Time Is All We Have: Four Weeks at the Betty Ford Center

by Barnaby Conrad

The author recounts his battle with alcoholism, focusing on his treatment at the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, describing the day-to-day care, the preparation of patients for the outside world, and the important after-care program

272 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1989

About the author

Barnaby Conrad, Jr. was an American artist, author, nightclub proprietor, bullfighter and boxer.

NB: Father of writer Barnaby Conrad III.

Washington Post obituary:
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/20...

Reviews

[Steele Dimmock]

Amazing! This book has scared me off alcohol, I'm not sure for how long but definitely a while. Barnaby Conrad takes the reader through his time in rehab. The story is rich, detailed and filled with emotion. I found myself welling up at one point - a big shot businessman wanted to leave rehab and the support group got him to lay down as though he was in a coffin and began to impersonate his close family and friends. Really touching.

The book is written by a professional writer and it shows. Expert level prose.

A couple of quotes I liked are "Do you want to make it a mountain you'll never climb or a pebble you step over every day." and more humorously "she had a voice that could worm a dog."

The advice given to anyone with a problem with alcohol is don't drink, tell people you are allergic to it rather than say you are an alcoholic.

5 stars: Must read again, and soon!

[Kim N. Le · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually just rate books and skip the review part but I have to say a few words about this one. A year ago I was in rehab for alcohol use disorder and by the grace of God I am now sober and thriving. I've read many books about addiction and treatment and believe this one hit closest to home, even though it was published a while ago. Was definitely an accurate representation of what treatment was like. Highly recommend!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This account of the late Barnaby Conrad's time in the Betty Ford Clinic is the single best, most touching account of recovery from alcoholism I've ever read. A writer by trade, Conrad's account is gripping, self-effacing, sympathetic, and deeply compassionate to those whom he met in rehab, some of whom were not nearly as fortunate as Conrad. Highly recommended.

[Gizzard · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the horrible new EBSCO library audiobook system, it can be difficult to find books to listen to. Mainly because it is so hard to work with this system. So I chose this book because it sounded interesting and popped up at the beginning of a list.

Well, it was interesting. This has Conrad's personal story and stories about the Betty Ford Center rehab system. At times the book is a regurgitation of alcohol info and AA philosophy. Additionally, some of the rambling side bars, both Conrad's life story and stories about others (such as Hemingway) are quite uninteresting, some more interesting. So it was a pretty uneven book. But as a whole, worth reading/listening.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though my favorite part was the Ray Bradbury quote in the epilogue, I enjoyed the rest of it as well. Conrad was totally unfamiliar to me before I got this on hoopla for bedtime listening, but by the end of it I felt like I sort of knew him. But not his wife, not his kids. He kept the viewpoint very tight upon himself and his fellow rehab-mates. An interesting look inside the Betty Ford Center, back when Betty was still alive. Kind of dated, kind of sad.

[Cathy Sargent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most searing account of alcoholism ever written. I agree with other reviewers. I couldn't put this book down! Truly astonishing. I love to listen to the audio recorded version on long car trips.

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strikingly readable story of one man's stay at the Betty Ford Center. Revealing and insightful.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it twice!