Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Drinking  By  cover art

Drinking

By: Caroline Knapp
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.95

Buy for $17.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Fifteen million Americans a year are plagued with alcoholism. Five million of them are women. Many of them, like Caroline Knapp, started in their early teens and began to use alcohol as "liquid armor", a way to protect themselves against the difficult realities of life. In this extraordinarily candid and revealing memoir, Knapp offers important insights not only about alcoholism, but about life itself and how we learn to cope with it.

©1996 Caroline Knapp (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Featured Article: For Women Thinking About Stopping Drinking, ‘Quit Lit’ Can Help


Just as women have spent the past few decades being marketed wine and cocktails as uniquely suited to their lifestyle, many are now questioning narrow treatments for alcohol abuse and proposing another way. The growing genre of "Quit Lit" runneth over with audiobooks, memoirs, and podcasts specifically for women—and whether you’re detoxing for Dry January, moderating, or trying to quit for good, they could be exactly what you need to hear.

More from the same

What listeners say about Drinking

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,407
  • 4 Stars
    339
  • 3 Stars
    119
  • 2 Stars
    43
  • 1 Stars
    13
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,281
  • 4 Stars
    241
  • 3 Stars
    102
  • 2 Stars
    27
  • 1 Stars
    9
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,228
  • 4 Stars
    270
  • 3 Stars
    107
  • 2 Stars
    37
  • 1 Stars
    15

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The Big Picture of Alcohol Dependence

I find memoirs of female alcoholics interesting, (For some reason the male alcoholic memoir seems to have been done to death). This however, is a really good one for getting a big picture of alcoholism over a long span. Knapp is billed as a high functioning alcoholic and we really see how at first things seem under control and then over time start to decay around her. I like how you can go from reading about alcohol in that infatuated way at first and then come to the end and see how really it is no fun at all. I feel like the author has missed something if their alcoholism memoir makes me feel like drinking. I also like that this isn't a book full of a long list of embarrassing episodes that make you cringe. There was more to her decision that she was an alcoholic than repeated embarrassing mistakes. Not to imply that she doesn't make many bad decisions, only that there is more to her than that. Often addiction memoirs fall flat when the author gets to the recovery period and begins making many general statements - in this case she talks a lot of women and the negative impact of sexuality and men. It annoyed me at first, but I had to realize that at that point she was generalizing from her discussions with other female alcoholics and not necessarily implying these things applied to the better adjusted non addicted members of society. I found it interesting also how at first she talks about a certain amount of denial because to her alcoholics have alcoholic family members and dysfunctional family situations and she's from an upper class family, but over time we discover with her that she is indeed part of a dysfunctional family with alcoholics after all. It made me sad to realize that she only lived a short time after writing this memoir. It was such a long road to gaining this control over her life and having finally done it she had so little time to enjoy it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The very best

I've been reading a lot of addiction memoirs recently and for me, an analytical woman who sometimes overthinks things, this one was the absolute best. Knapp is so graceful and insightful in her introspection. I found myself nodding constantly and saying aloud, "yes! Yes!" to so many things she says. Things I've always thought about myself but never been able to put into words. Thank you Ms. Knapp for this amazing, artful work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Would you consider the audio edition of Drinking to be better than the print version?

I've read a few memoirs on alcoholism and this is truly the best I've encountered. Knapp's words ring so true, in such a poignant and eloquent way. I'd highly recommend this audio book not only for its touching content but also for its moving narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bill W and Dr Bob would be so proud

Even after twenty four years of sobriety I can still appreciate and need a book as important yet still as humble as this. I feel that within these pages is knowledge for someone who is on the brink of making the decision of getting clean and sober, someone who has just picked up a white of thirty day chip. Someone like me or perhaps someone who is living with or has someone in their lives who is struggling with an addiction or someone who thought that they had kicked the booze and/or drugs but fell hard off the wagon and needs a little advice to get back up again. In other words... this book is for everyone.

Caroline Knapp bares her soul and relates stories of others, but discreetly remembering to keep the code of the AA rooms sharing all the things that we addicts do shamefully because of the dreadful disease that we carry. She explains with statistics that we are not weak willed but most of us are above average when it comes to intelligence quota. We have careers. We pay our taxes. We live up to our responsibilities plus we do all the regular things in life and carry the weight of an elephant on our shoulders. That elephant being addiction. Exhausting.

An honest book, well written. A lovely performance by Gabra Zackman

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

For non-alcoholics too

This is a great listen for non-alcoholics too, , giving insight into the throes of addiction to alcohol from the inside.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good for family of alcoholics to read too

Well written and informative. Provided good insight in to the habits and realities of an alcoholic.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Sober

As a former heavy drinker and now sober for 2 years I was able to relate to not all but some of her story. Some of my questions were answered and my feelings made sense. I had moments when I would nod my head in agreement and sometimes I could say, not me. Overall it helped in some parts of my life that I wasn't alone in the journey of being and staying sober.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A beautiful book

A beautiful book, all the more so because it is narrated with such empathy. I found myself listening all day long and most of the night, with two or three hours of sleep in between. This is so much worth listening to 👌🏼.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very good book if I could give 6 stars I would

If you drink and think your an alcoholic read this book. It sooo good and well written I thank the author for this book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic book

What an incredible story. I don't think I've ever read so honest a book. I feel I've peered right into the authors soul. I highly recommend this book if you have ever struggled with alcohol related issues

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful