Many Roads, One Journey: Moving Beyond the Twelve Steps

Wide-ranging and refreshing, this is a feminist, New Age critique of the Alcoholics Anonymous approach to addictions, including caffeine, nicotine and TV. Kasl ( Women, Sex and Addiction ) links addiction and treatment with chakras, nutrition and patriarchy--and she's on target. A.A.'s approach is patriarchal, okay for affluent white men but not for others, especially women, she finds. The book offers numerous, surprising examples of how A.A. meetings, slogans, traditions and steps hurt women: while it might be good for white men to humble themselves and make amends to everyone, Kasl contends that women should ignore that A.A. exhortation--they've done enough of that sort of thing already. Ultimately, everyone's recovery is based on recapturing personal power, recognizing social oppression and revering life. This guide should put some of the needful back on track. Author tour. (June)