The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

The book is readable but like every alcoholic's story, different from one's own journey and story. She's single and was a social drinker at parties and bars who crossed the line at some point and tells the well-travelled path into alcoholic dispair from a very individual story that is easy enough to read but if it's not along your experience; The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober becomes bogged down in personal experience instead of 'the journey.' One can read much shorter versions in the short stories that follow the Twelve Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous in 'The Big Book' and maybe relate to one or more of those more easily. I keep waiting to give it someone I meet whose story is drinking at parties and bars, not alone at home or in their car!

I read a lot of what we ex-drinkers fondly refer to as 'quit lit'. Reading other people's journey to sobriety is uplifting and strengthens our resolve. Katherine Gray's book is my new favorite for many reasons. Her writing is so personable, you feel like you're chatting with your best friend. Her authenticity and honesty is refreshing, and while almost all of the quit lit books take you to the bare bones of 'rock bottom' the difference with Katherine is you never feel like she's embellishing.Everyone's 'rock bottom' is different. Hopefully, as a society we learn to raise that bottom and make it more acceptable to pursue sobriety. Alcohol; the only drug you have to justify not taking. Katherine says her rock bottom was not that bad, not that dramatic, but I disagree. You can feel the pain her drinking was causing her, can see the toll it took on her relationships. Although she was never that 'bad girl' like Sasha Scoblic, her bottom was definitely bad enough.I highly recommend this to anyone whether you think you want to quit or not. It's a great story of courage. It's a great story of self-examination and having the grit to know when you've hit your maximum. It's proof positive that human beings are capable of great things, and are stronger than we think. It's important to share our stories, especially those that highlight our strength and humanity, and Katherine has given us a damn fine example!

There are tons of these types of books and Apps, many have landed in my cart but I felt like they'd all be just another memoir that I couldn't relate to or that wouldn't inspire me. But holy cow does this one speak to me. She intentionally takes you down her path of how it all dangerously unfolded and interrupted her life. Just when you think it can't get worse, it does. All the while she attempts to hang on to a high-profile career. I'm not through with the book just yet and I don't want it to end. I'm a successful, middle-aged women with money, friends and great family and drinking is always a part of daily life. I'm also a long-distance runner, really! The impact of her words and how well she illustrates the danger and insidiousness of our drinking society and yet how normal we all think this is, is profound. I've changed my drinking behavior 90%. Many, many nights without. And my choices are incredibly limited. In sharing my thrills of this book and the positive effects of my mood and looks and energy, I've been excited to share this new step in my life. I'm ordering this book for friends as some have stepped up to admit their own drinking concerns, who knew? P.S. I love the book title!!

I ordered this on its UK launch date, and was happy to get it just a week or so later. And while I'm not finished yet, I can already say it's a wonderful book.There are quite a lot of great books in the 'quit lit' genre -- many of them wonderful and helpful in their own ways. It's instructive for those of us who are considering a dry life to have stories to consume to help us make our own way. What's special about Catherine's focus is her insistence upon making the bulk of the book about negotiating life AFTER booze. Like the movies that end with the engagement, we miss the meat: what happens after the wedding? the honeymoon? the first year (the first argument!).A lot of us are looking at the WHY - why we want to drink less (or not at all); we know what the problem is... but what comes after we quit? How do we negotiate the awkward moments when we turn down a drink at parties? How can we navigate the after-work invitations to the bar? WILL WE JUST BE BORING PEOPLE?The title says it all: there are joys of living the dry life - many of them unexpected. I thank Catherine for giving us a peek behind the door so we can anticipate those joys for ourselves.

I’ve just put this down and I want to pick it right back up again and start again. I may now only be a 2 or 3 on the alcohol addiction scale, and a few years ago I made it a whole year without booze, but now I can see that my life will be better without alcohol. Gray’s honesty, wit and positivity has dispelled my fears about going teetotal, which mostly hinge on being seen as boring, or worse, smug and self-suffering.I recommended this for anyone who feels that they may be depriving themselves if they take that cooling G&T or warming, relaxing glass of red out of their lives. Alcohol is not needed to get into the spirit of things!

I wanted to cut down on my drinking and read a bunch of books about it - most were practical programs focused on cutting/reducing - this was the first personal memoir I read. Its a well written, honest account of the authors descent into problematic drinking and what she did to quit. While her life does not echo mine completely, i found her approach, thought processes and comparisons to her 'sober' and alcohol self in similar situations inspiring.She also shares many practical tips and tools (books, apps, blogs) that helped her quit - realizing that quitting wasn't about the drink but addressing why she was drinking in the first place.Really this book could be about any bad habit or addiction - though many of the particulars of alcohol are addressed- and the process and rewards of making a change, so even though I don't drink anymore I find reading this helpful with addressing other areas of my life I want to change.

This is an excellent book at uncovers the true story of one brave woman that discovered the gift of removing alcohol from her life, and gaining so many gifts as a result. Catherine Gray is brave as she shares her truth on how alcohol impacted her life in such a negative way, and it was not until she removed it that she began living authentically, joyfully and abundant. I am inspired by this book, and also relieved that the story is being told. Society tells us that alcohol is romantic, sophisticated, fun, and the answer to everything. The truth is that it is toxic (or can be toxic) for many, and it is time for us to wake up to the truth, and Catherine bravely shares that in this must read book for those that want more joy in their life and wonder if alcohol is dragging them down. Bravo to Catherine for sharing her personal story, and inspiring readers to expect joy and potentially put down the drink for good.