Blackout

Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget

By: Sarah Hepola

Narrated by: Sarah Hepola

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

A memoir of unblinking honesty and poignant, laugh-out-loud humor, Blackout is the story of a woman stumbling into a new kind of adventure - the sober life she never wanted.

For Sarah Hepola, alcohol was "the gasoline of all adventure". She spent her evenings at cocktail parties and dark bars where she proudly stayed till last call. Drinking felt like freedom, part of her birthright as a strong, enlightened 21st-century woman. But there was a price. She often blacked out, waking up with a blank space where four hours should be. Mornings became detective work on her own life. What did I say last night? How did I meet that guy? She apologized for things she couldn't remember doing, as though she were cleaning up after an evil twin. Publicly, she covered her shame with self-deprecating jokes, and her career flourished, but as the blackouts accumulated, she could no longer avoid a sinking truth. The fuel she thought she needed was draining her spirit instead.

Shining a light into her blackouts, she discovers the person she buried, as well as the confidence, intimacy, and creativity she once believed came only from a bottle. Her tale will resonate with anyone who has been forced to reinvent or struggled in the face of necessary change. It's about giving up the thing you cherish most - but getting yourself back in return.

©2015 Sarah Hepola (P)2015 Hachette Audio

It will help a struggling alcoholic

The trials and events that this women goes through laid out in a story made it easier for me to learn how to stay sober!

September book on blacking out while drunk. I wish I had had this book to listen to many years ago.

35 years sober and have read many books on alcoholism, but never one like this which focuses on the blackout. Excellent interesting and touching listening. Superb reader.

Life changing

I absolutely loved this book! At a time in my life when I was struggling with the decisions of whether or not I should quit drinking....do I or do I not have a problem....this book and The Unexpected Joy of Sobriety opened my eyes to so many epiphanies. I feel lile this book not only applies to drinking but so many different issues I had in my life. For someone that rhoutght she had all the answers and had it all figured out...this book gave me so many new perspectives. These books helped me FINALLY quit due to the new perspectives I gained. LIFE changing and so well written! Entertaining and informing. I wish I could tell these authors how much they have changed my life and my family and friends lives as well. Thank you for the "entertainment" but most importantly for changing my life ❤

Home Run

This is a fantastic book. I too am a Blackout Drinker in Recovery and she told my story in the process of telling her own. I learned so much about myself in listening to her reading and I understand so much better the nature of my blackout periods - because I "wasn't there". I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in recovery and sobriety but also for anyone who just plain enjoys a good story. Sarah's writing skills are superior and I was thoroughly engaged by her style, her poignancy, and her brilliant wit.

To give up problem drinking when you discover that you are destroying yourself is not an easy thing but Sarah has shared her story so thoroughly and so intimately that it can't help but serve the audience that needs it most, the individual who struggles with letting go of a way of life that no longer serves them.

For me, the first step to stopping the insanity of my drunken life was to simply admit to myself that it "just wasn't fun anymore". this was obviously a very difficult lesson for Sarah as well but hopefully the drinker who needs it will be able to see themself in Sarah's story and begin the process of rebuilding their life. be well, laugh and love.

Raw, real and oh so Honest!

Superbly written and hopefully will be read by all who need the message. Keep writing, Sarah.

excellent memoir

it borders on romanticizing alcohol but it's very true, honest.
a very interesting story

If you have or have not ever experienced a...

Funny, sad and very real. Not only for those who have a problem or not..I very much enjoyed the author's painful at times honesty of her personal struggles.

Hopeful and harrowing

What an incredible story. Anyone who has ever struggled with addiction will recognize and appreciate the honesty and clarity the author brings to this account.

Fantastic!

I don’t know if I have related to a book so much. Well written, well read, beautiful ending!! I will be listening to this one again.

Great listen!

A very relatable story for anyone struggling. Great narration too. One of the best books I’ve listened to on the topic.