Take Back Control: A Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol

Jay Neu: I have never really been interested in alcohol, but this book made it seem even less interesting, which is the point. Holly Whitaker writes so well about her own struggle and the psychology of willpower and why AA isn't necessarily going to help women. Highly recommend to anyone thinking alcohol might not be doing them any favors.

United States on Nov 28, 2023

H Pastega: I wish I found this book a decade or 2 ago. Spread the word to every women in your life and our girls 💓

United States on Nov 21, 2023

Mona Simard: J'ai lu plusieurs livres sur les addictions et celui-ci me parle vraiment, contrairement à ce que j'ai pu lire avant, surtout tout ce qui est en lien avec la méthode des AA. Ce livre fait une réelle différence dans ma vie, un bon guide pour devenir une personne plus équilibrée! Je le recommande sans aucune hésitation!

Canada on Nov 05, 2023

Amazon Customer: An eye opener to reality. She gives a push in the right direction. So knowledgable she definetly has done her research and i wish her all the best with her buisness she deserves to be a well known female fighting for the right thjngs for everyone!!

Canada on Nov 04, 2023

Erin: In no way will you read this book and not think about alcohol in a different light. The most marvelous part of Holly Whitaker’s writing is that she writes in an authentic, no-nonsense way that will resonate with anyone at a certain point.
I had a bad attitude about reading a self-recovery/addiction therapy book. My therapist advised me to read it and so I did while drinking 3 bottles of wine just to prove to myself I’m a fully functional person who can drink like a fish and also read. What I didn’t expect though was that the book would affect me in the gut-punching way. I’m forever changed since reading this book and you will be too. Whether you are motivated to live life sober after reading this book is entirely up to you and you can take comfort in knowing there is nothing wrong with you if you aren’t ready yet.

United States on Oct 14, 2023

Northerner: This book explains addiction in a way which is easily understood. A must read for any woman or man that wants to better understand addition. The author has done her research and also speaks of her battle with addition. An easy read.

Canada on Sep 14, 2023

ana ceciliaana cecilia: Muy buen libro!

Mexico on Jul 30, 2023

Andonette Wilkinson: I found this book full of useful information, and most of all non judgmental and not preachy. The worst kind of books are the preachy ones "hey all you have to do is yoga, high five yourself, whatever" - this book although admittedly containing privilege, is aware of the fact and explains what works is what works for "you"
This book focusses on the way we are marketed to, and how it's easy to leave behind the best hints that matter in order to fit into some construct. It cuts through a lot of bullshit and addresses programs like AA which clearly don't work for everyone because they simply cannot identify with it.

It's funny that booze is the only substance where not having it means you have some kind of problem. I have never seen the logic in that. How can you have a disease where the symptoms of that disease are being unable to resist the urge to drink if the cure to the disease is actually the opposite of the disease,

It's like saying the cure for cancer is to purposefully stop having cancer ...

Anyway not to rant, I found this book honest because I'm not an alcoholic, I don't identify with that term, but I don't like drinking and I'm curious about why...

United Kingdom on Feb 26, 2023

S. D. Burke: I intend to finish this book, I am intrigued by the way alcohol affects the brain and body, creates more anxiety and depression, and destroys everything good, while affecting everyone around the alcoholic, which I am all too familiar with. I have seen the needle and the damage is has done in my family and I have also seen how alcohol abuse has destroyed lives, families and relationships, while the accused stands unabashedly innocent; it is maddening. Holly takes way too much liberty and is too opinionated regarding "Nationalism", "White Supremacy" and Racism..these problems do not exist and far as I am concerned, in this country, and to keep touting that they do is incendiary and inflammatory, it does not help. So I will read the rest and hopefully, Holly will impart more valuable information about how devastating alcohol is to the human brain and body and I hope she touches on how terrorizing it is for those who witness and suffer thru the abuser's abuse. Sign me, "not done yet" and hoping I can help those who need help; being equipped with more info about the effects on the body, may be a message I can relate to others. I hope. And this disease destroys children, the innocent...

United States on Jan 23, 2021

Lo R: My first book finished in 2020.

I preordered this in August or September and then forgot about it. In the meantime I had stopped drinking. This showed up on my doorstep yesterday, the last day of the (my drunkest) decade.

My story closely parallels the authors (especially through high school and college) except for the fact that I actually used to work in the alcoholic beverage industry for several years, I even went back to school for it. I lived and breathed and ate and slept alcohol for years. One day over a month ago I took a sip of (not good) wine and a thought popped into my head, “why am I doing this?” I poured it out. Read a book instead. Went to the gym the next morning. Enjoyed my kale stir-fry. All the things we do to keep ourselves healthy...

Like the author I also tried twelve-step programs and every form of self-help possible. The only thing that really, truly stuck was asking “why am I doing this?” Why am I doing ALL THE THINGS for my health but I’m still pouring poison into my body? Is this habit helping me reach my best life? Do I really care about the social capital of being “good at wine” so much that I am willing to sabotage...

United States on Jan 02, 2020