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  • The Sober Diaries

  • How One Woman Stopped Drinking and Started Living
  • Written by: Clare Pooley
  • Narrated by: Karen Cass
  • Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (140 ratings)

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The Sober Diaries

Written by: Clare Pooley
Narrated by: Karen Cass
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Publisher's Summary

Like many women, Clare Pooley found the juggle of a stressful career and family life a struggle, so she left her successful role as a managing partner in one of the world's biggest advertising agencies to look after her family.

She knew the change wouldn't be easy, but she never expected to find herself an overweight, depressed, middle-aged mother of three who was drinking more than a bottle of wine a day and spending her evenings Googling 'am I an alcoholic?'

This book is the bravely honest story of a year in Clare's life. A year that started with her quitting booze and then being given the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer. By the end of the year she is booze-free and cancer-free, no longer has a wine belly and is two stone lighter and with a life that is so much richer, healthier and more rewarding than ever before. She has a happier family and a more positive outlook.

Sober Diaries is an upbeat, funny and positive look at how to live life to the full. Interwoven within Clare's own very personal and brilliantly comic story is research and advice as she discovers the answers to questions like:

  • How do I know if I'm drinking too much?
  • How will I cope at parties?
  • What do I say to friends and family?
  • How do I cope with cravings?
  • If I stop drinking, will I lose weight?
  • What if my partner still drinks?

And many more.

©2017 Clare Pooley (P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

What listeners say about The Sober Diaries

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    4 out of 5 stars

Strong in the beginning, peters out in the end

I loved this book at the start and remained riveted until about 2/3 of the way through when the author's story started to seemingly diverge into a couple of different directions. I no longer could identify the focus of the story and therefore felt my initial passion for the work fade away. Still a worthwhile read full of insight, inspiration and brave honesty.

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2 people found this helpful

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Loved it!

Probably the best sober book I've read yet! She was real, raw, funny, I laughed & I cried! Very inspiring!

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1 person found this helpful

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Loved it!

This book is brave, honest and funny. I know that many women will identify with Clare and will find the courage to change their lives. I know this, because she helped me.

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

rich last stops drinking wine

a rich last stops drinking wine
the book starts at the point she stops drinking
she is quite rixh

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brilliant and honest.

this book helped me tremendously. thank you for sharing your authentic self and discussing hard topics that shouldn't be shameful.

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Unbelievably relatable

Pooley let’s you know so many people are living this life and functioning perfectly behind everyone’s back. I was her and I’m going to be her. This book will save my life. If you’re a woman trying to quit drinking this is a must read.

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Heather Canada

Great book - educational and motivating! Did audio version and reader was lovely. Highly recommended for someone wondering how not drinking in today’s drinking society will be like.

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So Relatable!!

Absolutely loved this light-hearted yet very honest reflection of one recovering alcoholic’s journey in early sobriety! It was funny at times, and also sad in its honesty of what we miss out on due to our addictions. Definitely recommend to anyone on the same path…it will reinforce exactly how worth it it truly is!

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This book helped get me through the first few weeks

Clare Pooley makes you feel like you’re not alone on the journey to give up alcohol. Her great sense of humor, coupled with her knowledge of navigating a world sober, made this the perfect read during my first few weeks of trying to stop drinking. She is so relatable as a human being, it made me feel less alone during those tough first days! I read this along with Annie Grace’s This Sober Mind/The Alcohol Experiment and together, they both got me to a life that I love living without alcohol . So glad there are alternatives to AA and ones that are more female focused.

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Wonderful!

I so enjoyed this book during my journey of being alcohol free. I have laughed and enjoyed every chapter!

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