10 Must-Read Memoirs to Inspire Your Sober Journey
If you’ve ever typed “books about sobriety” or “quit drinking memoirs” into Google at 2 a.m. while wondering if you’re the only one feeling this way, this list is for you.
The truth is, you’re so not alone.
Whether you’re sober curious, sober serious, or just looking for a boost of perspective, these powerful sobriety memoirs will remind you: there is life and joy on the other side of alcohol.
1. Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker
Best for: Challenging the cultural norms around drinking.
This bold and empowering memoir is part manifesto, part raw personal story. Holly calls out Big Alcohol, explores the patriarchy's role in normalizing wine culture, and offers a new blueprint for healing.
2. We Are the Luckiest by Laura McKowen
Best for: Finding beauty in the mess.
Laura’s writing is poetic, relatable, and brutally honest. She doesn’t sugarcoat the pain of addiction, but she does illuminate the deep richness of life in sobriety.
3. Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola
Best for: A raw, witty, and gut-punchingly honest look at drinking culture.
Sarah explores blackout drinking in your 20s and 30s and how we glorify what’s actually trauma. It’s sharp, self-aware, and deeply human.
4. This Naked Mind by Annie Grace
Best for: Rewiring your brain around alcohol.
This part-memoir, part-science-backed breakdown of how alcohol affects our minds and bodies is a go-to for anyone looking to quit drinking without white-knuckling it.
5. Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
Best for: Timeless reflection and emotional depth.
A classic in the genre, Knapp’s memoir reveals the secret lives of high-functioning drinkers, particularly women. If you’ve ever felt like you have it all together, except this one thing, this one hits home.
Best for: Fans of literary memoirs.
Mary Karr is a poet with a story. Lit follows her journey through addiction, motherhood, and spiritual awakening. The prose is lush and layered, and proof that recovery is as artistic as it is painful.
7. The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
Best for: Finding humor and hope.
Catherine takes us through blackout nights, hangover shame, and eventually, the surprisingly joyful experience of being alcohol-free. It’s a UK favorite, but globally relatable.
8. My Mess Is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety Georgia Pritchett
Best for: Those who laugh to keep from crying.
This darkly funny and touching memoir isn’t just about alcohol; it’s about anxiety, trauma, and trying to be okay. A refreshing, real take on what it means to cope without numbing.
9. Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle
Best for: Emotional depth and spiritual awakening.
While not exclusively about sobriety, Glennon’s journey of recovery from addiction, bulimia, and people-pleasing is a must-read for women seeking wholeness.
10. Sober Curious by Ruby Warrington
Best for: Women questioning their drinking habits.
This book launched a movement. Ruby normalizes questioning alcohol use without labeling yourself. A great place to begin if you’re not sure where you land on the sobriety spectrum.
Bonus Tip: Read & Repeat
These aren’t one-time reads, they’re books you revisit when you need grounding, hope, or just a reminder that someone else has felt exactly what you’re feeling now.
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Sober doesn’t mean alone. These authors have walked through the fire and lived to write about it. Let their stories be your spark.