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The Good Drinker
'I've occasionally been asked why it is that I need to go for a drink before watching the Albion play. I've always answered with something lame, along the lines of, "You wanna try watching us sober" ... where does this urge come from? I've raced off to games hours early to give me a chance to drink a lot of beer in a relatively short time ... the craic is good, usually. Sometimes it isn't, Occasionally it's all rather boring. But I always make the effort. Why? Well..'
The popular broadcaster and columnist sets out to discover the unsung pleasures of drinking in moderation.
The recommended alcohol limit is 14 units a week. Adrian Chiles used to put away almost 100. Ever since he was a teenager, drinking was his idea of a good time - and not just his, but seemingly the whole nation's. Still, it wasn't very good for the doctor made that clear. If you lined them up, Adrian must have knocked back three miles of drinks. How many of them had he genuinely wanted? A mile?
There's an awful lot of advice out there on how to quit booze completely. If you just want to drink a bit less, the pickings are slim. Yet while the alcohol industry depends on a minority of problem drinkers, the majority really do enjoy in moderation. What's their secret? Join the inimitable Chiles as he sets out around Britain and plumbs his only slightly fuzzy memories of a lifetime in pubs in a quest to find the good drinker within.
The popular broadcaster and columnist sets out to discover the unsung pleasures of drinking in moderation.
The recommended alcohol limit is 14 units a week. Adrian Chiles used to put away almost 100. Ever since he was a teenager, drinking was his idea of a good time - and not just his, but seemingly the whole nation's. Still, it wasn't very good for the doctor made that clear. If you lined them up, Adrian must have knocked back three miles of drinks. How many of them had he genuinely wanted? A mile?
There's an awful lot of advice out there on how to quit booze completely. If you just want to drink a bit less, the pickings are slim. Yet while the alcohol industry depends on a minority of problem drinkers, the majority really do enjoy in moderation. What's their secret? Join the inimitable Chiles as he sets out around Britain and plumbs his only slightly fuzzy memories of a lifetime in pubs in a quest to find the good drinker within.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2022
89 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 30, 2022
Have to say, this was a really well written and easy to follow read on Chiles' life with alcohol and how he kept it in his life without losing the ability to have it altogether.
I think he makes a clear case for having a middle ground with drinking rather than abstaining altogether. He also comes at it from a familiar perspective, having had alcohol as a big part of social events and life in general, especially during his twenties/thirties.
I really enjoyed the "moderators" he includes as real people with their own tactics to keep consumption at a healthy level. I also enjoyed Adrian's personal stories which made this far less like a medical self help guide and more just about his own journey with Alcohol, which many should relate to. He never ignores arguments for people choosing to go completely teetotal and he also seems honest about the fact that there is no right answer for everyone and in some circumstances, moderation just isn't an option.
Adrian never talks down to the reader and is very open about his shift in perspective when faced by medical advice to cut down (after being sure he wasn't doing much harm with his weekly units each week).
I would highly recommend this to anyone, and especially those looking to cut back or think about their own drinking in a new and perhaps healthier light.
I think he makes a clear case for having a middle ground with drinking rather than abstaining altogether. He also comes at it from a familiar perspective, having had alcohol as a big part of social events and life in general, especially during his twenties/thirties.
I really enjoyed the "moderators" he includes as real people with their own tactics to keep consumption at a healthy level. I also enjoyed Adrian's personal stories which made this far less like a medical self help guide and more just about his own journey with Alcohol, which many should relate to. He never ignores arguments for people choosing to go completely teetotal and he also seems honest about the fact that there is no right answer for everyone and in some circumstances, moderation just isn't an option.
Adrian never talks down to the reader and is very open about his shift in perspective when faced by medical advice to cut down (after being sure he wasn't doing much harm with his weekly units each week).
I would highly recommend this to anyone, and especially those looking to cut back or think about their own drinking in a new and perhaps healthier light.
April 14, 2023
One of those books you dip in and out of, but i did enjoy reading it and it took away some practical tips about drinking in moderation. As a bit of a tracker, whether it be diet, exercise, money etc. the drinkless app has been great for keeping an eye on my drinking and sticking to my alcohol free days and unit targets. Spending time thinking about the drinks I really enjoy and look forward to, like a pint or two before watching sport, whilst catching up with friends and at the end of the week vs the drinks which bring me very little joy, such as whilst having dinner with work friends, or that third or fourth pint when one would have done has been really helpful. Also considering the situations where I tend to drink more than I’d like - such as at events where I don’t know people, or with particular groups of friends and having a plan to enjoy the drinks I enjoy and stop when i need to has been great. I like Adrian’s four questions to check in:
Am I genuinely having a good time
Did I enjoy that last drink
Am I looking forward to the next drink
If I could teleport home right now, would I
Would recommend to people who are interested in seeing what they can do to drink a bit less!
Am I genuinely having a good time
Did I enjoy that last drink
Am I looking forward to the next drink
If I could teleport home right now, would I
Would recommend to people who are interested in seeing what they can do to drink a bit less!
November 19, 2022
This is an excellent, important book. As someone who drinks too much and wants to cut down, this is exactly what I was looking for - someone who enjoys drinking as much as I do saying "you won't be missing out if you drink less; you'll enjoy the drinks you do have more". Adrian Chiles writes honestly (and relatably) about how much he's drunk to excess over the years, how much he's enjoyed a lot of it, and how unnecessary a lot of it was. He focuses on being practical and being forgiving of yourself - don't get too hung up on the 14 units a week guidance, drinking 30 units a week is still much better than drinking 80. It's funny, engaging and has a lot of good practical advice.
January 12, 2023
Not a quit lit book in any way
A well written,honest and often amusing book,Adrian comes across as extremely likeable. However,for people who are looking to control their drinking this is not a good book to read. Most of it is reminiscing about great night's drinking and the fun it brought. Highly triggering. I would have given it more stars just for the enjoyment it brought but I'm conflicted about the whole thing.
A well written,honest and often amusing book,Adrian comes across as extremely likeable. However,for people who are looking to control their drinking this is not a good book to read. Most of it is reminiscing about great night's drinking and the fun it brought. Highly triggering. I would have given it more stars just for the enjoyment it brought but I'm conflicted about the whole thing.
July 8, 2023
Had I adhered to Ade's advice
I might not have felt so bad
But I wouldn't have felt so nice 😛
I might not have felt so bad
But I wouldn't have felt so nice 😛
November 11, 2025
During my first year in London, I was blacking out on average twice a week. Drinking stopped being fun and started feeling like a chore, something I did to get through social situations or to deal with feelings I didn’t know how to talk about. I fucking LOVE a pint or five on any given day, but the joy faded fast.
Over the last 7/8 years I tried alot of things to 'control' my drinking: five-month breaks I was proud of but that never felt “enough,” AA meetings (both open and closed), those Lent-style resets where I’d go cold turkey for 4–6 weeks, usually after an emotional night and month-on/month-off interval trainings which proved I was able to quit and stick with it, but ultimately lost me many opportunities to say yes to a drink when I really wanted one. I could be abstinent for a while, sure, but what I really want is to drink normally, without chaos or shame.
Reading Adrian Chiles’ book was a bit of a revelation. Here was someone who hadn’t gone teetotal, who had actually trained himself to moderate and spoken to others who had done the same. As someone who’s been made to feel bad about my drinking by friends, whānau, and partners (while they carried on getting happy as Larry hammered), it was a relief to hear moderation treated as a real, valid path.
Moderation, though, is messy. It isn’t one big decision; it’s a hundred small ones. Unlike going teetotal, which is a hard line in the sand, moderating means scanning every optional drinking situation and deciding, with a plan, what’s sustainable for me. And the effort rarely gets recognised the same way sobriety does. People rightly celebrate years of abstinence. In Adrian's words: no one throws a “moderation celebration party.” It’s invisible work.
The book also gave me language and boundaries. I feel confident saying to someone “I’m not drinking” when what I mean is “drinking with you is bad for my mental health and my ability to moderate, so let’s not do that. Let’s hang in other ways.” I’m allowed to choose the people, places, and drinks that keep me well. That choice is mine.
Another bit that landed was intervention before crisis. I’m not someone who’s lost a job or a home or woken up on the pavement (though I’ve been close). I have hurt friendships and relationships. The idea that you don’t have to wait for a catastrophe, like couples seeing a counsellor before everything breaks, made sense. Take action early. Protect what matters.
And it meant a lot that someone I care about gave me this book after I opened up about my drinking. We drink together heavily, have fun all of the time, and rarely wake up with regrets (beyond the dreaded bank check). Sharing the book honestly felt like them saying, “You’re safe with me, you’re allowed to choose safety elsewhere too, and ultimately I want to help”
Unlike abstinence, which is clear, moderation lives in the grey. It has false starts and no fixed finish line. To my mind, that makes it every bit as big an achievement as stopping entirely, just a quieter one.
This book will continue to be referred to as an incredibly comforting bible, and the person who handed it to me when I needed it will be held in high regard.
Thank you, both.
Over the last 7/8 years I tried alot of things to 'control' my drinking: five-month breaks I was proud of but that never felt “enough,” AA meetings (both open and closed), those Lent-style resets where I’d go cold turkey for 4–6 weeks, usually after an emotional night and month-on/month-off interval trainings which proved I was able to quit and stick with it, but ultimately lost me many opportunities to say yes to a drink when I really wanted one. I could be abstinent for a while, sure, but what I really want is to drink normally, without chaos or shame.
Reading Adrian Chiles’ book was a bit of a revelation. Here was someone who hadn’t gone teetotal, who had actually trained himself to moderate and spoken to others who had done the same. As someone who’s been made to feel bad about my drinking by friends, whānau, and partners (while they carried on getting happy as Larry hammered), it was a relief to hear moderation treated as a real, valid path.
Moderation, though, is messy. It isn’t one big decision; it’s a hundred small ones. Unlike going teetotal, which is a hard line in the sand, moderating means scanning every optional drinking situation and deciding, with a plan, what’s sustainable for me. And the effort rarely gets recognised the same way sobriety does. People rightly celebrate years of abstinence. In Adrian's words: no one throws a “moderation celebration party.” It’s invisible work.
The book also gave me language and boundaries. I feel confident saying to someone “I’m not drinking” when what I mean is “drinking with you is bad for my mental health and my ability to moderate, so let’s not do that. Let’s hang in other ways.” I’m allowed to choose the people, places, and drinks that keep me well. That choice is mine.
Another bit that landed was intervention before crisis. I’m not someone who’s lost a job or a home or woken up on the pavement (though I’ve been close). I have hurt friendships and relationships. The idea that you don’t have to wait for a catastrophe, like couples seeing a counsellor before everything breaks, made sense. Take action early. Protect what matters.
And it meant a lot that someone I care about gave me this book after I opened up about my drinking. We drink together heavily, have fun all of the time, and rarely wake up with regrets (beyond the dreaded bank check). Sharing the book honestly felt like them saying, “You’re safe with me, you’re allowed to choose safety elsewhere too, and ultimately I want to help”
Unlike abstinence, which is clear, moderation lives in the grey. It has false starts and no fixed finish line. To my mind, that makes it every bit as big an achievement as stopping entirely, just a quieter one.
This book will continue to be referred to as an incredibly comforting bible, and the person who handed it to me when I needed it will be held in high regard.
Thank you, both.
January 29, 2024
Some good advice and interesting, varied opinions and approaches. Rather repetative but enjoyable read, regardless
April 6, 2023
An interesting topic. I’d never thought of the swathe in the middle of the binary tee-total and heavy drinker. Moderation can be tough because it’s one’s own interpretation of the target and success against that target. The great takeaways for me:
- checking in on the enjoyment of each drink
- start drinking with a cold non alcoholic drink, maybe 2
- measure consumption
- remember how too much can stop the future I want
- drink wine from a small glass
Enjoyed the moderate drinkers more so than AC life of his drinking, because I was treating this book with a personal forward view rather knowing his particular history.
- checking in on the enjoyment of each drink
- start drinking with a cold non alcoholic drink, maybe 2
- measure consumption
- remember how too much can stop the future I want
- drink wine from a small glass
Enjoyed the moderate drinkers more so than AC life of his drinking, because I was treating this book with a personal forward view rather knowing his particular history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2023
This was a very interesting read. I think there’s a lot of value in a book that recognises that for most people, total abstinence from alcohol is not a realistic decision, given societal reliance on it in social situations.
The book included a lot of interesting ways of framing your relationship with alcohol, and lots of it resonated with me, in the sense that I enjoy a drink but am also apprehensive of the long term health effects. It’s a short and easy read, and Chiles is a compelling and non-judgemental author. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in reducing the amount they drink without cutting it out completely.
The book included a lot of interesting ways of framing your relationship with alcohol, and lots of it resonated with me, in the sense that I enjoy a drink but am also apprehensive of the long term health effects. It’s a short and easy read, and Chiles is a compelling and non-judgemental author. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in reducing the amount they drink without cutting it out completely.
April 29, 2023
I'm not entirely sure why I read this. I can't say I'm a huge drinker, nor had I much experience with Adrian. However I found this hard to put down.
This is a refreshingly honest into the Author's relationship with alcohol. While he does not conform with stereotypes of alcoholism, he certainly has/had/suffered/suffered it. And the way he discusses these issues with others who have had similar experiences but dealt with it in a variety of ways have helped provide me some techniques that may be useful at present or in the future (in areas other than alcohol).
Surprisingly enjoyable.
This is a refreshingly honest into the Author's relationship with alcohol. While he does not conform with stereotypes of alcoholism, he certainly has/had/suffered/suffered it. And the way he discusses these issues with others who have had similar experiences but dealt with it in a variety of ways have helped provide me some techniques that may be useful at present or in the future (in areas other than alcohol).
Surprisingly enjoyable.
May 15, 2023
Some good advice. Surprisingly entertaining.
June 25, 2023
As a long-standing drinker now seeking moderation, this really resonated with me. More generally though Chiles deserves a lot of praise for making what is effectively a self-help book a charming and enjoyable read, never pompous or preachy.
August 7, 2023
Great reading thanks aidrian this was food for thought growing up my father was a drunk and my husband now my son
I see them in a different light now
I see them in a different light now
March 31, 2025
Peak Chiles. It felt like it was written for me and it was good to see drinking approached in a non judgemental way.
September 20, 2024
A good, quick read for anyone interested in a more mindful relationship with alcohol, particularly in a culture where all social events revolve around drinking. Interesting to have John Robins in it as a 'drinker in moderation' when he's now gone full teetotal.
March 1, 2024
Quite repetitive but ultimately thought-provoking and lead to a self review. By the end of this book my drinking habits had changed and I long for it to continue. Very honest and relatable.
November 27, 2022
This book resonated with me - Adrian's journey with alcohol, and his sensible, relatable, reasonable, and above all, achievable approach to reducing alcohol intake turned out to be very similar to my own.
I feel that this book has the potential to help others, and I will be recommending it
I feel that this book has the potential to help others, and I will be recommending it
November 26, 2022
Balanced, helpful book
Adrian Chiles presents a very down-to-earth, anecdotal, relatable and human guide to drinking in moderation. Not the self-help, new-age, ‘diseased abstinence’ preachy nonsense that’s often presented in alcohol reduction literature, just an honest guy’s experience and advice that actually works.
Adrian Chiles presents a very down-to-earth, anecdotal, relatable and human guide to drinking in moderation. Not the self-help, new-age, ‘diseased abstinence’ preachy nonsense that’s often presented in alcohol reduction literature, just an honest guy’s experience and advice that actually works.
January 4, 2023
Fantastic, honest book. So much of what Adrian writes resonates with me. I recently spoke with a friend who told me for years she had a three drink limit on a night out and never once did she feel like she’d missed out by swapping to soft drinks after that. I thought if only I had been blessed with her will power, as I certainly could never do that! But this book has made me realise that’s utter rubbish. Of course I can do that, I’ve just never really wanted to. I do now!
Highly recommend reading this book, whether you yourself maybe drink a few too many or too often like me, or you know someone else who does.
Highly recommend reading this book, whether you yourself maybe drink a few too many or too often like me, or you know someone else who does.
February 16, 2023
On one hand I loved this as it was a comfort to hear how much Chiles has drunk throughout his life because it’s more than me! However I do think in parts that this is almost a love letter to alcohol and as someone who loves a drink but now I’m 40+ and trying to cut down, some of it makes me think, just get over it!
January 31, 2024
Not the greatest book in the world, but for me, it could be the most important.
This is a companion piece to the TV show he created a few years ago - (maybe around 2020?). In summary, Chiles has never missed a days work, has not (necessarily) been ill, doesnt drink pernod with his breakfast - yet he had by some reckoning, an alarmingly high alcohol content. Often more than 100 per week. A typical day at the football resonated - five pints before the game, four after, a nap on the train and then out on a Saturday night for a few more pints and wine with a meal. Gone to bed not drunk, yet maybe 50 units had been consumed.
The latest government advice is 14 per week - with 35 units causing harm.
So instead of the usual abstinence mode of alcohol management, Chiles looks for an alternative. An alternative that is never spoken about - moderation.
The mantra - only have the drinks that are wanted, needed and enjoyed. Try to remove the unnecessary drinks.
The audiobook is read by Chiles in his usual witty, curmudgeonly fashion and becomes part biography - as we go through his life of booze. It funny - and as a Baggies Fan living 10 miles from his home, very familiar. The downside, there is some repetition of themes, but lets ignore that.
So key advice - as you might have guessed, I need to adopt this mindset to booze;
Only have the drinks you really enjoy
Counting Units is key
Don't beat yourself up if you miss targets or circumstances lead to a "heavy week"
Drinking a couple of pints of water before going out to quench thirst.
Drink the first super slowly, after taking a sip to enjoy the taste.
The first couple of drinks are the most enjoyable - you are killing a need - the rest of the drinks follow the law of diminishing returns.
Interspersed with other moderators - real world stories of people who use moderation techniques - Urge Control (imagine the aftermath of what you are trying to avoid doing), Jon Robinson and his calendar of highlighting dry days and Roy Keane (a teetotaler) its not a reason to drink, its an excuse.
Ultimately, remembering that Moderation is hard. There is no prize, people think you have fallen off the wagon if you are seen with a drink and there are no support groups.
But it is the answer.
From a man now counting Units and reducing from 40-50 units a week to 28 for the first month of Jan.
And its easy.
This is a companion piece to the TV show he created a few years ago - (maybe around 2020?). In summary, Chiles has never missed a days work, has not (necessarily) been ill, doesnt drink pernod with his breakfast - yet he had by some reckoning, an alarmingly high alcohol content. Often more than 100 per week. A typical day at the football resonated - five pints before the game, four after, a nap on the train and then out on a Saturday night for a few more pints and wine with a meal. Gone to bed not drunk, yet maybe 50 units had been consumed.
The latest government advice is 14 per week - with 35 units causing harm.
So instead of the usual abstinence mode of alcohol management, Chiles looks for an alternative. An alternative that is never spoken about - moderation.
The mantra - only have the drinks that are wanted, needed and enjoyed. Try to remove the unnecessary drinks.
The audiobook is read by Chiles in his usual witty, curmudgeonly fashion and becomes part biography - as we go through his life of booze. It funny - and as a Baggies Fan living 10 miles from his home, very familiar. The downside, there is some repetition of themes, but lets ignore that.
So key advice - as you might have guessed, I need to adopt this mindset to booze;
Only have the drinks you really enjoy
Counting Units is key
Don't beat yourself up if you miss targets or circumstances lead to a "heavy week"
Drinking a couple of pints of water before going out to quench thirst.
Drink the first super slowly, after taking a sip to enjoy the taste.
The first couple of drinks are the most enjoyable - you are killing a need - the rest of the drinks follow the law of diminishing returns.
Interspersed with other moderators - real world stories of people who use moderation techniques - Urge Control (imagine the aftermath of what you are trying to avoid doing), Jon Robinson and his calendar of highlighting dry days and Roy Keane (a teetotaler) its not a reason to drink, its an excuse.
Ultimately, remembering that Moderation is hard. There is no prize, people think you have fallen off the wagon if you are seen with a drink and there are no support groups.
But it is the answer.
From a man now counting Units and reducing from 40-50 units a week to 28 for the first month of Jan.
And its easy.
April 20, 2023
Sometimes uncomfortable
There is a lot in this book that reminded me of me when growing up but also of where I am now I suppose. I am of a similar age to Adrian and I discovered drinking in the clubroom of a local golf course. I could easily get served even though I was only 15 as I was tall for my age, Lager and lime was the drink of choice back then. That feeling of euphoria and confidence it yielded was addictive especially as I was not the most confident of teenagers. Alcohol has been a constant backdrop to my life and although I can't say I have consumed as much as Adrian there were times during working my first job in Central London where a Thursday or Friday evening after work could see me drink 5-7 pints.
I am completely in the same headspace as in that I enjoy drinking and if I can do it moderately then why give up the habit of a lifetime. Since the new year my drinking diary says I have averaged 15.78 units/week so not quite to the government's safe drinking guide level yet but close.
I read this book because I found the documentary so refreshing as Adrian seemed, well like most of us drinkers, who wanted to moderate and not abstain. I also have a friend who for him moderating was not an option and after a stint in the Priory has managed to kick, what for him was a destructive habit.
Totally agree with how many drinks have been wasted when I was drinking for the sake of it and I rarely do that now.
There is a lot in this book that reminded me of me when growing up but also of where I am now I suppose. I am of a similar age to Adrian and I discovered drinking in the clubroom of a local golf course. I could easily get served even though I was only 15 as I was tall for my age, Lager and lime was the drink of choice back then. That feeling of euphoria and confidence it yielded was addictive especially as I was not the most confident of teenagers. Alcohol has been a constant backdrop to my life and although I can't say I have consumed as much as Adrian there were times during working my first job in Central London where a Thursday or Friday evening after work could see me drink 5-7 pints.
I am completely in the same headspace as in that I enjoy drinking and if I can do it moderately then why give up the habit of a lifetime. Since the new year my drinking diary says I have averaged 15.78 units/week so not quite to the government's safe drinking guide level yet but close.
I read this book because I found the documentary so refreshing as Adrian seemed, well like most of us drinkers, who wanted to moderate and not abstain. I also have a friend who for him moderating was not an option and after a stint in the Priory has managed to kick, what for him was a destructive habit.
Totally agree with how many drinks have been wasted when I was drinking for the sake of it and I rarely do that now.
January 3, 2023
First book of the year as I wasn't entirely sure where to start but this stood out to me. As someone who enjoyed Chiles' 2018 documentary Dry January after a rather Wet December has been the sort of moderate conversation I've always really wanted to have with someone.
The prose is quite chatty, but that is to be expected for what is effectively someone's memoir of their relationship with alcohol. I was almost averse to labelling this an autobiography, but there are some allusions to the slightly tougher parts of his life, both on and off the screen. Chiles tends to avoid the potential of it being self-indulgent and distracting from what is a rather consistent and well-constructed argument for moderation.
There were a few figures and facts that stood out to me. Although, also a few that felt incredibly obvious and common sense. It never felt overly preachy or overly "self-help", as it was littered with enough personal and other stories to keep it enjoyable whilst trying to give an argument for moderation.
There was a clear thorough line of Chiles trying to find something that would resonate with "drinkers like me" in his journey and finding very little, so wrote this book. Early days of January, but resonated. Will be trying a few of the suggestions out.
The prose is quite chatty, but that is to be expected for what is effectively someone's memoir of their relationship with alcohol. I was almost averse to labelling this an autobiography, but there are some allusions to the slightly tougher parts of his life, both on and off the screen. Chiles tends to avoid the potential of it being self-indulgent and distracting from what is a rather consistent and well-constructed argument for moderation.
There were a few figures and facts that stood out to me. Although, also a few that felt incredibly obvious and common sense. It never felt overly preachy or overly "self-help", as it was littered with enough personal and other stories to keep it enjoyable whilst trying to give an argument for moderation.
There was a clear thorough line of Chiles trying to find something that would resonate with "drinkers like me" in his journey and finding very little, so wrote this book. Early days of January, but resonated. Will be trying a few of the suggestions out.
February 17, 2023
A mixture of honesty and delusion
I buy a lot of self help books. I don’t often read them from cover to cover. I did so with this. It’s engagingly written and has a certain honesty about it which was admirable. It’s partly an autobiography, part self help book but mostly a love letter to alcohol. Adrian Chiles has consumed absolutely eye watering, Churchillian quantities of alcohol throughout his life. He’s at least candid about that. He’s also admitted he drinks or at least used to drink too much. Personally I think he’s consumed such large quantities of alcohol in the past stopping altogether rather than drinking in “moderation” as he likes to describe it would be more sensible. Also, is he really a moderate, good drinker as he terms it? He still drinks at least 14 to 30 units weekly and possibly more. Perhaps he’s cut down from his past consumption but I’m not convinced the halo polishing kit needs to come out of the cupboard just yet. However, I wish him well and if this is an improvement for him then so be it. As for actual strategies to cut down, there are an assortment littered throughout the book some of which may be useful.
I buy a lot of self help books. I don’t often read them from cover to cover. I did so with this. It’s engagingly written and has a certain honesty about it which was admirable. It’s partly an autobiography, part self help book but mostly a love letter to alcohol. Adrian Chiles has consumed absolutely eye watering, Churchillian quantities of alcohol throughout his life. He’s at least candid about that. He’s also admitted he drinks or at least used to drink too much. Personally I think he’s consumed such large quantities of alcohol in the past stopping altogether rather than drinking in “moderation” as he likes to describe it would be more sensible. Also, is he really a moderate, good drinker as he terms it? He still drinks at least 14 to 30 units weekly and possibly more. Perhaps he’s cut down from his past consumption but I’m not convinced the halo polishing kit needs to come out of the cupboard just yet. However, I wish him well and if this is an improvement for him then so be it. As for actual strategies to cut down, there are an assortment littered throughout the book some of which may be useful.
November 16, 2022
Having had Allan Carr's The Easy Way to Control Alcohol for a few years and never had the inclination to get round to reading it, I thought I would give this a go as it seemed a bit more likely and a bit more achievable for me.
Whilst I'm sure for a lot of people abstinence is the only way, cutting down and being more thoughtful about my drinking of wine works for me.
The thought of never drinking alcohol frightens me as there are so many social and cultural influences around us to drink alcohol and similarly to Adrian, the happy times of my life have been about socialising and drinking with friends. It is certainly easier to be at an event where you know no one to have a glass of wine in hand. However, the glass of wine after a hard day at work (oh poor me working in a book shop) I can generally do without, they've become a habit and the "hard day at work" is just an excuse.
So this book and approach really resonated with me. I found some of the writing style a bit 'matey' and irritating but the message was put across very well and clearly.
Whilst I'm sure for a lot of people abstinence is the only way, cutting down and being more thoughtful about my drinking of wine works for me.
The thought of never drinking alcohol frightens me as there are so many social and cultural influences around us to drink alcohol and similarly to Adrian, the happy times of my life have been about socialising and drinking with friends. It is certainly easier to be at an event where you know no one to have a glass of wine in hand. However, the glass of wine after a hard day at work (oh poor me working in a book shop) I can generally do without, they've become a habit and the "hard day at work" is just an excuse.
So this book and approach really resonated with me. I found some of the writing style a bit 'matey' and irritating but the message was put across very well and clearly.
February 4, 2023
Adrian Chiles presents a different proposition to heavy drinkers wanting to do something about it; instead of abstaining, how about drinking in moderation? Reading Chiles' book mad me realise that my drinking story was remarkably similar to his own, and I guess many readers will feel the same. The style is chatty and easy to read, with his alcohol journey split into decades, intertwined with advice he's received from others and his personal thoughts on moderation. There is plenty of talk of boozing sessions over the years, but this is balanced by reflections on how much of this was actually enjoyable or necessary. There is some practical advice here, but it is more about presenting an alternative to giving up completely. Chiles is honest enough to say this won't be for everyone, my experience is that it's easier to abstain than moderate. It's a companionable, quick and easy read, and for that reason it just about deserves 4 stars.
February 21, 2024
Adrian is always entertaining, and hearing him read this was excellent. It was a good listen for Dry January, a plea for moderation in drinking.
His own drinking was really high when he counted up the units he was consuming a week, closer to 100 than the UK guideline of 14. This is the story of his drinking from childhood and of the people he met, plus how he cut down to better levels, partly through cutting out drinks he wasn't enjoying.
Some good stuff here, but the chapter where he interviews John Robins hasn't aged well (JR has since realised he needed to quit completely, because moderation didn't work for him) and I'm still baffled by some of Adrian's drinking ambitions, like the Tube line pub crawl.
But useful all the same, I'd say I'm much more mindful about what I drink in the month after reading this. If that's a lasting legacy, so much the better.
His own drinking was really high when he counted up the units he was consuming a week, closer to 100 than the UK guideline of 14. This is the story of his drinking from childhood and of the people he met, plus how he cut down to better levels, partly through cutting out drinks he wasn't enjoying.
Some good stuff here, but the chapter where he interviews John Robins hasn't aged well (JR has since realised he needed to quit completely, because moderation didn't work for him) and I'm still baffled by some of Adrian's drinking ambitions, like the Tube line pub crawl.
But useful all the same, I'd say I'm much more mindful about what I drink in the month after reading this. If that's a lasting legacy, so much the better.
February 24, 2023
Not a bait and switch like I feared
I gave this interesting book a try even though I was 75% certain that it would be a bait and switch to abstinence only.
This book is generally light hearted and easy going despite the occasionally mean and hurtful things it has to say about alcohol.
Another title for this book could have been: How to get yourself sorted out, without being a dick about it.
This book really is what it says it is in the blurb. and it's a pretty fun read.
*WARNING* may cause the desire to travel to England to find these mythical pubs where sunshine and rainbows flow out of the taps.
I gave this interesting book a try even though I was 75% certain that it would be a bait and switch to abstinence only.
This book is generally light hearted and easy going despite the occasionally mean and hurtful things it has to say about alcohol.
Another title for this book could have been: How to get yourself sorted out, without being a dick about it.
This book really is what it says it is in the blurb. and it's a pretty fun read.
*WARNING* may cause the desire to travel to England to find these mythical pubs where sunshine and rainbows flow out of the taps.
August 22, 2025
A fantastic compilation of thoughts on why and how to drink less without becoming a teetotaler. Chiles uses himself, a prolific drinker through his 40s, as the primary case study, with a spattering of interviews with other moderators, doctors, and psychologists. I loved the distinctly British flavor of "humour" and pub culture. Chiles's expositions struck a chord with me, and I appreciated his candor (do the Brits spell it "candour"?) I think this book will end up helping thousands of lovers of long nights, of a pint on a sunny afternoon, of a cocktail at home with a friend; thousands of athletes, honers of skills, social butterflies. I guess I'm all of the above.
June 26, 2023
Highly relatable, which is Chiles's strong suit in general (apart from his seeming lack of appreciation for wine - he's mainly a beer man).
All about the challenge of doing something about excessive drinking short of going fully abstinent. Seems to be working for him so far. Contains quite a few clever sounding approaches taken by him and various others he's talked to.
Five stars is slightly generous, given that reading the book is no more than moderately enjoyable at best, but the goal is so worthy and the content so encouraging that I feel he deserves them.
All about the challenge of doing something about excessive drinking short of going fully abstinent. Seems to be working for him so far. Contains quite a few clever sounding approaches taken by him and various others he's talked to.
Five stars is slightly generous, given that reading the book is no more than moderately enjoyable at best, but the goal is so worthy and the content so encouraging that I feel he deserves them.
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