's need to set the example and to teach our kids to respect alcohol.
Next time you put that glass of alcohol to your lips, just for a moment think about who you are influencing, if it's possible you may need to drive later, are you making someone feel uncomfortable because that person no longer drinks? Does it make YOU feel more comfortable about your drinking, if you have someone else drinking with you? If so why?
These are some of the questions AND answers that came to me whilst reading this book.
Thank you Jill Stark for the reality check not just for me but also for Australia.
Jill Stark has written a book that I believe is a " MUST READ" not only for Australians but for any Country or Society in which alcohol is a consumed and deemed as a "normal" part of life. Stark has written this book in such a way that people of all races, religions, countries and socioeconomics can relate to it.
I have not touched a drop of alcohol for 15 yrs now. NOT because I had a problem with alcohol but because I originally stopped when I was on a health kick. I then realised I didn't miss it at all....It seemed that other people had a problem and the problem was they missed me drinking. I went through very similar experiences as Jill.
I have never judged people's choices when it comes to what people do whether it's alcohol or even smoking a joint. My husband drinks occasionally which I have no issue with. What astounded me was I was being judged for not drinking...rumours began that I must have had a drinking problem...I also don't think being Aboriginal helped...I became the "blackfella" that doesn't drink.
The fact is that on my father's side of the family alcoholism has been rife for generations...my father is a "whitefella" who came over to Australia as a child with his family as a "10 pound Pom". What Irony!
The point is in Multicultural Australia, we do have a huge drinking problem as a nation but also many other countries do. We need to remember that although alcohol is legal it does not mean that it it's necessarily safe. Some of the biggest traumas that have happened in my life have been alcohol related such as two of my closest friends (both aged 22) dying from a drunk driver running a red light. Another example my sister aged 14 at the time was hit by a drink driver as she crossed the pedestrian crossing on the way home from school. Her pelvis was broken in 4 places, she also had a fractured femur and tibia. I could continue with other incidents but I think you get the picture.
As a mother of teenage boys it does concern me as I am sure it does other parents. Australia's culture desperately needs to change it's attitudes towards alcohol. I believe that we as parent's need to set the example and to teach our kids to respect alcohol.
Next time you put that glass of alcohol to your lips, just for a moment think about who you are influencing, if it's possible you may need to drive later, are you making someone feel uncomfortable because that person no longer drinks? Does it make YOU feel more comfortable about your drinking, if you have someone else drinking with you? If so why?
These are some of the questions AND answers that came to me whilst reading this book.
Thank you Jill Stark for the reality check not just for me but also for Australia.
June 2, 2017
Where to start with this sobering read. Absolutely no pun intended. Jill Stark is telling the world her story of not drinking alcohol for more than twelve months. She was a party girl who happened to be a health reporter for the Melbourne Age Newspaper. She was writing herself off then writing about Australia’s love of booze the next day. And so it went on for a long time.
This was serious and full of some excellent research, this is was not meant to be an entertaining read. I thought it was a tad long, but her self depreciating stories of life growing up in Scotland were heartfelt and honest. I really like this woman, not just the author.
So many facts were discussed. It’s really quite depressing how much alcohol affects so many people, sports sponsorship, government coffers (5.8 billion each year) and how really, politicians are not going to put enough money into rehabilitation services because of this.
This teaches the drinker and non-drinker a lot. I am not a wowser by any standard. But!! Australians (of course not all) are drinking too much, no matter what grey area you read into.
“When it comes to policies that will exact real change in our drinking culture, what works isn’t popular and what popular doesn’t work.”
Alcohol advertising is banned before 9pm so children aren’t swayed, but live sporting events are exempt. 23% of all sport revenue comes from alcohol sponsorship. These are interesting messages in Australia’s culture.
She even discusses the messy area of young AFL/NRL players that drink so much at events, this isn’t surprising when alcohol is free. It’s even free at some nightclubs to attract a certain clientele that the owners are looking for.
Lisa happily underwent neurological testing to see if her brain was affected by her years and years of drinking, and highlighted how badly people’s brains are effected. One term I’m particularly interested in is pre malignant dependency. This woman’s 14 months of sobriety taught her a lot.
“Without booze, I loved, laughed, and lost. Life did not stop. But it certainly did change.”
This was serious and full of some excellent research, this is was not meant to be an entertaining read. I thought it was a tad long, but her self depreciating stories of life growing up in Scotland were heartfelt and honest. I really like this woman, not just the author.
So many facts were discussed. It’s really quite depressing how much alcohol affects so many people, sports sponsorship, government coffers (5.8 billion each year) and how really, politicians are not going to put enough money into rehabilitation services because of this.
This teaches the drinker and non-drinker a lot. I am not a wowser by any standard. But!! Australians (of course not all) are drinking too much, no matter what grey area you read into.
“When it comes to policies that will exact real change in our drinking culture, what works isn’t popular and what popular doesn’t work.”
Alcohol advertising is banned before 9pm so children aren’t swayed, but live sporting events are exempt. 23% of all sport revenue comes from alcohol sponsorship. These are interesting messages in Australia’s culture.
She even discusses the messy area of young AFL/NRL players that drink so much at events, this isn’t surprising when alcohol is free. It’s even free at some nightclubs to attract a certain clientele that the owners are looking for.
Lisa happily underwent neurological testing to see if her brain was affected by her years and years of drinking, and highlighted how badly people’s brains are effected. One term I’m particularly interested in is pre malignant dependency. This woman’s 14 months of sobriety taught her a lot.
“Without booze, I loved, laughed, and lost. Life did not stop. But it certainly did change.”
December 31, 2015
Note added New Year's Eve, December 2015, I thought of this book today and remembered how good it was. I decided to share my old review in case anyone feels inspired to attempt "high sobriety" or maybe do a quick FebFast (29 days this year!) as a New Year's Resolution. Whatever, it's worth a read.
++++++
I started reading this while I was doing Dry July just for the heck of it (and raising money). Dry July for the heck of it, I mean. I had heard good things about "High Sobriety", so I figured it was a good time to read it.
Great timing, as I think I would have found it confronting to be drinking while reading it. Jill Stark came from a hard-drinking Scottish background, so it was easy for her to fit into hard-drinking Australia.
But eventually, one hangover pulled her up long enough that she actually took notice of what she'd been writing about as a health reporter for a major newspaper for some years. She doesn't cut herself any slack or offer any excuses for writing about health during the week and getting wasted on the weekends. It's just considered normal behaviour here. Everything, as she says, EVERY occasion is cause for a drink. Must get together for a drink . . . Let me get you a drink . . . Man, does anyone remember Saturday night at all? . . .
Her original intention of giving up for a month (like my Dry July) stretched on to a year and involved facing her friends and their parties and occasions with only ginger beer (my personal choice, also) to fortify herself with. Meeting new blokes was a whole new challenge.
While a few friends made her feel uncomfortable about her self-imposed drought, she persisted with her experiment and did more research and interviews, all of which I found compelling, although I have never been a drunk-drinker or moved in those circles.
Still . . . today was my first glass of wine since I started Dry July, and although it won't be my last, I may try Ocsober and FebFast next, just to make sure I can. I reckon every drinker should.
++++++
I started reading this while I was doing Dry July just for the heck of it (and raising money). Dry July for the heck of it, I mean. I had heard good things about "High Sobriety", so I figured it was a good time to read it.
Great timing, as I think I would have found it confronting to be drinking while reading it. Jill Stark came from a hard-drinking Scottish background, so it was easy for her to fit into hard-drinking Australia.
But eventually, one hangover pulled her up long enough that she actually took notice of what she'd been writing about as a health reporter for a major newspaper for some years. She doesn't cut herself any slack or offer any excuses for writing about health during the week and getting wasted on the weekends. It's just considered normal behaviour here. Everything, as she says, EVERY occasion is cause for a drink. Must get together for a drink . . . Let me get you a drink . . . Man, does anyone remember Saturday night at all? . . .
Her original intention of giving up for a month (like my Dry July) stretched on to a year and involved facing her friends and their parties and occasions with only ginger beer (my personal choice, also) to fortify herself with. Meeting new blokes was a whole new challenge.
While a few friends made her feel uncomfortable about her self-imposed drought, she persisted with her experiment and did more research and interviews, all of which I found compelling, although I have never been a drunk-drinker or moved in those circles.
Still . . . today was my first glass of wine since I started Dry July, and although it won't be my last, I may try Ocsober and FebFast next, just to make sure I can. I reckon every drinker should.
June 12, 2014
What a fantastic book! I am ashamed to say that I bought this book a long time ago and have been afraid to read it. I was so far in denial about a slightly unhealthy relationship with booze that I did not want to read anything that would make me feel bad. After a particularly groggy long weekend I decided it was time to read it. Being set in Melbourne it was so immediate to my experience and it was really easy to read as Jill has a lovely writing style. I enjoyed the thorough research and effort to cover a large range of relevant topics; advertising, sports culture, being 'aussie', being 'scottish' etc.
I have signed up for Hello Sunday Morning and I'm looking forward to it!
I have signed up for Hello Sunday Morning and I'm looking forward to it!
May 10, 2014
As a fellow non drinker/ex binge drinker I totally loved this book for the shared experiences and the amazing research into Australia's relationship with booze.
I'd love to know how Jill is doing now - has she managed to drink in moderation?
For myself, I decided to give up drinking 15 months ago and apart from a six week stint of trying to drink in moderation and failing, I've not touched a drop.
Although it's hard sometimes, the health benefits (both physical and mental), totally outweigh the fleeting enjoyment that comes with drinking booze.
I'd love to know how Jill is doing now - has she managed to drink in moderation?
For myself, I decided to give up drinking 15 months ago and apart from a six week stint of trying to drink in moderation and failing, I've not touched a drop.
Although it's hard sometimes, the health benefits (both physical and mental), totally outweigh the fleeting enjoyment that comes with drinking booze.
February 20, 2013
A great book to read if you are querying your relationship with alcohol. Entertaining & informative.
May 14, 2013
“I’m the binge-drinking health reporter. During the week I write about Australia’s booze-soaked culture. At the weekends, I write myself off.”
Years ago, I remember reading this article by the Age’s health reporter Jill Stark. As someone for whom binge-drinking has been a regular part of socialising – not as in I binge-drink a lot, but regular heavy weekend drinking has definitely been acceptable and encouraged in many of the groups I have spent time with – it certainly resonated with me. Following on from the success of that article, this book details the year-long break from alcohol taken by the life-of-the-party Jill Stark. Her personal experiences are interspersed with really confronting and disturbing data about the damage that alcohol abuse can have on a personal, social and cultural level.
As a Scotswoman living in Australia, Stark comes from two cultures where drinking is seen as an integral part of belonging. Stark is called ‘unAustralian’ for not drinking and her friends joke that her Australian citizenship certificate will come with a six-pack of VB. However, Stark finds that Australia’s history with alcohol is not one of larrikin good-natured mateship but a more complicated relationship of politics, marketing and regulatory factors (such as the famous 6 o’clock swill). Although we may believe that alcohol is fundamental to the formation of Australia as we know it, our current levels of drinking are a recent development that is constantly being reinforced by marketing, for example CUB’s ‘Raise a Glass’ promotion. The recent increase in alcohol sale and abuse has not been matched by an increase in funding for treatment and recovery and, according to the picture painted by the experts Stark interviews, the problem is only going to get worse as baby boomers take their problem drinking habits with them into retirement homes.
There were two things I found incredibly disturbing in this book. Firstly, I was shocked at the long-term ramifications of heavy drinking physically – for women, a considerable increase in the risk of breast cancer and for both sexes, an all-over increase in cancer risk – as well the considerable psychological damage that can be done to memory and behaviour. Secondly, I was not aware of the role of industry and government in the ever-increasing ubiquity of alcohol. Over the last ten years there has been a massive increase in the number of places that sell alcohol and the hours in which alcohol is available for purchase. Advertising within the industry is self-regulated, which in practical terms means very little regulation at all. Alcohol is a huge part of sporting events and, disturbingly, a vital part of sports funding. The AFL even has an ‘official beer’, which seems even more ridiculous when Stark points out that alcohol is totally non-conducive to elite sports performance and therefore not used by the athletes whose performances are linked by marketing with booze. It’s a really disturbing situation.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Jill Stark has a frank, interesting writing style and she seems like (ironically) she would be a great person to go and have a drink with. Having completed both Dry July and FebFast, a lot of what she found was true to my experience – the fear of going without alcohol tends to be a lot worse than the reality. We are still us without a drink. Yet just as nature abhors a vacuum, Australians are terrified by a non-drinker and dealing with talking about not-drinking is definitely more painful than the not-drinking is. I also agree that sometimes we drink because we’re bored – we’re at a terrible party or there’s nothing on TV so we crack open a bottle of wine. However, my experience of problem drinking is not the same as Stark’s – I don’t know many people in their mid-30s who go out and have massive nights every week (although, based on the statistics she presented, it seems to be a huge problem with younger people). In my experience it’s the nights in that are the issue – the one glass of wine with dinner that transitions into a bottle three or four times a week. The people I know who say they drink too much drink too much at home, not out and about. I also think because it’s really clear that Stark has a problem with alcohol abuse (although she doesn’t believe she’s an alcoholic because she was able to give it up quite easily), it becomes easy to say ‘Oh, that’s not like me and my friends – we never vomit when we go out’. Because she’s worse, our situation seems not that bad.
That said, I think this is an important book for people to read, not just for the information it contains but because it’s an engaging, interesting account of a woman’s experiences with alcohol and a discussion of two societies (Scottish and Australian) who are reaching crisis point with their relationship to alcohol. While it suffers from the same problems of many first-person memoirs (overuse of the pronoun ‘I’ and the phrase ‘tears streamed down my/her/his/our face/s’), it is still entertaining and thought-provoking. I give it four stars.
Years ago, I remember reading this article by the Age’s health reporter Jill Stark. As someone for whom binge-drinking has been a regular part of socialising – not as in I binge-drink a lot, but regular heavy weekend drinking has definitely been acceptable and encouraged in many of the groups I have spent time with – it certainly resonated with me. Following on from the success of that article, this book details the year-long break from alcohol taken by the life-of-the-party Jill Stark. Her personal experiences are interspersed with really confronting and disturbing data about the damage that alcohol abuse can have on a personal, social and cultural level.
As a Scotswoman living in Australia, Stark comes from two cultures where drinking is seen as an integral part of belonging. Stark is called ‘unAustralian’ for not drinking and her friends joke that her Australian citizenship certificate will come with a six-pack of VB. However, Stark finds that Australia’s history with alcohol is not one of larrikin good-natured mateship but a more complicated relationship of politics, marketing and regulatory factors (such as the famous 6 o’clock swill). Although we may believe that alcohol is fundamental to the formation of Australia as we know it, our current levels of drinking are a recent development that is constantly being reinforced by marketing, for example CUB’s ‘Raise a Glass’ promotion. The recent increase in alcohol sale and abuse has not been matched by an increase in funding for treatment and recovery and, according to the picture painted by the experts Stark interviews, the problem is only going to get worse as baby boomers take their problem drinking habits with them into retirement homes.
There were two things I found incredibly disturbing in this book. Firstly, I was shocked at the long-term ramifications of heavy drinking physically – for women, a considerable increase in the risk of breast cancer and for both sexes, an all-over increase in cancer risk – as well the considerable psychological damage that can be done to memory and behaviour. Secondly, I was not aware of the role of industry and government in the ever-increasing ubiquity of alcohol. Over the last ten years there has been a massive increase in the number of places that sell alcohol and the hours in which alcohol is available for purchase. Advertising within the industry is self-regulated, which in practical terms means very little regulation at all. Alcohol is a huge part of sporting events and, disturbingly, a vital part of sports funding. The AFL even has an ‘official beer’, which seems even more ridiculous when Stark points out that alcohol is totally non-conducive to elite sports performance and therefore not used by the athletes whose performances are linked by marketing with booze. It’s a really disturbing situation.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Jill Stark has a frank, interesting writing style and she seems like (ironically) she would be a great person to go and have a drink with. Having completed both Dry July and FebFast, a lot of what she found was true to my experience – the fear of going without alcohol tends to be a lot worse than the reality. We are still us without a drink. Yet just as nature abhors a vacuum, Australians are terrified by a non-drinker and dealing with talking about not-drinking is definitely more painful than the not-drinking is. I also agree that sometimes we drink because we’re bored – we’re at a terrible party or there’s nothing on TV so we crack open a bottle of wine. However, my experience of problem drinking is not the same as Stark’s – I don’t know many people in their mid-30s who go out and have massive nights every week (although, based on the statistics she presented, it seems to be a huge problem with younger people). In my experience it’s the nights in that are the issue – the one glass of wine with dinner that transitions into a bottle three or four times a week. The people I know who say they drink too much drink too much at home, not out and about. I also think because it’s really clear that Stark has a problem with alcohol abuse (although she doesn’t believe she’s an alcoholic because she was able to give it up quite easily), it becomes easy to say ‘Oh, that’s not like me and my friends – we never vomit when we go out’. Because she’s worse, our situation seems not that bad.
That said, I think this is an important book for people to read, not just for the information it contains but because it’s an engaging, interesting account of a woman’s experiences with alcohol and a discussion of two societies (Scottish and Australian) who are reaching crisis point with their relationship to alcohol. While it suffers from the same problems of many first-person memoirs (overuse of the pronoun ‘I’ and the phrase ‘tears streamed down my/her/his/our face/s’), it is still entertaining and thought-provoking. I give it four stars.
September 25, 2021
Had some good points but, like so many books in this genre, was aggressively straight and white.
May 21, 2013
I read this based on the thumbs-up it received from all panelists on a recent episode of The Bookclub - and that 3 out of the 5 panelists had not had a drink since finishing the book. I was curious to see what it said that could have such a life changing effect.
Unfortunately High Sobriety had the opposite effect on me. By the end of the book - having read pages and pages of examples of the author's fun times with alcohol - she had totally sold me: I just wanted a drink. (I think it was a description of beer on a hot day that did it.)
On the plus side I do admire the author for sticking out the 12 months when it seemed like every social encounter was engineered to get her glugging again. But this focus of the book (our social culture of drinking) just didn't ring true for me personally. Of the many social events I've attended (and not drunk), I've felt no pressure from others to drink. Also, the stats and stories bits (rather than the personal reflection) just didn't work for me - I was continually asking "Where's the evidence? What's that study? What do we really know?"
I like that this has opened a dialogue about our culture of drinking - that's incredibly positive - but probably the thing I got most from the book is that, while I was reading it, I was constantly asking myself, "Could I do this? Could I go 12 months without alcohol?" And the answers I found in those reflections made this a worthwhile read.
Unfortunately High Sobriety had the opposite effect on me. By the end of the book - having read pages and pages of examples of the author's fun times with alcohol - she had totally sold me: I just wanted a drink. (I think it was a description of beer on a hot day that did it.)
On the plus side I do admire the author for sticking out the 12 months when it seemed like every social encounter was engineered to get her glugging again. But this focus of the book (our social culture of drinking) just didn't ring true for me personally. Of the many social events I've attended (and not drunk), I've felt no pressure from others to drink. Also, the stats and stories bits (rather than the personal reflection) just didn't work for me - I was continually asking "Where's the evidence? What's that study? What do we really know?"
I like that this has opened a dialogue about our culture of drinking - that's incredibly positive - but probably the thing I got most from the book is that, while I was reading it, I was constantly asking myself, "Could I do this? Could I go 12 months without alcohol?" And the answers I found in those reflections made this a worthwhile read.
August 5, 2013
I have been recommending this book to people who say they don't normally read non-fiction, as the writing style is so engaging. Stark finds a perfect balance between personal memoir and expose of our culture of drinking, and moves from one to the other seamlessly. At times it feels like a series of magazine articles, which is no bad thing.
I think it would have had a stronger impact on me, though, if I was a regular drinker and one of the many Sunday-morning-hangover victims she describes. The ruthless exposure of how reliant we all are on alcohol to fuel every social event doesn't seem as shocking or relevant if you happen to have a perfectly good social life sans drink. Maybe when she writes 'My Year without Coffee' I will be forced to examine my own addictions.
It is also fairly repetitive in its message - every chapter reveals how yet another aspect of Australian (or Scottish) life is dominated by drinking. I got the message early on - yes, we have a drink problem in our society. Despite this it remains eminently readable and refreshing in its frankness.
I think it would have had a stronger impact on me, though, if I was a regular drinker and one of the many Sunday-morning-hangover victims she describes. The ruthless exposure of how reliant we all are on alcohol to fuel every social event doesn't seem as shocking or relevant if you happen to have a perfectly good social life sans drink. Maybe when she writes 'My Year without Coffee' I will be forced to examine my own addictions.
It is also fairly repetitive in its message - every chapter reveals how yet another aspect of Australian (or Scottish) life is dominated by drinking. I got the message early on - yes, we have a drink problem in our society. Despite this it remains eminently readable and refreshing in its frankness.
March 5, 2023
I wanted to read this book to give a kick in the right direction to do what I've been thinking about for some time now, and that is having a booze-free period. I've done these in the past and always felt great but this time I've been slower to get enthused about the idea. I needed some inspiration and I found it in this book.
Stark comes across as highly likeable but also - and perhaps more importantly - highly relatable. It probably also helped that at the time of taking on her year long sobriety from alcohol, she was basically exactly the same age as I am now and we both have pretty similar drinking habits and life circumstances, only I'm in a long-term relationship. I think it was all the similarities that made this book so impactful for me. I'd read Pooley's The Sober Diaries back in 2020 and while I found it insightful, it didn't hit home in the same way as this book did.
I really appreciated Stark's exploration of what constitutes problem-drinking. She demonstrated an appreciation for the complex nature of the issue and the stigma that surrounds it. No matter how you define your relationship with drinking, one message comes through very clearly in this book: alcohol is not good for you no matter your relationship with it. I really think we'll be looking back on drinking in the future and judging it much the same way way we now do smoking. We'll be wishing we as consumers did more to dismantle the very industry that compromised our health and the health of those we loved.
While her overall voice came across as compelling and even-handed, and her personal experiences matched mine, her intimate understanding alcohol via her profession as a reporter covering this subject matter meant that she was well versed with statistics and facts to really punch her message home. The way she deeply covered topics on what role alcohol plays in our national identity, social lives, personal health, work cultures and the advertising industry, made for a much more compelling analysis then what could have been provided only by one person's account of living an alcohol free year. It was also really nice that the book was focused on Aussie examples!
When I saw Stark's new book Higher Sobriety come out, I then found this one so started here. I'm now really excited to read about 10 years later, where did Stark go to from here and what does her relationship with alcohol look like today. I'm also hoping to better understand whether the proliferation of zero free alcohol options over the past 10 years has improved our nation's relationship to drinking. I'll report back!
Stark comes across as highly likeable but also - and perhaps more importantly - highly relatable. It probably also helped that at the time of taking on her year long sobriety from alcohol, she was basically exactly the same age as I am now and we both have pretty similar drinking habits and life circumstances, only I'm in a long-term relationship. I think it was all the similarities that made this book so impactful for me. I'd read Pooley's The Sober Diaries back in 2020 and while I found it insightful, it didn't hit home in the same way as this book did.
I really appreciated Stark's exploration of what constitutes problem-drinking. She demonstrated an appreciation for the complex nature of the issue and the stigma that surrounds it. No matter how you define your relationship with drinking, one message comes through very clearly in this book: alcohol is not good for you no matter your relationship with it. I really think we'll be looking back on drinking in the future and judging it much the same way way we now do smoking. We'll be wishing we as consumers did more to dismantle the very industry that compromised our health and the health of those we loved.
While her overall voice came across as compelling and even-handed, and her personal experiences matched mine, her intimate understanding alcohol via her profession as a reporter covering this subject matter meant that she was well versed with statistics and facts to really punch her message home. The way she deeply covered topics on what role alcohol plays in our national identity, social lives, personal health, work cultures and the advertising industry, made for a much more compelling analysis then what could have been provided only by one person's account of living an alcohol free year. It was also really nice that the book was focused on Aussie examples!
When I saw Stark's new book Higher Sobriety come out, I then found this one so started here. I'm now really excited to read about 10 years later, where did Stark go to from here and what does her relationship with alcohol look like today. I'm also hoping to better understand whether the proliferation of zero free alcohol options over the past 10 years has improved our nation's relationship to drinking. I'll report back!
June 21, 2021
First and foremost. I love Jill Stark. But this book felt a bit repetitive and longer than necessary - it was a hard slog in parts for sure. In other parts I could really see myself and the thoughts and feelings I’ve had over the first few months of being sober. The social dilemmas, the attitudes, the anxiety. It’s also interesting to see Australian statistics around alcohol too, as most of the books I’ve read around this topic have been American. I feel like some parts needed to be fleshed out a bit more, like how drinking correlates with assault and domestic violence. When Jill was sticking up for her beloved football crowd and saying “there were only 14 arrests after the grand final” I was like one, there shouldn’t be any, two 14 arrests but how many cases of assault weren’t reported. I don’t know: it’s in parts like this I could feel a hesitation in the writing. Like really hammering certain subjects would put the nail in the coffin for her “being a real Aussie”. Other parts were raw, real and breaking barriers. I just needed more balance. I’m glad to follow Jill today and see how much she has and continues to grow and write eloquently and passionately about the subject and much more.
January 1, 2017
After seeing this discussed on a TV Book Show, I was keen to read it myself. However it came with a warning- 3 of 4 panelists had decided to stop drinking for a period after reading it.
The concept fascinated me- we seem to define ourselves as Australians by our strong drinking culture. How challenging is it to be the non-drinker at standard social occasions?
I've had conscious periods of alcohol abstinence throughout my adult life. These have been driven by two things. The first has been a growing intolerance to many beverages- there's no pleasure having a drink of merely a glass or two if hours later you're feeling terrible or violently ill. I'd rather pay $10 for a bottle of water! The second reason has been an awareness that I was looking forward to that after-work wine far too much. Or when I was dreading something, a beverage was a fall back.
This book sat waiting for me through two library renewal periods. I wanted to read it, but wasn't ready to face some reality about my attitude towards drinking. After a ridiculous evening hungover, some very regrettable drunk texting, and the library due date looming, I opened the book...
And couldn't put it down. While my own drinking habits didn't mirror the author's, her sheer honesty was inspiring. Some of the data presented was distracting during the personal stories, but a few facts shocked me and will hopefully remain forever burned into my shriveled neurons.
Will I give up drinking entirely? I don't know. But the book certainly gave me more awareness about myself and may help some of my future decisions.
The concept fascinated me- we seem to define ourselves as Australians by our strong drinking culture. How challenging is it to be the non-drinker at standard social occasions?
I've had conscious periods of alcohol abstinence throughout my adult life. These have been driven by two things. The first has been a growing intolerance to many beverages- there's no pleasure having a drink of merely a glass or two if hours later you're feeling terrible or violently ill. I'd rather pay $10 for a bottle of water! The second reason has been an awareness that I was looking forward to that after-work wine far too much. Or when I was dreading something, a beverage was a fall back.
This book sat waiting for me through two library renewal periods. I wanted to read it, but wasn't ready to face some reality about my attitude towards drinking. After a ridiculous evening hungover, some very regrettable drunk texting, and the library due date looming, I opened the book...
And couldn't put it down. While my own drinking habits didn't mirror the author's, her sheer honesty was inspiring. Some of the data presented was distracting during the personal stories, but a few facts shocked me and will hopefully remain forever burned into my shriveled neurons.
Will I give up drinking entirely? I don't know. But the book certainly gave me more awareness about myself and may help some of my future decisions.
June 11, 2015
I finished this book four days after having a really depressing hangover. I wasted my long weekend, curled up in bed feeling sorry for myself, rather than using the extra day to get more shit done and spend more time doing the things that I enjoy. Not only that, I don't remember most of the second half of the night, which from other peoples'recollections was terrific, I'm sad that I can't remember much.
The book is one part journalistic, looking at Australia's love affair with alcohol, and one part about the author's 12 months without booze and her relationship with the liquid.
I really enjoyed it!
The book is one part journalistic, looking at Australia's love affair with alcohol, and one part about the author's 12 months without booze and her relationship with the liquid.
I really enjoyed it!
February 1, 2014
Starks book is not a fix all, nor is it really self help. What it is, is an interesting experiment and a fascinating look at what a huge part alcohol plays in (most of) our lives.
I recognised many worrying traits that Stark fearlessly fesses up to here, and while it sounded some alarm bells it also gave me a sense of relief that I am 'not the only one'.
The tone of this book is never preachy and ties in details of the authors personal life that make her feel like a friend and stop the book ever feeling judgmental.
A great read.
I recognised many worrying traits that Stark fearlessly fesses up to here, and while it sounded some alarm bells it also gave me a sense of relief that I am 'not the only one'.
The tone of this book is never preachy and ties in details of the authors personal life that make her feel like a friend and stop the book ever feeling judgmental.
A great read.
April 18, 2013
....insert yawn here....
July 27, 2018
4.5 stars. This was a cracking read. I loved the format: Stark lays out each chapter as a summary of her personal experiences each month without booze, while using them as a segue into wider themes, such as underage drinking, alcohol in sport and finding love while sober. Her writing is engrossing and entertaining and her research is thorough.
After more than two years since my last drink, so much of it heavily resonated with me. Though, sadly, if I hadn't given up drinking, I don't think I would have persevered with this book. I wonder how many people could read this objectively if they still have skin in the game?
Although thoroughly unsurprising, the research remains troubling. It has definitely reinforced my dogmatic and unwavering stance on alcohol. Which, as Stark describes, can be incredibly difficult in Australia, and I have often been cast as a social pariah and enemy of all fun.
For me, I know that I will never be a person who can stop at one drink. And I have never succeeded at negotiating the necessary logistics of moderation. It's hard to admit, but I can see now that alcohol never had a positive influence on my life and instead made it a good deal harder. Like Stark during her drinking hiatus, I often dream that I have gotten drunk and made a mess of myself (and my life), and wake up sweating and anxious but instantly flooded with relief.
"How many times have I heard friends say, 'I'm not having a big night,' only to find that a couple of beers has turned into a 3.00am bender? Controlled drinking has one fundamental flaw - every beer chips away at the powers of reasoning and self-control you need to help you make good decisions. I find that once I have a taste for it, alcohol only gets more appealing as the night goes on. Perhaps abstinence is the only choice."
After more than two years since my last drink, so much of it heavily resonated with me. Though, sadly, if I hadn't given up drinking, I don't think I would have persevered with this book. I wonder how many people could read this objectively if they still have skin in the game?
Although thoroughly unsurprising, the research remains troubling. It has definitely reinforced my dogmatic and unwavering stance on alcohol. Which, as Stark describes, can be incredibly difficult in Australia, and I have often been cast as a social pariah and enemy of all fun.
For me, I know that I will never be a person who can stop at one drink. And I have never succeeded at negotiating the necessary logistics of moderation. It's hard to admit, but I can see now that alcohol never had a positive influence on my life and instead made it a good deal harder. Like Stark during her drinking hiatus, I often dream that I have gotten drunk and made a mess of myself (and my life), and wake up sweating and anxious but instantly flooded with relief.
"How many times have I heard friends say, 'I'm not having a big night,' only to find that a couple of beers has turned into a 3.00am bender? Controlled drinking has one fundamental flaw - every beer chips away at the powers of reasoning and self-control you need to help you make good decisions. I find that once I have a taste for it, alcohol only gets more appealing as the night goes on. Perhaps abstinence is the only choice."
February 12, 2024
An engaging, honest, well researched and thought provoking auto-biography.
35-year-old journalist Jill Stark is living in Melbourne when she start to feel that the alcohol consumption might be a bit off, and decides to go a few months without drinking. She shares her experience and all acquired knowledge, as well as some good research about Australia and Scottish drinking habits and data.
35-year-old journalist Jill Stark is living in Melbourne when she start to feel that the alcohol consumption might be a bit off, and decides to go a few months without drinking. She shares her experience and all acquired knowledge, as well as some good research about Australia and Scottish drinking habits and data.
July 2, 2025
This is a fluid combination of stats and personal anecdotes which serves the topic well.
At times the personal experiences were a little too sentimental to really resonate, but I’m aware that’s a personal preference.
This did a great job of making me stop and consider the impact of alcohol on me personally, as well as society. I expect this book will have a positive influence on me moving forward, and I’m keen to read the next instalment!
At times the personal experiences were a little too sentimental to really resonate, but I’m aware that’s a personal preference.
This did a great job of making me stop and consider the impact of alcohol on me personally, as well as society. I expect this book will have a positive influence on me moving forward, and I’m keen to read the next instalment!
March 13, 2020
I want every member of my family to read this book so that their choices about alcohol are well informed and not peer pressured. The data is almost 10 years old but I don’t believe that the stats have improved since this book was written.
November 10, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
Interesting and somewhat numerous in points. Followed the life of an ex binge drinker who took a year off booze.
Some points hit close to home.
Interesting and somewhat numerous in points. Followed the life of an ex binge drinker who took a year off booze.
Some points hit close to home.
March 17, 2020
Stark's year without booze was an enjoyable read. Stark mixes some extremely concerning data with her own navigation of social situations experienced in the absence of her previous social lubricant. As someone who's trying to go through a year without alcohol, I can relate to a lot of this, albeit to a less extent.
July 8, 2017
Quite a depressing book for a thirsty girl like myself who happens to live in Edinburgh & has strong connections with Australia! Jill Stark writes well but there were a bit too many statistics for my liking. I do agree with most of what she says tho; we do tend to turn to drink when we're happy, sad & stressed, at concerts, cinema, watching live sport & so it goes on. There is a huge drinking culture now & we do need to moderate but sometimes we just don't want the evening & great chat to end!
April 21, 2013
~SPOILER ALERT!~
When I first got this book, I had my doubts, serious ones at that and I'm umm and I'm sighed untill I opened the book and started reading. I mean, you really cannot judge a book by it's cover. It's just... Not on, not in any book lover's world anyway.
So I started reading the first couple of pages and I thought Oh. My. God. This book has got to be so fuckin' boring! I mean seriously, EVERYONE gets hung over after a big night out, how the fuck can you not?
But then, I applied my full plate of food theory and just kept reading on, for the sake of eating the unsavory bits first and I actually started getting into the book, to my surprise. I actually laughed at some of the witty re-marks made and Jill Starks actually inspired me.
This book is technically a memoir and a very well-written one at that, it's a life's journey of one year that tells so much and is jam packed with surreal facts and statistics that left me gob-smacked!I mean like, how can you NOT love this book?
It talks about the impact alcohol as on Australia today, it covers a wide topic, of how hard it is to find love when you're drunk, of the advertising of the alcohol products, of the impact alcohol can really do. Like cause cancer in some individuals or kill some of people's brain functions. I read the dedication at first and I thought maybe Jude was just an old friend, but to find out it was an actual child that died from a heart problem in the end spread a whole new light on it for me.
I thought, that this book, was amazingly written and couldn't have been written any better! Kudos to you Jill Starks! This book has hit my top ten favourite book list!
I would write my favourite quotes, but, the book was so well done that I don't have any!
Adios Amigos!
~TheFacelessReviewer♡
When I first got this book, I had my doubts, serious ones at that and I'm umm and I'm sighed untill I opened the book and started reading. I mean, you really cannot judge a book by it's cover. It's just... Not on, not in any book lover's world anyway.
So I started reading the first couple of pages and I thought Oh. My. God. This book has got to be so fuckin' boring! I mean seriously, EVERYONE gets hung over after a big night out, how the fuck can you not?
But then, I applied my full plate of food theory and just kept reading on, for the sake of eating the unsavory bits first and I actually started getting into the book, to my surprise. I actually laughed at some of the witty re-marks made and Jill Starks actually inspired me.
This book is technically a memoir and a very well-written one at that, it's a life's journey of one year that tells so much and is jam packed with surreal facts and statistics that left me gob-smacked!I mean like, how can you NOT love this book?
It talks about the impact alcohol as on Australia today, it covers a wide topic, of how hard it is to find love when you're drunk, of the advertising of the alcohol products, of the impact alcohol can really do. Like cause cancer in some individuals or kill some of people's brain functions. I read the dedication at first and I thought maybe Jude was just an old friend, but to find out it was an actual child that died from a heart problem in the end spread a whole new light on it for me.
I thought, that this book, was amazingly written and couldn't have been written any better! Kudos to you Jill Starks! This book has hit my top ten favourite book list!
I would write my favourite quotes, but, the book was so well done that I don't have any!
Adios Amigos!
~TheFacelessReviewer♡
August 12, 2014
You have to be a dedicated American reader to spend $25 to buy this paperback, but Jill Stark's High Sobriety made it worth the money. (It's easier and cheaper to buy in the UK and in Australia.)
The author is a journalist - health reporter - who has written countless articles on binge drinking and the alcohol industry, but it takes her a long time to see how her writings are relevant to her own life.
When she writes about her life and what led up to her drinking like a teen even at age 35, her voice is incredibly compelling and readable. This book goes back and forth from Jill talking about herself, her friends, and their lives to what felt like endless, boring statistics on alcohol, how alcohol is marketed, etc.
It's a 5 star read in the good parts and a 2.5 star read in the boring parts. The good parts are so good that it's still worth purchasing. And tons of bonus points for one of the best book covers I've seen for a long time!
The author is a journalist - health reporter - who has written countless articles on binge drinking and the alcohol industry, but it takes her a long time to see how her writings are relevant to her own life.
When she writes about her life and what led up to her drinking like a teen even at age 35, her voice is incredibly compelling and readable. This book goes back and forth from Jill talking about herself, her friends, and their lives to what felt like endless, boring statistics on alcohol, how alcohol is marketed, etc.
It's a 5 star read in the good parts and a 2.5 star read in the boring parts. The good parts are so good that it's still worth purchasing. And tons of bonus points for one of the best book covers I've seen for a long time!
February 9, 2013
Clever title (High Sobriety) and slogan ‘Life’s too short to be wasted’. This is a memoir with some background and statistics on the wider issues of alcohol consumption in Australia and elsewhere. Jill’s story is an easy read, honest and relatable, even though I’m a minimal drinker. However, there was too much general background discussion on Australian’s use of alcohol. I felt like I was being lectured too, and that perhaps this book has been aimed at a becoming a school English text book – which could be a good use. If that wasn’t the aim, it could have had a heavy edit in this area.
Nonetheless, I still enjoyed reading it. It’s great to read a contemporary Australian women’s memoir. The book finishes with Jill wondering whether she will manage moderation – and I’m hoping to hear the answer one day.
Nonetheless, I still enjoyed reading it. It’s great to read a contemporary Australian women’s memoir. The book finishes with Jill wondering whether she will manage moderation – and I’m hoping to hear the answer one day.
March 12, 2017
I've been meaning to read this book for a while after quite a few friends found it had a transformational change to their perspective on drinking. I thought - what better time to read than during my first Febfast? While I can't say it was too transformational from my perspective (if you have a passing interest in alcohol policy, a lot of it generally won't be a shock to you) but she did have some interesting observations about the weird way other people respond to decisions to not drink (something I have both experienced and been guilty of). Also some of the research around how carcinogenic alcohol is was pretty eye-opening. Stark has a good, candid style but it felt like a book that could have been an essay.
June 27, 2013
This book takes a candid look at how alcohol is accepted as part of our lives. Journalist Jill Stark decided, after one of her customary heavy drinking, hangover-inducing nights out, to give up alcohol for the first time in her adult life. The ensuring story not only describes her personal challenges surviving as a non-, but also raises fundamental questions about the promotion of drinking in Australian society. “High Sobriety” could have been a very preachy novel. Instead it is an engaging read with just the right blend of stats and personal experience. Stark’s humour and engaging writing style provide the perfect vehicle for social commentary.
January 8, 2020
The thing that I like about these kinds of books is the personal story behind what was gotten the person to a point and their journey with quitting drinking or taking a break from alcohol.
While is book is definitely informative, full of data on the current Australian attitude towards drinking, I think it reads more like a long newspaper article rather than focusing on the personal story of Stark taking a break from alcohol, as Stark is a journalist I understand why it was written this way but unfortunately the style of writing and content wasn’t for me and I wasn’t able to finish the book.
September 30, 2013
A very powerful book. I saw this book reviewed on the Tuesday Book Club show on the ABC and, after reading it, 3 out of 4 reviewers decided to stop drinking for a period of time. All of the reviewers thought it was a good book so I thought I would give it a go although I could not imagine that it would inspire me to follow suit. I must say it was an excellent book and I too have decided to make the pledge to stop drinking for a while and as soon as I finish writing this review I will be visiting the "Hello Sunday Morning" website to make a formal commitment.
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