Really makes you consider your relationship with alcohol, but also really funny!

For a book about the depths addiction can take us, it was a proper page turner for me, as I wanted to discover how our hero JJR found the way to emerge from addiction’s grasp, an addiction that started when he was so young. John’s honesty and vulnerability are the two shining lights throughout. His humanity, thoughtfulness and integrity (all seen in his EXCELLENT podcast How Do You Cope?) carry the narrative through the worst and best experiences. Anyone affected by alcohol addiction, be that as a sufferer, family member or friend, will understand how and why alcohol has such power and yet that makes John’s journey all the more inspiring.

What an amazing book, not always an easy read but it’s told in such a beautifully humorous way - I cried and laughed in equal measures. Thank you for sharing your story, John, it’s a really important one.

Anyone familiar with John Robins from his work as a stand-up comedian, or the many podcasts and radio shows that he's been involved in, will recognise his distinctive voice in this book, which tells the story of his life through his relationship with alcohol. The imagery throughout is vivid, and the allure and the grip of alcohol are presented in unflinching detail. Unsurprisingly, this is not an easy read at times, as John describes the effect that alcohol has had on him, and those around him. However, he is a skilled writer and is able to inject his own brand of humour at just the right time. There's a significant emotional heft in this book that resonated with me in a way that has rarely happened before, and there's an extremely powerful chapter on one, key friendship that is still with me several days after finishing it. This book, I think, will have value to many. Those whose lives have been affected by alcoholism, either directly or with a friend or loved one will recognise many of the situations presented throughout, and the challenges in facing them and developing the tools to cope with them. Alcohol could've destroyed John but, ultimately, he has taken on this and what he terms as 'the problem of me', and by the end of the book there's a sense of hope. There are bound to be bumps on the road, but you're left with the impression that it's one he's determined to stay on. Again, given the subject matter, it feels a bit strange to say that I really enjoyed this book. It has humour throughout, which you'd naturally expect from John, and it also has real depth and is very thoughtfully written - which you'd also expect from him.

Loved it!