Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol

Alcohol is a poison, a drug “designed to keep us down,” writes Whitaker, founder of the online Tempest Sobriety School, in this empowering mix of memoir and self-help aimed at women. A one-time binge drinker and “train wreck,” Whitaker got sober at 33, quit her job at a healthcare startup, and dedicated herself to starting a recovery program that she sees as an alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous, which she calls a dated, white male–centric program focused on ego and goals. She rejects the term “alcoholic” as a life-sentence label, and argues that women and other marginalized people need to be encouraged on their way to sobriety, not forced to repent and made to feel helpless around booze. Whitaker addresses what she sees as society’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol and marketers’ insidious ploys to make consumers think that drinking is normal (“we drink—for fun—the same thing we use to make rocket fuel, house paint, antiseptics”). A celebration of the nondrinking life, the narrative offers personal stories (such as making new friends while sober) and tips on managing one’s recovery (find a therapist, snack healthily). Whitaker is an amiable narrator, and her book serves as a helpful resource for those who wish to eliminate alcohol from their lives, and who want a glimpse at how liberating not drinking can be. (Jan.)