DRUNK-ISH

A sharp, self-deprecating look at overcoming addiction.

In her latest book, Wilder-Taylor recounts her relationship with alcohol and her painful journey to sobriety. She previously wrote several books, including Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay and Naptime Is the New Happy Hour, about how alcohol helped her take the edge off the strains of being a new mother while juggling a career as a comedy writer. She admits that she had always drank too much, and with a wry eye on her own foibles, she explains how booze had become the center of her social and emotional life, even while she was hiding her level of consumption from her husband. The author offers plenty of funny jokes about her capacity for self-deception, while a part of her admitted that her drinking was sliding out of control. The turning point was when she realized she had driven home while falling-down drunk, with her children in the car. She started going to AA meetings and was, after a huge effort, able to quit. Giving up prescription drugs was another battle. Soon, a new round of addictions emerged, including candy, computer games, and even her cellphone. They were not as harmful as alcohol, but she knew that she needed to conquer them for her psychological peace. Once sober, she realized that many mothers of young children likewise drank too much. After she wrote about her battle with addiction on her blog she became a minor talk-show celebrity, although she had mixed feelings about it. All this could have easily turned into a melodramatic plea for sympathy, but Wilder-Taylor’s willingness to make fun of herself makes Drunk-ish a brave, entertaining book, with much to say about living in our times.

Wilder-Taylor’s story of becoming sober after years of drunkenness is told with wit, intelligence, and engaging honesty.