Living Sober Sucks (but living drunk sucks more).

by Mark A. Tuschel

This book offers a different path that breaks the stereotype of the 12-step system. An alternative to the typical recovery model or "program" system. An inspiring, real life story, like no other story you've heard before. It is entertaining, funny, sad and brutally honest. Straightforward and uncomplicated. Written in raw terms and language for the alcoholic. Reality is reflected on every page.

Nook

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Nicole McCance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon reading the first few chapters of this book, I started to think, "Great. A bitter dry drunk got a book deal." I was tempted to put it down lest it began to cloud my already clouded drunken thinking but, as I got through it and got to know the writers struggle with alcohol as well as his reasoning behind writing the book, I understood him better and did not regard him the same.
His methods are different than the 12-step recovery that I have experienced in the past but he does have some great insights into his own alcoholism that I could totally relate to. I will also say that the man has AMAZING willpower. He does almost all of the "no-no's" that AA warns against and somehow still stays sober. Reading this book was very much like getting to know someone at a meeting or reading the individual tales of drunks becoming sober in the back of the big book. I will say, any devout 12-stepper might scoff at Mark's methods and opinions but I think it could be useful to any open-minded individual hoping to get sober but not too keen on the program. Thanks Mark.

[Kym Tabor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought and read this book in order to be able to understand some of the emotions and feelings and anger that my boyfriend is/has been going through for the last 8 months. He did not want to do a structured program like AA, and because he managed to stay sober completely on his own willpower for over 6 months, I figured that I should try to understand the mood swings and irritibility and depression he was going through now, even this long after quitting. I have known other alcoholics and some that continued to drink and some that were sober; but I had never been right there next to someone immediately in the days, weeks, months of new sobriety. And let me tell you, they go through a LOT!! Mark spells it out in his own words all of the roller coaster of feelings and is able to make you feel his confusion and later clarity. I read the entire book in about 4 days (along with taking full time nursing classes) because it simply was too hard to put down and I couldn't wait to finish it to give it to my boyfriend to start reading. Thanks for writing this Mark, it's a great alternative to the traditional programs, especially for people who refuse to go that route.

[Kerri Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book to be irritating mostly. maybe because I listened to it in audiobook instead. There were some good points for the first few months of quitting alcohol: like what to say to people in social settings. But willpower is not going to last if you do not fix what cause your drinking problem in the first place. It was an okay book but not on my list of recommendations.

[Ann Kuhn · Rating 2 out of 5]

One view of living sober... I liked his contrariness to AA and I always find some gems in recovery books that make them worth the read.