Sober Truths: The Making of an Honest Woman

by Jill Kelly

Book by Kelly, Jill

Genres: Memoir

221 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2007

About the author

I am a child of the Pacific Northwest, born in a tiny village up the Columbia Gorge in a snowstorm. I grew up in and around Portland, Oregon, then lived for a number of years in California, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and France before settling into Portland again about 15 years ago.

For two decades I was a college professor of French, English as a Second Language, and writing. When I moved west, I reinvented my life, becoming a freelance editor and writer. Eventually I also developed myself into a visual artist (pastels) and an author (memoir, fiction). For some examples, visit my website.

Sober Truths was written over a 7-year period. I wanted to understand the patterns of my past and the various threads of my present. I wrote over 50 stories and included a bit fewer than half. Memoir can be tricky business as memories are unreliable. In the end, all we can do is tell about our own remembrances, our own realities. I hope you enjoy reading the book!

Reviews

[Audra Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good writing. Reveals her promiscuous past without raunchy or explicit details.

[Crystal Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Than a Story About Quitting Drinking …Sober Truths by Jill Kelly is a very real account of all aspects of the sobriety journey. It was interesting to hear a perspective from someone who did not become an alcoholic at a young age, but later in life, a story I do not think is told often enough.

I appreciated her honesty about both the positive and difficult parts of sobriety, including loneliness, weight gain, and even missing alcohol years later. I also appreciated her candor regarding her spiritual journey.

Right about the time you begin to think she may be feeling sorry for herself too much, she takes accountability in a deep and meaningful way that made me reflect on how hard I can be on my own upbringing.

Her story was thoughtful and thought provoking. I was inspired by her journey and the day to day experiences she shares. It felt very relatable and made sobriety seem attainable.

[Kelly Conrad · Rating 3 out of 5]

She wrote very clearly and honestly. It was interesting to see her journey and to hear about the actions she took to change her life.

There was something distant about it, like she was scientifically looking at her life and not really a part of it, and for that reason, I didn’t feel that I really connected with her. It was a good book but don’t know that I would recommend it.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this memoir. I listen to it as an audiobook read by the author although someone else in the reviews claims she had a monotone voice but I didn’t mind lol. I believe she read it quite well. I found the story captivating and well written overall

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely enthralled throughout the story. Thank you for being so honest and vulnerable.
It opened up my understanding of myself and also of my partner! I picked this book up to keep myself busy while he works through rehab and it’s been a huge comfort.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jill Kelly really gets to the core of her emotions, struggles with alcohol and her recovery and discovery of her true self. Beautifully written. I enjoyed reading about her journey.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing and language was a bit simplistic. Basic sentence structure, I did this, I did that, but a good account nonetheless.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a good account of an alcoholics struggles, but i felt depressed reading this... really a downer the first part.

[Lindsey Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It felt like she was in my brain. One of the best recovery books I’ve read and I’ve read a LOT of them.

[Dominika · Rating 5 out of 5]

how does this not have 5 stars and at least 50k reads.....

[Jeannine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admire people who battle and conquer their addictions and so the book was interesting to me in that way. The last part of the book (the last 20%) was very new-agey and induced a lot of eye-rolling and page turning, but mostly because that kind of thing, isn't MY thing. Good for her for forging a path that works for her.

A better book about this sort of thing is Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp.

[Heather Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the honesty, and humility the author portrays in this book. She is a very good writer. I felt that when she got to the recovery Part, it became harder to follow, as the stories bounced around time period wise. The last few chapters, I skimmed through as I felt that there was repetition and not as organized information wise.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author turns her astute mind to her own addictions, the choices she has made, and the patterns of her life. I was struck by her unflinching observations--she doesn't pull punches, even with herself. She has become the "Honest Woman" of the title.

[Bridget Benton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book - an honest, personal and well-written story of a struggle with addiction that is still universal. The ending left me hanging slightly; the resolution wasn't tidy. Of course, life isn't tidy either - and Jill Kelly's story is only beginning.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting....