Imagine not drinking a bottle of wine before making a pass; not moving in like a starving cat when someone is at the bar; not apologising for something you don't remember doing. Once upon a time, Tania Glyde couldn't imagine living any other way. She wondered whether she had a problem, but so many people drank more and as a clock-watching 6pm-er who hardly ever threw up in public, by general standards she was fine - despite the constant hangover and the bottle of vodka stashed in her handbag.At the end of a 23-year love affair with alcohol, Tania Glyde remembers her inner white wine witch. Exposing the culpability of the drinks industry, the enabling qualities of Class As and our powerful sense of entitlement to drink until we fall over, Cleaning Up examines a moral panic of our time, exploring why women drink, how to stop and what life after alcohol is really like.
Cleaning Up : How I Gave Up Drinking and Lived
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"'What sets this book apart [is that] it is illuminating about the inner emotional damage that leads to wildly self-destructive behaviour; and also about the society that allows such behaviour to flourish... pretty much unputdownable' Nicholas Lezard, Evening Standard 'Insightful... the points raised are important... timely' Guardian 'Eminently practical and personal... one to recommend' John Sutherland, Financial Times 'Depicts with bravery and a blazingly defiant wit an ongoing struggle... [Glyde] puts her experience into the context of a culture that deems alcohol inseparable from fun' Metro"
From the Back Cover
At the end of a 23-year love affair with alcohol, Tania Glyde remembers her inner white wine witch and questions our sense of entitlement to drink until we fall over. Cleaning Up describes why we drink, how to stop and what life after alcohol is really like.'Eminently practical and personal ... one to recommend to the friend who needs to clean up' - John Sutherland, Financial Times'What sets this book apart is that it is not only very well written... it is illuminating about the inner emotional damage that leads to wildly self-destructive behabiour; and also about the society that allows such behaviour to flourish' Nicholas Lezard, Evening Standard'Smart, funny and achingly honest' Sainsbury's Magazine'Blazingly defiant wit... Glyde explores why women drink and puts her experience into the context of a culture that deems alcohol inseparable from fun' Metro
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Tania seems to have her stuff together. An accomplished author and broadcaster, she is a lady many of us might envy, yet who would think that she used to be an insecure mess hooked on drink, drugs and casual sex with undeserving people?
This book is about much more than just giving up drinking. It is about discovering a whole new level of self-respect, learning your lessons and getting on in life.
I think most of us will be able to relate to the times she describes, being stuck in some dark hole without a hope of getting out - but amazingly, she does despite an usupportive, emotionally cold mother and a rather motley crew of superficial, unreliable friends and lovers. She holds a mirror up and examines herself honestly, warts and all - then turns that mirror back on the reader to encourage her to do the same. She is eloquent and touchingly vulnerable in her descriptions of excess, regret and ultimately discovering a well-deserved love for herself.
This book is about much more than just giving up drinking. It is about discovering a whole new level of self-respect, learning your lessons and getting on in life.
I think most of us will be able to relate to the times she describes, being stuck in some dark hole without a hope of getting out - but amazingly, she does despite an usupportive, emotionally cold mother and a rather motley crew of superficial, unreliable friends and lovers. She holds a mirror up and examines herself honestly, warts and all - then turns that mirror back on the reader to encourage her to do the same. She is eloquent and touchingly vulnerable in her descriptions of excess, regret and ultimately discovering a well-deserved love for herself.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By auntie4
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having read many books on the subject of alcholism I have grown used to reading sanitised accounts of what it means to live as an alcholic, mainly outlining how much help there is out there for people wanting to give up and how wonderful life will be when it you do. Unless you are wealthy and can afford to go private there is absolutely no help for anyone wanting to give up and believe me it takes alot of soul searching, heartache, humiliation and false starts before you reach that place in your head. At the end of the day it is all down to the individual and Tania Glydes story illustrates this perfectly. I was quite shocked at times at how honest she was about some of her experiences but I am forever grateful she was because she helped me feel I was not alone and despite everything I have done whilst drunk I can move on because I am not my past. I would recommend this book to anyone struggling with an addiction and also anyone trying to cope with someone close who is suffering because Tania really does tell it like it is.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Harrowing reading at first, the girl obviously had no sense of worth but not for reasons you could easily put your finger on. I identified with her hatred of summer completely. In the recovery part, she is matter of fact, doesn't dress it up and rightly and proudly thanks no-one for it but herself. I loved this book as I identified strongly with the authors story I suppose. Definitely worth a read even if quitting is still just a far away notion in your head.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
not a book about drinking
This isn't a book about someones struggle with alcohol. Its a book about someone who had/has self esteem issues and got involved with the people she thought were cool and did drugs... Read more
Published 6 months ago by M. BELLINGHAM
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cleaning up: How I gave up drinking and lived
A shockingly honest account of a young womans battle with alcohol. By reading her experiences, her downfalls, this book warns you of the path your life might follow if you take her... Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2011 by Ms. K. James
5.0 out of 5 stars
Drinking Herstory
What a blast of fresh air this memoir is. Having read many on the subject of addiction, this strong memoir arrives after a flux of American authors extolling the virtues of 12 step... Read more
Published on 30 May 2010 by Ms. C. Myers
3.0 out of 5 stars
'overwhelming unconscious resentment'
Antonia Quirke, writing in the New Statesman, coined the phrase 'overwhelming unconscious resentment' when reviewing this book and she hits that proverbial nail right on the head. Read more
Published on 4 May 2010 by CarriKP
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book
I dont understand all this negative feedback and/or comments! I really loved this book, I found it moving and touching, funny and interesting. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2009 by SJ SMART
1.0 out of 5 stars
misleading title
I found this book very disappointing despite the promising introduction. In fact the book recounts the author's experience of drugs and promiscuity and very little about drinking... Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2009 by Ms Orrech
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fantastic book, well worth a read
This is a fantastic book. Very well written, and engaging from start to finish.
It covers not only the misery that alcohol abuse can create (in great detail, as you... Read more
It covers not only the misery that alcohol abuse can create (in great detail, as you... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2009 by Paul Blanchard
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really hit the spot
Clearly a work of fact, not fiction. When the author describes some of the scrapes she finds herself in, I began to think I was there at the time. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2008 by Barry Tighe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant book that is likely to stand as a signpost of the times
I will be completely upfront in that I know the author personally, though I only appear in Cleaning Up: How I Gave Up Drinking and Lived fleetingly and only in a professional... Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2008 by Mister Kim
2.0 out of 5 stars
Self- absorbed yuppie
I bought the book and could'nt wait to get going to read it, when i began it started o.k but i felt it was written in very "Wannabe something" modus,instead of a heartfelt journey... Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2008 by Mr. S. Lindsay
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