First published 2018
Charles Meadows takes readers through three distinct phases of his relationship with alcohol. He begins as someone who drinks in moderation, believing he can control his consumption while maintaining social respectability. His careful balance gradually erodes as drinking becomes central to his daily routine. Meadows finds himself sliding into full alcoholism, where liquor dominates his decisions and relationships. Rock bottom forces him to confront the damage alcohol has inflicted on his life and those around him. He makes the difficult choice to quit drinking entirely, embracing total abstinence as his path forward. The narrative captures his struggles with temptation, social pressure, and the challenge of rebuilding relationships damaged by his drinking years. Meadows writes with the hard-won wisdom of someone who has lived through each stage of this progression. His account reveals how the same substance can serve different masters depending on who controls whom.
Genres: addiction, 20th-century, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, redemption
Period: 19th-Century, 20th-Century
94 pages · Paperback · Palala Press
Content warnings: addiction, alcohol-abuse