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Hooked: Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery
Shortlisted for the 2022 Sports Book Awards
'brave ... visceral ... a brilliant, brilliant read ... I would recommend this book to everyone.' Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 5 Live
'so honest ... everybody should read Hooked to understand what anybody in this situation has been through.' Susanna Reid, Good Morning Britain
'a fantastic book ... a remarkable read.' Richard Madeley, Good Morning Britain
'Brave, poignant and very moving. This book will change lives.' Jamie Redknapp
'A courageous, emotional and vitally important book.' Jeff Stelling
Paul Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction for three decades.
For twenty-one years Paul Merson played professional football. He won two First Division titles with Arsenal and was one of the finest players of his generation.
But for thirty years Paul Merson has also been an addict. Alcohol, drugs, a desperately unenviable cocktail of addictions and depression which has plagued his entire adult life and driven him to the verge of suicide. 'I've come to realise that I'm powerless over alcohol ... I'm an alcoholic. My drinking and gambling have left a lot of wreckage.'
Until recently the drinking and gambling were still raging. 'I wanted to kill myself. I couldn't go on anymore. I just couldn't see a way out.' Then something clicked. 'One day, I was walking home from the pub late on a Sunday evening, and I thought to I've had enough of feeling like this, every day of my life . I rang up Alcoholics Anonymous the next day, and since then I haven't had a drink.'
Hooked is Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction, searingly charting his journey over three decades. It is absolutely unflinching in detailing his emotional and psychological troughs and in raking over the painful embers of an adult life blighted by such debilitating issues. Hooked will kick-start a crucial national conversation about addiction, depression and the damage they wreak.
'Addiction is the loneliest of places. You're a slave to insecurity and ego. But it has to be you that wants things to change. Never be afraid to the more you talk about the addictions the more it takes the power out of them. You're never alone.'
'brave ... visceral ... a brilliant, brilliant read ... I would recommend this book to everyone.' Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 5 Live
'so honest ... everybody should read Hooked to understand what anybody in this situation has been through.' Susanna Reid, Good Morning Britain
'a fantastic book ... a remarkable read.' Richard Madeley, Good Morning Britain
'Brave, poignant and very moving. This book will change lives.' Jamie Redknapp
'A courageous, emotional and vitally important book.' Jeff Stelling
Paul Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction for three decades.
For twenty-one years Paul Merson played professional football. He won two First Division titles with Arsenal and was one of the finest players of his generation.
But for thirty years Paul Merson has also been an addict. Alcohol, drugs, a desperately unenviable cocktail of addictions and depression which has plagued his entire adult life and driven him to the verge of suicide. 'I've come to realise that I'm powerless over alcohol ... I'm an alcoholic. My drinking and gambling have left a lot of wreckage.'
Until recently the drinking and gambling were still raging. 'I wanted to kill myself. I couldn't go on anymore. I just couldn't see a way out.' Then something clicked. 'One day, I was walking home from the pub late on a Sunday evening, and I thought to I've had enough of feeling like this, every day of my life . I rang up Alcoholics Anonymous the next day, and since then I haven't had a drink.'
Hooked is Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction, searingly charting his journey over three decades. It is absolutely unflinching in detailing his emotional and psychological troughs and in raking over the painful embers of an adult life blighted by such debilitating issues. Hooked will kick-start a crucial national conversation about addiction, depression and the damage they wreak.
'Addiction is the loneliest of places. You're a slave to insecurity and ego. But it has to be you that wants things to change. Never be afraid to the more you talk about the addictions the more it takes the power out of them. You're never alone.'
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 12, 2022
2 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 6, 2021
Seriously good.
June 28, 2022
This was a really honest account of addiction, particularly gambling (though alcohol and drugs are also a big part of it), which I found really important in terms of having a long overdo conversation about, especially in football, where the incentives to gamble are all over the place, from the kit sponsors to the touchline ad banners. Because most of gambling can happen so invisibly, through phone apps connecting you to bets happening around the world 24/7, it's particularly easy to disguise and often goes on living with you invisibly, eroding all other relationships, until it's finally pushed you to bankruptcy or worse.
This book was brought up on one of the football podcasts I listen to, and while I didn't know much about Paul Merson other than sometimes seeing him on Sky during Soccer Saturday when I was still living in the UK, I found his battle with addiction harrowing but related honestly, and without the gimmick of self-help or with an easy solution at the end. The fact that he's honest about having to battle his addictions every day is so important to put out there, for addicts who might be struggling, as well as for the people in their lives who need to face to the reality that this will be a lifelong battle, showing up every day to face the addiction, and not something that has a clear-cut cure.
I do recommend this, particularly if you like football as well, as it covers his career in a period where I would have been too young to follow any of it, and it's also from a league I would not have grown up with, but arguably the most well known in the world.
This book was brought up on one of the football podcasts I listen to, and while I didn't know much about Paul Merson other than sometimes seeing him on Sky during Soccer Saturday when I was still living in the UK, I found his battle with addiction harrowing but related honestly, and without the gimmick of self-help or with an easy solution at the end. The fact that he's honest about having to battle his addictions every day is so important to put out there, for addicts who might be struggling, as well as for the people in their lives who need to face to the reality that this will be a lifelong battle, showing up every day to face the addiction, and not something that has a clear-cut cure.
I do recommend this, particularly if you like football as well, as it covers his career in a period where I would have been too young to follow any of it, and it's also from a league I would not have grown up with, but arguably the most well known in the world.
November 4, 2021
This was just superb. As an avid football fan and a keen watcher of Soccer Saturday for years now, Paul Mersin has always been that huge, funny personality on my screen. Talking through the matches, goals, moments and making football fun on a Saturday afternoon. I’ve heard stories of his past and the struggles he’d had, but never really knew the extent. He always looked so ‘normal’ on TV and became a master of disguise.
This was a real eye-opener. A shocking read and one of the most truthful books I’ve read about a persons life struggles. His addiction to drugs, alcohol and betting is unbelievable to read about. Almost fascinating. While not the specific addictions he has, I do relate to this book in a lot of ways, and it went a long way in helping me and my own struggles in life. A brave book by a great man. A helpful, insightful read.
This was a real eye-opener. A shocking read and one of the most truthful books I’ve read about a persons life struggles. His addiction to drugs, alcohol and betting is unbelievable to read about. Almost fascinating. While not the specific addictions he has, I do relate to this book in a lot of ways, and it went a long way in helping me and my own struggles in life. A brave book by a great man. A helpful, insightful read.
October 2, 2021
I've never taken drugs or gambled and enjoy a drink now and then, so Merson's story didn't relate personally, but it certainly made me think about those who do and how a destructive force it can be. At first I was thinking, like I guess most who are not 'Hooked', why don't you just stop when you can see what you are doing to yourself and family, but it didn't take long to realise how this illness can over take you and realisation and sensibilities goes out the window.
Merson writes with heart-breaking honesty and I really felt for him and hope his road to recovery is a clear as it can be.
Merson writes with heart-breaking honesty and I really felt for him and hope his road to recovery is a clear as it can be.
January 21, 2024
Fantastic.
What I love most is how a bloke who is so normal, so relatable, is so candid about his mental health. There are many famous people who talk about mental health. But Merson is the type of bloke the man on the street would spend time with. Seeing him speak to openly is so powerful
I've read his previous autobiography so even though I knew some stories there was a completely different twist to them.
highly recommend
What I love most is how a bloke who is so normal, so relatable, is so candid about his mental health. There are many famous people who talk about mental health. But Merson is the type of bloke the man on the street would spend time with. Seeing him speak to openly is so powerful
I've read his previous autobiography so even though I knew some stories there was a completely different twist to them.
highly recommend
January 23, 2022
This book is truly inspiring. Being so honest and outspoken about addiction and how it makes you feel. I cried at some points and related a lot to his battle with his own mental health. Would definitely recommend this.
September 10, 2022
An easy read but I had no idea how bad his additions were. Incredible how he lost absolutely every penny earned over his football career.
September 11, 2022
Deeply personal. Very interesting.
January 18, 2023
A truly inspirational and honest read. Well done to Merse for being so open, truly recommend. Goes beyond your average footy biography
August 9, 2025
absolutely mint this!
when they say "warts and all" this defo has
moving in parts, strong message, shows how controlling addictions can be!
highly recommend, if you are a football fan or not
when they say "warts and all" this defo has
moving in parts, strong message, shows how controlling addictions can be!
highly recommend, if you are a football fan or not
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews