What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wine O'Clock Myth: The Truth You Need To Know About Women and Alcohol
'I deserve this.' 'This is my reward.' 'I'm allowed to treat myself.' Ever uttered these statements to yourself as you opened a bottle of wine at 5pm? If so, you're not alone. Women around the globe are buying and consuming alcohol at alarming rates never seen before. But is it doing us any favours? Is it really that treat or reward that we deserve? Lotta Dann thinks not. In The Wine O'Clock Myth, Dann takes an in-depth and eye-opening look at women's drinking habits.
Written through the lens of her own story and her work in the field of addiction and recovery, Dann explores the privileged position alcohol holds in our society, the way the liquor industry targets women, and the damaging 'Wine Mum' social media culture. She reveals the damage alcohol is causing to women physically, emotionally, and socially, and the potential reasons so many women are drinking at harmful levels. She talks to a number of brave women who share detailed, intimate stories about their personal relationships with alcohol—stories that are at times brutal and heartbreaking but also inspiring and heart-lifting. The Wine O'Clock Myth is a powerful, important book that may forever change the way you think about alcohol.
Written through the lens of her own story and her work in the field of addiction and recovery, Dann explores the privileged position alcohol holds in our society, the way the liquor industry targets women, and the damaging 'Wine Mum' social media culture. She reveals the damage alcohol is causing to women physically, emotionally, and socially, and the potential reasons so many women are drinking at harmful levels. She talks to a number of brave women who share detailed, intimate stories about their personal relationships with alcohol—stories that are at times brutal and heartbreaking but also inspiring and heart-lifting. The Wine O'Clock Myth is a powerful, important book that may forever change the way you think about alcohol.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2020
80 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 30, 2020
A good mix of analysis and anecdotes combine in this compelling read on the omnipresence of alcohol.
Some of the most revealing research felt a little light – like the section on the insidious role the alcohol industry plays in obfuscating facts, or the way childhood trauma can be a predictor of addictive behaviour (if you're interested, Johann Hari explores this concept masterfully in his book 'Chasing the Scream').
However, this is a solid start to understanding the fraught feelings that frame the female experience with drinking backed by a resourceful approach to choosing change.
Some of the most revealing research felt a little light – like the section on the insidious role the alcohol industry plays in obfuscating facts, or the way childhood trauma can be a predictor of addictive behaviour (if you're interested, Johann Hari explores this concept masterfully in his book 'Chasing the Scream').
However, this is a solid start to understanding the fraught feelings that frame the female experience with drinking backed by a resourceful approach to choosing change.
March 8, 2022
I enjoyed (don’t know if that is the right word) the personal stories from women, a few had my eyes welling with tears, Alix’s story actually made me cry.
I picked this up because it coincided with my 75 Hard Challenge (zero alcohol is one of the things) and because I hear mums chattering at the school gate all the time “what are you drinking tonight?” “Can’t wait for a gin!” “Wine time is me time.” I always feel awkward as I don’t drink daily or even weekly. But I can and have overdone it, more than I like to admit.
Reading these stories it seems extremely easy to fall into the drink everyday mindset. I guess I am lucky as I know addiction runs in my family (alcohol, drugs) so I am very wary of things. I am addicted to things like red bull and Coca Cola (it took me over 30 days not to crave them, currently on Day 53 without). Went to a wedding on the weekend and didn’t drink anything except water. No one batted an eye. Glad I didn’t make a dickhead of myself and was able to pick my kids up (albeit very late) from their elderly grandparents and tuck them into bed myself. And no hangover the next day!
Even if you don’t feel like you have a drinking problem, it’s eye opening reading about how advertisers are targeting us day in and out. You might even see a version of yourself in the pages.
I picked this up because it coincided with my 75 Hard Challenge (zero alcohol is one of the things) and because I hear mums chattering at the school gate all the time “what are you drinking tonight?” “Can’t wait for a gin!” “Wine time is me time.” I always feel awkward as I don’t drink daily or even weekly. But I can and have overdone it, more than I like to admit.
Reading these stories it seems extremely easy to fall into the drink everyday mindset. I guess I am lucky as I know addiction runs in my family (alcohol, drugs) so I am very wary of things. I am addicted to things like red bull and Coca Cola (it took me over 30 days not to crave them, currently on Day 53 without). Went to a wedding on the weekend and didn’t drink anything except water. No one batted an eye. Glad I didn’t make a dickhead of myself and was able to pick my kids up (albeit very late) from their elderly grandparents and tuck them into bed myself. And no hangover the next day!
Even if you don’t feel like you have a drinking problem, it’s eye opening reading about how advertisers are targeting us day in and out. You might even see a version of yourself in the pages.
January 6, 2021
Its incredible, but not at all surprising, to understand how big alcohol companies in NZ targeted advertising to women. Making them feel they need alcohol to be happy, give them confidence, feel better about themselves.
Realising this isnt new, however reading it in fact and from real stories was timely as I start to question why alcohol plays a role in my own life.
Highly recommended read for any women questioning why they reach for wine and alcohol in times of stress.
Realising this isnt new, however reading it in fact and from real stories was timely as I start to question why alcohol plays a role in my own life.
Highly recommended read for any women questioning why they reach for wine and alcohol in times of stress.
April 20, 2022
I enjoyed this one. Mainly for the real life stories from the variety of women the author was able to provide. I also enjoy how this author comes across as everything but preachy. She’s an enjoyable read.
February 7, 2024
“Alcohol has infiltrated, enmeshed, embedded itself into every little nook and cranny of my environment, as it has in most other countries in the Western world. So completely has alcohol been embraced by our societies, it’s become an accepted part of the landscape: we’re so accustomed to seeing it everywhere that we almost don’t see it anymore.”
Although I am familiar enough with the work of the author’s husband I had never heard of her before, until last year I attended a really enjoyable talk that she did with Guyon Espiner about this same subject and both of them came across really well and made some great points about the overwhelming power and influence wielded by the alcohol industry in New Zealand.
She makes an interesting point in mentioning why the alcohol lobbyists never bothered to contest the Six o’clock swill, (1917-67) because they correctly predicted that as well as removing some of the power and urgency from the temperance movement, men would just drinker harder and faster and of course this reckless mind-set and its prevailing culture has carried on from that era and can now be found in much of the culture around the country.
There are so many ways which alcohol has squirmed its way into every niche of NZ culture, cosying up like it’s the most natural and harmless thing in the world, rather than a poison, a depressant and a Group 1 carcinogen (the highest level you can get). So far seven cancers have been directly linked to alcohol with evidence of many more. The fact that the All Blacks, an inspiration and role model for so many youngsters, were allowed to be sponsored by a major alcohol brand is both astonishing and incredibly depressing fact. The corporates probably couldn’t believe how easily they got away with it.
The closer you examine the industry the more glaring parallels we can see with the tobacco industry and also, how just like them they have resorted to deny, discredit and distort model when it comes to facts as well as pouring phenomenal amounts of money into lobbying, one recent story (not in here) concerns that of Andrew Kirkton, who had previously worked for the alcohol lobby who fought (read: used access to phenomenal wealth) for major changes to a container return schemes. He was then hired by the last Labour government as the Chief of Staff, and then not too long after that Chris “the boy from the Hutt” Hipkins miraculously then ditched the scheme. Easy as that!
This is yet another case where self-regulation usually means no regulation at all. Every year it’s estimated that alcohol causes around $7 billion worth of harm through lost labour production, health costs, road crashes, crime, deaths and reduced quality of life. Around 800 New Zealanders die each year due to alcohol from injuries, cancer and other chronic diseases and 70’000 alcohol related physical and sexual assaults are recorded. Between 600 and 3000 babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
So many of the personal accounts are heartfelt and sad, but also many are inspiring and informative to those who maybe need the help or encouragement to give up drinking and recover some sense of sobriety in their lives. All in this is a hugely important book which asks some serious questions about the normalisation of alcohol within NZ society and by looking at what the new coalition of chaos did for big tobacco, it looks like things are only going to get worse for alcohol problems and guess who gets to pick up the real tab for that?...
Although I am familiar enough with the work of the author’s husband I had never heard of her before, until last year I attended a really enjoyable talk that she did with Guyon Espiner about this same subject and both of them came across really well and made some great points about the overwhelming power and influence wielded by the alcohol industry in New Zealand.
She makes an interesting point in mentioning why the alcohol lobbyists never bothered to contest the Six o’clock swill, (1917-67) because they correctly predicted that as well as removing some of the power and urgency from the temperance movement, men would just drinker harder and faster and of course this reckless mind-set and its prevailing culture has carried on from that era and can now be found in much of the culture around the country.
There are so many ways which alcohol has squirmed its way into every niche of NZ culture, cosying up like it’s the most natural and harmless thing in the world, rather than a poison, a depressant and a Group 1 carcinogen (the highest level you can get). So far seven cancers have been directly linked to alcohol with evidence of many more. The fact that the All Blacks, an inspiration and role model for so many youngsters, were allowed to be sponsored by a major alcohol brand is both astonishing and incredibly depressing fact. The corporates probably couldn’t believe how easily they got away with it.
The closer you examine the industry the more glaring parallels we can see with the tobacco industry and also, how just like them they have resorted to deny, discredit and distort model when it comes to facts as well as pouring phenomenal amounts of money into lobbying, one recent story (not in here) concerns that of Andrew Kirkton, who had previously worked for the alcohol lobby who fought (read: used access to phenomenal wealth) for major changes to a container return schemes. He was then hired by the last Labour government as the Chief of Staff, and then not too long after that Chris “the boy from the Hutt” Hipkins miraculously then ditched the scheme. Easy as that!
This is yet another case where self-regulation usually means no regulation at all. Every year it’s estimated that alcohol causes around $7 billion worth of harm through lost labour production, health costs, road crashes, crime, deaths and reduced quality of life. Around 800 New Zealanders die each year due to alcohol from injuries, cancer and other chronic diseases and 70’000 alcohol related physical and sexual assaults are recorded. Between 600 and 3000 babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
So many of the personal accounts are heartfelt and sad, but also many are inspiring and informative to those who maybe need the help or encouragement to give up drinking and recover some sense of sobriety in their lives. All in this is a hugely important book which asks some serious questions about the normalisation of alcohol within NZ society and by looking at what the new coalition of chaos did for big tobacco, it looks like things are only going to get worse for alcohol problems and guess who gets to pick up the real tab for that?...
June 14, 2024
I loved this book. It was a quick easy read. I also felt like it was relatable in a lot of ways.loved the stories about other women and how they are going through this crazy life.
January 8, 2024
NOT drinking is counter-cultural.
I loved this book & I adore author Lotta Dann's wit, humor, and candor.
"Wine O'Clock" is an eye-opening exploration of sobriety that brilliantly challenges societal norms surrounding alcohol consumption.
Dann's personal journey to sobriety serves as a powerful lens through which to examine the complex, unhealthy relationship between women and alcohol.
This book dismantles the perception of alcohol as a mere indulgence or reward, shedding light on its far-reaching impact on women's lives. Dann directly tackles how alcohol has infiltrated "Mom culture" leaving the impression that we can only deal with our children with the help of liquid courage.
Divided into thought-provoking segments, it delves into our alcohol-centric culture, unveiling the hidden medical toll of alcohol on women, i.e. CANCER! and exposes the manipulative tactics employed by the liquor industry.
What sets this book apart are the heartfelt accounts of resilient New Zealand women who candidly share their struggles with alcohol. These narratives resonate deeply, illuminating the shame associated with alcohol use and the formidable challenges of moderation. Dann masterfully argues that it's not the individual at fault, but the insidious influence of alcohol itself, ultimately advocating for its removal as a path to liberation.
In one satisfying gulp, "Wine O'Clock" is an indispensable read, combining education with emotional impact. It compels readers to scrutinize their own relationship with alcohol, driving home the message that alcohol is not a solution but a highly addictive substance cunningly marketed as "freedom & luxury".
This book extends a beacon of hope, inviting readers to rediscover themselves free from the shackles of alcohol's influence.
I loved this book & I adore author Lotta Dann's wit, humor, and candor.
"Wine O'Clock" is an eye-opening exploration of sobriety that brilliantly challenges societal norms surrounding alcohol consumption.
Dann's personal journey to sobriety serves as a powerful lens through which to examine the complex, unhealthy relationship between women and alcohol.
This book dismantles the perception of alcohol as a mere indulgence or reward, shedding light on its far-reaching impact on women's lives. Dann directly tackles how alcohol has infiltrated "Mom culture" leaving the impression that we can only deal with our children with the help of liquid courage.
Divided into thought-provoking segments, it delves into our alcohol-centric culture, unveiling the hidden medical toll of alcohol on women, i.e. CANCER! and exposes the manipulative tactics employed by the liquor industry.
What sets this book apart are the heartfelt accounts of resilient New Zealand women who candidly share their struggles with alcohol. These narratives resonate deeply, illuminating the shame associated with alcohol use and the formidable challenges of moderation. Dann masterfully argues that it's not the individual at fault, but the insidious influence of alcohol itself, ultimately advocating for its removal as a path to liberation.
In one satisfying gulp, "Wine O'Clock" is an indispensable read, combining education with emotional impact. It compels readers to scrutinize their own relationship with alcohol, driving home the message that alcohol is not a solution but a highly addictive substance cunningly marketed as "freedom & luxury".
This book extends a beacon of hope, inviting readers to rediscover themselves free from the shackles of alcohol's influence.
June 24, 2020
I wanted to love this book. I'd read an article that touched on this culture in the US many moons ago and I find it fascinating, but I couldn't quite get into this title.
I loved the concept but I felt it repeated itself a little and spoke more of the culture of drinking bottles or two per night. The stories sometimes were not clear they'd switched voices and I did find myself lost until I eventually caught on. I would have loved to see more stories of women who perhaps didn't quite fall into such excessive drinking but still wanted to understand their own relationship to alcohol.
Despite that, if you have ever questioned your relationship with alcohol, this subject is a must to explore and this book does do that well.
I loved the concept but I felt it repeated itself a little and spoke more of the culture of drinking bottles or two per night. The stories sometimes were not clear they'd switched voices and I did find myself lost until I eventually caught on. I would have loved to see more stories of women who perhaps didn't quite fall into such excessive drinking but still wanted to understand their own relationship to alcohol.
Despite that, if you have ever questioned your relationship with alcohol, this subject is a must to explore and this book does do that well.
September 8, 2021
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but it really feels like it was written by alcoholics for alcoholics. After a while, all of the women’s stories start sounding the same. Maybe I truly am too influenced by Big Alcohol, but at times, this book was too political and felt as though the author was pushing her experience on everyone who drinks alcohol. Are you seriously comparing guns and gun owners to alcohol and alcoholics? And people fighting the opening of a liquor store? If you don’t want to drink, don’t shop there.
And you can’t be mad at advertising campaigns. Any company is going to do it to sell their product. This also happens with plenty of other dangerous products. Misleading advertising is a topic for another book, and certainly is not exclusive to alcohol. With that being said though, I’m so thankful I’m not on social media. I don’t even give them the opportunity to bombard me there, so maybe I would feel the same way if I used Facebook and Instagram.
What I do 100% agree with the author on is that there needs to be more transparency about the facts. Everyone knows smoking causes cancer, and I was aware that excessive drinking can cause cancer too, but I didn’t know that the occasional drink also increases your risk. It definitely needs to be talked about more, so people are drinking fully informed, but the conversation has to start with real people and books like these. Sure, it’d be great if politicians were more vocal about it, but the fact is we can’t rely on the government or the the alcohol manufacturers to relay this information.
I will admit that even as a moderate drinker, there were still a ton of good insights. I finished the book with a different perspective on alcohol. I’m proud of the author and the other women for winning their battles with alcoholism, but I wish the book had been a little more relatable for casual drinkers. I am thankful for learning more about the cancer risks associated with alcohol, and I plan to drink less, but I don’t plan on giving it up.
And you can’t be mad at advertising campaigns. Any company is going to do it to sell their product. This also happens with plenty of other dangerous products. Misleading advertising is a topic for another book, and certainly is not exclusive to alcohol. With that being said though, I’m so thankful I’m not on social media. I don’t even give them the opportunity to bombard me there, so maybe I would feel the same way if I used Facebook and Instagram.
What I do 100% agree with the author on is that there needs to be more transparency about the facts. Everyone knows smoking causes cancer, and I was aware that excessive drinking can cause cancer too, but I didn’t know that the occasional drink also increases your risk. It definitely needs to be talked about more, so people are drinking fully informed, but the conversation has to start with real people and books like these. Sure, it’d be great if politicians were more vocal about it, but the fact is we can’t rely on the government or the the alcohol manufacturers to relay this information.
I will admit that even as a moderate drinker, there were still a ton of good insights. I finished the book with a different perspective on alcohol. I’m proud of the author and the other women for winning their battles with alcoholism, but I wish the book had been a little more relatable for casual drinkers. I am thankful for learning more about the cancer risks associated with alcohol, and I plan to drink less, but I don’t plan on giving it up.
April 29, 2021
A better read than the other quit alcohol book I've read this year (Quit Like a Woman), by not being so heavily focused on recovery tactics that involve spending a lot of money.
This one though doesn't really cover off a lot of the research in any depth, which QLAW does.
While I'm still not the target market (I am one of those rare people who 99% of the time can control my drinking, on those rare times I do drink), at least with this book there is no denial of the fact I exist - in fact, this one is clear that people like me are NOT the people heavy drinkers trying to quit should turn to for their main support, because we genuinely do not know what they are going through. And I think that's fair.
All that said, I'm nearly up to 100 days with absolutely zero alcohol and I'm not missing it at all.
I reckon this is a book for Kiwis. It feels very Kiwi in its structure and vernacular - I suspect a number of the lower ratings are from those in other countries.
This one though doesn't really cover off a lot of the research in any depth, which QLAW does.
While I'm still not the target market (I am one of those rare people who 99% of the time can control my drinking, on those rare times I do drink), at least with this book there is no denial of the fact I exist - in fact, this one is clear that people like me are NOT the people heavy drinkers trying to quit should turn to for their main support, because we genuinely do not know what they are going through. And I think that's fair.
All that said, I'm nearly up to 100 days with absolutely zero alcohol and I'm not missing it at all.
I reckon this is a book for Kiwis. It feels very Kiwi in its structure and vernacular - I suspect a number of the lower ratings are from those in other countries.
August 18, 2023
This book should be a must-read for all but especially for modern Kiwi women. Even though I had read and loved this author's two previous memoirs on taking alcohol out of her life, this book was eye-opening and quite shocking. I was intrigued about the pervasiveness and culturally entrenched way alcohol is normalised in our society and would have liked more discussion in the book around this. The personal stories were also hard to hear but an important part of the book although I would have liked a couple of stories from not so heavy drinkers. Overall, an important book and one I am glad I read.
November 29, 2020
Sets out clearly how women are the target market for alcohol companies, and made me consider why I have a glass (or two) of wine. I will be mulling over the information I gained from reading this for quite a while. It is very readable, especially alternating chapters with people’s own stories and life experiences.
I’m definitely going to be recommending it to others, not because I think they are alcoholics but because of the insidious marketing and pervasive alcohol culture that is in New Zealand.
I’m definitely going to be recommending it to others, not because I think they are alcoholics but because of the insidious marketing and pervasive alcohol culture that is in New Zealand.
January 20, 2024
Every «normal» drinker should read this. Personal stories from women who either questions their relationship with alcohol, or has completely let it consume their life. Enlightens some really interesting facts about how the society pretty much brainwashes us from a young age to drink, and if you don’t, you’re already on the outside. Debunks the myth that alcohol is socially needed and good for us. I loved everything about this book! Will change the way you view the drinking culture, your party-hard-friends and even yourself.
August 28, 2020
An interesting read but I felt there was too much focus on heavy drinking alcoholic woman who regularly consume one to two bottles of wine nightly! What about the majority of women out there who might drink one to two glasses of wine with their evening meal? Nevertheless I found the anecdotes and background stories of these alcoholics very interesting and the link with childhood trauma and heavy drinking credible.
November 12, 2020
An examination of the ubiquitous presence of alcohol in our daily lives and social fabric, much of the narrative delivered via real life stories. This book debates whether we have good times because of alcohol, or in spite of it. Calls out and sensitizes the reader to the cunning ways booze advertising targets women, so valuable info!
February 10, 2021
Don't often give books five stars but this one earned it. It has it all passion, great research, and excellent powerful writing that is so helpful in staying AFAF. This is my second Lotta Dan book and I will read them all. I love what she has to say about women's power and how alcohol keeps us down. What a marvelous world it would be with no alcohol!
July 10, 2020
Really enjoyed this book
No pretentious stories of what makes the " worst" alcoholic.
The last chapter really hit it home for me. Really good wisdom as to why we strive so hard to be ever vigilant of our precious sobriety. Thank you Mrs D!
No pretentious stories of what makes the " worst" alcoholic.
The last chapter really hit it home for me. Really good wisdom as to why we strive so hard to be ever vigilant of our precious sobriety. Thank you Mrs D!
September 23, 2020
Interesting and disturbing, particularly how the alcohol companies target women and avoid any message about alcohol causing cancer. Will alcohol be considered as damaging as smoking in 50 years? There's no doubt the Western world has a huge alcohol problem.
November 21, 2020
Real life, real women and alcohol
I really enjoyed the stories from women on how alcohol had affected their lives, it was very relatable and also reassuring. A great book if you are thinking that drink may be a problem for you, or if you've just quit!
I really enjoyed the stories from women on how alcohol had affected their lives, it was very relatable and also reassuring. A great book if you are thinking that drink may be a problem for you, or if you've just quit!
May 24, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and gained some new perspectives on how this addictive drug has become so normalized - even exalted - in our daily lives. I've been increasingly sober curious over the past year or so and this book makes for great introductory reading into the world of sobriety.
October 5, 2022
There are some really good parts of this book. And then there are some parts I found tedious (too much talk about mummy time) and parts I fundamentally disagree with - the label ‘alcoholic’ and having a ‘rock bottom’ in some of the stories shared. See Jason Vale’s Kick the Drink for more on that
May 7, 2024
Enjoyed the first 30% and looking at how the alcohol industry is pretty messed up with its marketing. But the second half felt pretty repetitive. Can see how this book would help a lot of people tho, so pop off queens 👸
April 24, 2021
I wanted to enjoy this more. I was hoping for stories other than the complete excess ones that were included.
April 24, 2022
3.5 stars
Society's acceptable drug. #3wordbookreview
Society's acceptable drug. #3wordbookreview
November 2, 2022
Te Amerikaans voor mij en het is niet eens door een Amerikaanse geschreven 😀. Too much drama, ook interessante stukken, anekdotes etc. Maar ik had er meer van verwacht.
September 16, 2023
A Really good book, it has made me completely re think my relationship with alcohol, especially after learning how closely drinking is liked with cancer later in life!
November 20, 2023
I LOVE MY WORKMATE LOTTA SHE IS SO COOL AND TALENTED AND SOBER PEEPS ARE AWESOME AND NZ NEEDS MORE REGULATION AROUND ALCOHOL ITS SO FUCKED
December 5, 2023
Interesting perspectives to use when examining my own relationship with alcohol
June 13, 2024
It’s an interesting book to say the least. Definitely gives you perspective on if you want to stop drinking or even if you are considering taking a break from alcohol.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews