Alcoholism Books

I found this book to be very helpful. It is clear and has a useful framework for conceptualizing supervision.

The only thing better than having this book is having the opportunity to hear David Powell speak in person. I had the privilege of attending a two day seminar on supervision by Dr. Powell, and his wisdom and inspiration for the field of counseling is truly amazing. This book is well thought out and practical, very helpful in guiding one through basic as well as more complex issues of supervision. Most credentialing bodies utilize his book for continuing education, and for good reason. Cannot say enough about Dr. Powell and this book.

Dear John.....was an experience. Whether or not you know someone who is an alcoholic, this book is a must read! In reading Catherine and John Forde's letters I have gained an understanding of the effects and the signs of alcoholism. I highly recommend this book to everyone! I have given Dear John to a loved one who is in the beginning stages of alcoholism. I am hoping that Catherine and John's letters and stories are just as 'familiar' to him as they were to me. Lastly, I have learned that relationships and communication is the key to staying healthy and having control through life's obstacles.

Mary Gjetson Levin has done an outstanding job of portraying the alchoholic relationship and household. At times I found this book difficult to read as it echoed my own family's struggles with an alchoholic father and husband. Levin's bold writing brings a sense of love and humanity to an otherwise lost relationship. Her delicate balance of writing and honesty presents a MUST READ for anyone in an alchoholic relationship. This is a good book to give to those in need. I could not put this book down!

First, this is not a paperback book, but a 5 x 7 Hazelden "booklet" or pamphlet. Writings on this topic seem to be scarce: I could not find a book devoted to the subject. The author offers good advice organized in seven stages, although I could not recognize the reason for them. I could not see that the stages contained any hierarchy of development, or any transformation from simple to complex. In spite of this distraction, I feel that the author's advice is helpful and illuminating.

This is absolutely the best booklet on detaching with love--a very difficult concept for caretakers and those people living with addicted people!

Reminiscent of some of the great English novels, this autobiography takes the reader on a journey that makes life look bland. Peter life begins in England after World War I. His father is a sea captain who dies at a young age, leaving Peter's strong and capable mother to raise her two children. Determined to assure her children's educations, she sends Peter to a Catholic boarding school where he is to become a priest. While the education was evidently excellent, the priesthood was not to be. Instead, Peter assumed his father's role and went to sea. He chronicles the many ships, ports and escapades of his seafaring life while he drifts slowly toward alcoholism. He tells about the regimen and levels one must reach through education and complex testing that eventually result in becoming a Master and then a Captain of his own ship. Peter sailed the Atlantic, delivered goods to many ports of call, moved to the USA in pursuit of a love affair and worked the Great Lakes. He finally landed in San Francisco where he truly left his heart. Alcoholism robbed Peter of happiness in his personal life, but Alcoholics Anonymous finally found him in the street and restored his sobriety and quality of life. Few people have sated wanderlust as Wright has, traveling the world, in and out of scrapes, footloose and fancy free (well, almost). This book is a compelling read, very different from most modern biographies and something truly remarkable. His style is so pure and refreshingly concise that it makes us remember what the English language ought to be.

This autobiographical work takes us into the three worlds of Captain Peter Wright. He spent the "first ten years of my life saturated in family myth and false pride, heavy drinkers, and the jaundice of Catholic bigotry."
After six years of classic education at England's Blackfriars' Dominican boarding school for boys, with its mix of fun and misery, he spent "twenty-two years of adventure while sailing as mate and master."
Gradually drifting into alcohol addiction, he withdrew into his own private hell, ending his drinking days on the streets of San Francisco. Now sober for twenty years, Peter Wright says, "Writing this book evened out the playing field."
Wright's writing voice tastes of British farce with gentle glances along the shoulder and tight little smiles as he presents the boy and man that he was and became. The writing is elegantly clear and simple, making for a Thumping Good Read.

This year, I needed a comprehensive text to help me put together a lecture on substance use disorders for psychiatrists taking their board exams. It had been some time since I, a psychologist who conducts research on co-occurring disorders, had updated myself generally on current knowledge regarding substance use disorders. This text was very useful for this purpose; I can see it being a useful reference guide for medical practioners concerned with treating those with substance use disorders. I found Schuckit's classification of substances by their effects (depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens) rather than trying to present information on similar-acting drugs individually (cocaine, amphetamines) particularly useful. The chapters are concise and well-written and loaded with details as noted by the previous reviewer.

That said, I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars because as a comprehensive guide, it gives relatively short shrift to psychosocial treatments. Whereas each chapter on drug classes goes into step-by-step detail about, for example, treating symptoms of acute withdrawal or intoxication for a particular drug class, there is only a single chapter at the end of the text regarding psychosocial treatments. That chapter is too short and lacks sufficient detail to cover recent developments such as the inclusion of evidence-based practices (e.g., motivational interviewing, trauma reduction therapies) into many treatment regimens. And although published in 2005, knowledge on pharmacological treatments in conjunction with psychosocial treatments such as the results of the recent COMBINE study (acamprosate and naltrexone plus CBT for treating alcoholism) are not included in detail.

To be fair, research is moving far too fast for any text to be completely up-to-date by the time of publication. However, this exclusion simply calls attention to the lack of coverage of psychosocial treatments generally.

In short then, this text is recommended as a primer and a guide to medical management of substance use disorders and will be of particular use to those working in emergency rooms or detoxification centers. Those working in longer term programs needing guidance on the management of addiction disorders through the post-acute and relapse management phases should consider a different text.

Addiction Treatment Forum (www.atforum.com) book review; September 2000; Stewart B. Leavitt, PhD, Editor -- Simply put, Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment; 5th edition. is a book that may help save lives. In this 380 page text, Marc A. Schuckit, MD provides an overview of drug classifications and mechanisms, and covers the pharmacology and mental/physical effects of alcohol, depressants, stimulants, opioids, hallucinogens, cannabis, and more. Most critical, there is an emphasis throughout the book on how to deal with emergency medical problems related to drug abuse, dependency, and overdose.

Schuckit, who is affiliated with the University of California Medical School and Veteran Affairs Healthcare System in San Diego, is a talented lecturer and he apparently writes like he speaks: clear and concise, technical but understandable. This 5th edition of his text dating back to 1979 includes a 70% updating of reference material with a focus on newer developments in pharmacotherapy, plus an all new chapter on prevention. The coverage of substances of abuse is all-encompassing; ranging from "Acid" (hallucinogens) to "Zoom" (stimulants), and everything imaginable in between.

How does one use a book like this? Schuckit recommends skimming all of the chapters covering the many drug classes, including descriptions of individual drugs and associated pathology, then rereading sections of particular interest. From there, the book can serve as a handbook, kept nearby for easily-accessed advice on dealing with drug-related crises or confirming suspected drug-induced symptomatology appearing in clinical settings. The text is fully indexed and evidence-based, with research references listed at the end of each of the 16 chapters.

Certainly, medical practitioners will find this book invaluable. It also could be an essential reference for nursing staff, psychologists, counselors, social workers, and other professionals who need a quick, handy, clinically-oriented manual on alcohol and other drug problems.

Schuckit MA. Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment; 5th edition. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; January 2000. ISBN 0306462303. Available online from www.Amazon.com ($49.95 + shipping) and at other booksellers.

This book lays in all out there for you, in a clinical, organized, research-based way. Claire Sterk explains the "hierarchy" among these crack-using women, from "queens of the scene" to the low-level prostitutes. The book details their sexual relationships, their jobs (or joblessness), how they manage children among other things. Terry Williams (see Crackhouse-Notes From the End of the Line, The Cocaine Kids) assisted with Sterk's research efforts. An excellent read of a side of life most of us thankfully don't experience.

Truly lets you see life through the eyes of a crackhead. You'll feel like you are really there. Shocking lifestyles. You won't wanna put this down. Whether you're a recovered addict or just curious I would say this book is worth reading!

As a certified DUI counselor, I found this book to be an excellent safety manual that all driver's should read (especially beginning ones!). There should be a link to this book in all state DMV Driver Handbook's!). I wish it had included however, a discussion of the ENABLING that state's do with regards to continuing to allow drunk drivers to drive! While its great this book teaches drivers how to spot, and avoid drunk driver's, a better idea is to how to keep them from having initial and continued access to motor vehicles, and thus the road, to begin with!

There are a lot more drunk drivers on the road than most of us would like to think. How big is the problem? Based on a study in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for every 10 people cited for driving under the influence another 37 are missed. According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Manual as many as five percent of drivers are intoxicated on any given weeknight and 10% on a weekend night.

How do you protect yourself with all these intoxicated drivers on the road? The easiest way is to learn to identify them on the road early so you can choose not to be involved in their accident. "Get Out of the Way" contains a lot of information on how to spot them early so you can keep get out of the way. For example, did you know that according to a NHTSA study sixty percent of those who make obscene gestures at other drivers on the road are driving under the influence? Fifty percent of tailgaters and sixty-five percent of those who make a wide radius turn are driving under the influence. These are just a few of the extensive list of signs included in the book.

With the information in this book you can easily teach your children and yourself how to keep safe on the road. "Get Out of the Way: How to Identify & Avoid a Driver Under the Influence" is highly recommended and should be required in every drivers education class.

This book addresses the reality of the disease and the uniqueness of the medical family dynamic. It is helpful for those in the recovery process, those concerned that a problem exists,and those who work with an impaired or recovering physician. Societal issues related to alcoholism make it difficult for people to accept alcoholism as a disease and this book gives you the facts to support it.

This book focuses on the addicted health care professional, be it a physician, pharmacist, or nurse, among others. It give concise, plain English answers to many qusetions concerning the addicted healer. Healers, by virtue of their ready acces to their drugs of choice have many different situations to deal with apart from their non-medical addict cohorts. This book touches them all. This book can potentially save the life of your doctor or pharmacist!!!!

This is the author's first book and is it ever a powerful book! Instead of telling her story in third person through a fictional character, she chose to tell her story in first person and reveals personal things that most people would keep to themselves. That took a lot of guts!


Ms. Moran tells her own story of growing up with a physically and verbally abusive mother who is totally consumed by alcoholism. She describes her own descent in despair, self-loathing, drugs and alcohol...all by her early teens. Her parents divorced when she was a toddler; her oldest brother was the only worthy child of the three; she never knew what it meant to be loved as a person.

Through AA, Ms. Moran was able to gain sobriety, learn to forgive her mother and find peace and love in her life. Her struggle to get to this point is incredible. If you are in an abusive relationship or know of someone who is, this is the book for them! They'll know they're not alone, that alcoholism really is a disease, and find sources of help...healing is possible!

Ms. Moran lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children and proudly wears the title "Jersey Girl". She has a BS in Psychology from Montclair State College, is a successful sales executive, and enjoys running, and is passionate about the arts.

Jenny's Monster is not an overstatement. Her Monster is real. This book is terrifyingly in-your-face. If you are like me, you will first hate her Monster, next you will hate Jenny, finally you will cry like a baby at this tragic true story.

I think that this books was great! the only bad thing is that if you're looking forward to the book talking about nina and benjamin being so happy together it doesn't say that much about them at all. That the only thing i didn't like. it says lots of stuff about kate and jakes realtion ship and how zoey and lucas are falling apart. also the parts about lara are kind of scary. she's in this home where she's trying to stay sober.

Applegate writes another great story. Kate, the beautiful redhead wants to be with Jake now that he has graduated, but his job is keeping him from doing so. Also Lara who is now in a rehabiliation center because of her drinking problem, is planning to ecscape. Nina is discovering what life is like with Benjamin who now can and she's not enjoying it. Zoey found a job but can't spend time with Lucas because Lucas has to do his fathers job. Claire still loves Aaron even though they are now related by law. A great story.