Alcohol Studies Research Guide

Freelance journalist Knapp explores her nearly twenty years of drinking in this stylistic, literary memoir. She offers a confession utterly devoid of self-pity, an extraordinarily lucid and well-written personal account of a common addiction that is filled with insights as well as a comprehensive treatment of the subject.

Acclaimed author Hamill offers an honest self-portrait of coming of age in a culture that considers drinking an essential part of becoming a man and reveals how it nearly destroyed his ability to write. This memoir is a thoughtful, funny, street-smart reflection on alcohol and its consequences

The bestselling author of Running With Scissors takes on his years as an alcoholic adman in this harrowing yet hilarious personal account among a depressing landscape of drunkenness, crack addiction, and the harsh realities of AIDS.

Award winning and NYT bestselling author Karr’s memoir follows the self-professed blackbelt sinner's descent into the inferno of alcoholism and madness--and to her astonishing resurrection. Written with Karr's relentless honesty, unflinching self-scrutiny, and irreverent, lacerating humor, it is a truly electrifying story of how to grow up. (PW Starred Review, Kirkus Starred Review)

This gut wrenching memoir of addiction and recovery became infamous when portions of Frey’s story were revealed to be exaggerated or false and Oprah publicly took Frey to task for his dishonesty. Compelling and controversial, the book was a best seller and may still be of great value for anyone who must deal with a loved one who is an addict. (Booklist Starred Review)

Bestselling author and journalist Wurtzel’s memoir is not just the cautionary tale of pharmaceutical abuse (more than 4 million American children take Ritalin); it is the story of one woman's persistent sabotage of her own success and a gripping account of her eventual recovery from addiction. Readers may also be interested in Wurtzel’s first memoir, Prozac Nation, about her struggle with severe depression.

Insightful and acutely aware of what drinking can and does do to girls, this deeply moving memoir reveals how Zailckas gave up drinking at 24 after a decade of getting drunk, having blackouts and experiencing brushes with comas, date rape and suicide. Her addiction left her lacking in the tools to be an adult; she’s unable to maintain relationships and unclear about sex without an alcohol buzz. (PW Starred Review)