Drunk-ish

Book excerpt: This “perfect balance of bold honesty and riotous wit” (Shelf Awareness) from the author of Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay explores Stefanie Wilder-Taylor’s journey to breaking up with alcohol for good. For Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, alcohol was the seasoning that could give almost any activity more flavor—from liquor cabinet concoctions in high school to tequila shots in her early stand-up comedy days to grocery store wine in young motherhood. A drink instantly took the edge off and made even the most difficult adversary (be it a tough crowd in a comedy club or a judgmental PTA mom) not just bearable but fun. As the years go by, Stefanie wonders if her relationship with alcohol is different from other people’s. Is everyone else struggling this hard to moderate? Is it even legal to watch The Bachelor without a glass of white wine? Having spent a lifetime grappling with the question of whether or not she is a “real” alcoholic, one evening brings Stefanie close to the edge of losing it all. Miraculously unscathed, she decides that she doesn’t need to dive all the way down to a stereotypical rock bottom before deciding to stop drinking; if sobriety will improve her life, that’s a good enough reason to quit. A tender and funny farewell letter to a beloved but toxic friend, Drunk-ish is “a roller coaster of a book. You will love this candid and funny memoir even if you’re not sober. Trust me” (Jenny Lawson, New York Times bestselling author).