Product Description
An extraordinarily honest memoir about the life of a functioning alcoholic and the realities of recovery from a veteran columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times

Neil Steinberg loves his wife. He loves his two young sons. He loves his job and his ramshackle old farmhouse in the suburbs. But he also loves to drink, a passion that rolls merrily along for twenty-five years until one terrible night when his two worlds collide and shatter.

Drunkard is the story of one man’s fall down the rabbit hole of alcoholism, and his slow crawl back out. Sentenced to an outpatient rehab program, Steinberg discovers that twenty-eight days of therapy cannot reverse the toll decades of vigorous drinking take on one’s soul. In clear, distinctive, honest, and funny prose, Steinberg comes to grips with his actions, rebuilds his marriage, and reclaims his life.

Unlike outlandish tales of addiction’s extremes, Steinberg’s story is a regular person’s account of the stark-yet-common realities of a problem faced by millions around the world. Drunkard is an important addition to the pantheon of critically acclaimed, bestselling memoirs such as The Tender Bar, Drinking: A Love Story, and Smashed.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 16 reviews)

Not my cup of tea

I heard Neil Steinberg being interviewed on a local radio show and decided to purchase the book. I was really both surprised and disappointed in what I read. Actually, it is a very quick and easy read and did keep my attention. However, discussion of AA and his making a monetary profit seems to go against the AA steps and traditions. I found this more of a "drunkalogue" much as you hear people's stories in an AA meeting. He didn't really connect with the spiritual foundation of the program and declaring his wife as his Higher Power I find absurd. I know that people do often struggle with the concept of a higher power, and I'm glad for his sobriety, but giving his Al-Anon wife so much control is dangerous. They each need to work on themselves, through their own programs of recovery. Just my opinion!
October 06, 2008

Drunkard

This was an excellent book for those affected in some way back alcoholism. It was a very honest portrayal of the winding, rocky road recovery can be. It is rare that one shot at treatment is sufficient. I appreciated
several things - 1) Mr. Steinberg's honesty about his struggle with the spiritual aspect of AA. This is something that keep many people away from AA and I think his sharing of his ambivolence about it - yet going and finding something of use there may be of benefit to others. 2) His honest about his relapses. Again, its rare that the path is a straight one for most people in recovery. 3) This is a story of a 'functional alcoholic' rather than someone really at rock bottom.

I found the book very helpful in gaining insight as to what it's like for someone through the process of recovery.
September 06, 2008

dysfunction

This is an excellent book for anyone that has an addiction, or for those that have lived with some form of dysfunction. In other words - everyone! The book doesn't suffer from pretense, and wisely leaves it to the reader to discern the futility of trying to repeat the same behaviour and expect different results. This is a lesson that applies to all aspects of life, not merely addiction.
August 27, 2008

"Drunkard" is a great book, dark but funny.

"Drunkard" is a great book, with the author showing a wonderful use of words and a clever way to make his devastating story very funny. He laughs through his tears and so do the readers.
August 16, 2008

drinker

as a drinker i could relate to many of the problems the author faced.it was both informative and entertaining,laughing out loud in some instances.if you are or if you know or are involved with a colorful character you will enjoy and be more knowledgeable!and that's that!!!
August 16, 2008

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