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This title in other formats:

Drunkard: A Hard-Drinking Life

by Neil Steinberg

Drunkard: A Hard-Drinking Life Cover

ISBN13: 9780525950653
ISBN10: 0525950656
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
All Product Details

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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.

Review:

"Steinberg, a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, admitted he was an alcoholic — only he'd rather be called a 'drunkard,' a more colorful 'slur' — only after a judge sentenced him to rehab. He'd hit his wife in an argument over his drinking; by Steinberg's initial account, before his arrest, he was living the ideal newspaperman's life — a few Jack Daniels at his regular bar after filing his popular column, a few red wines in the bar car of the commuter train to the suburbs, then a cozy evening with his loving wife and two sons. It's only after he's in rehab that he recalls all the other drinks he'd sneak when his wife or his kids weren't looking. He had no choice about going to rehab for 28 days, but couldn't see the use of going to AA meetings. An agnostic iconoclast, the higher-power language and the instant fellowship-of-drunks aspect of AA made him uncomfortable. Through his relapses and his recoveries, Steinberg developed his own relationship with AA and learned how to be a hot newspaperman without a shot glass on his desk. Steinberg's struggle to be honest with himself will touch a nerve with many readers. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

About the Author

Neil Steinberg is a popular news columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, where he appears four days a week and is seen by 1.3 million readers. His has also written for Rolling Stone, Details, Sports Illustrated, Men's Journal, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, and Forbes.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
kellereva, July 18, 2008 (view all comments by kellereva)
Its been a long time since I read a book from cover to cover in little more than one sitting. It hit close to home in so many ways. Would love to meet you in person, Neil, to discuss the many reasons I so identify, but also, the reasons why this continues to be such a stigma and such a misunderstood disease. I confess...although I have not heard of you before reading this book, the Sun-Times was a staple in our home through all my formative years. My dad reads it from cover to cover to this day. As for me, I will certainly look into reading additional books you have written.
Eva
P.S. Neil, I cannot tell you how familiar your name and your appearance are to me. Although born in Europe, I grew up in Chicago and the north suburbs and can't help but think we met somewhere along the line.
By the way, I would also love to meet Edie, as I know we would have a lot to talk about. Ironically, my mom, who was often called "Edie" was named "Edith".
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780525950653
Subtitle:
A Hard-Drinking Life
Author:
Steinberg, Neil
Publisher:
Dutton Books
Subject:
Personal Memoirs
Subject:
Alcoholics
Subject:
Rehabilitation
Subject:
Substance Abuse & Addictions - Alcoholism
Subject:
Steinberg, Neil
Subject:
Alcoholics - Illinois - Chicago
Copyright:
Publication Date:
July 2008
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
270
Dimensions:
8.56x5.74x1.08 in. .97 lbs.

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