Description

‘The most honest, helpful and perceptive book I’ve ever read about alcohol, and also the funniest’ Josh Widdicombe
‘The funniest book ever written about wanting to drink yourself to death’ Lou Sanders
‘Insightful and intelligent. Harrowing but hopeful. And, as always, hilarious’ Adrian Chiles
‘A triumph, and as powerful a description of alcoholism as I’ve read’ Bryony Gordon
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John Robins is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Taskmaster champion, and an award-winning broadcaster. He is also an alcoholic.
But what does that mean? What is an alcoholic?

In Thirst, John tells the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him. From his earliest drinking experiences – pretending to be drunk after a sip of champagne aged five, spraying aftershave into his mouth at the school play afterparty, and university nights spent downing red wine alone in his room – to his last drink in 2022 and the journey into sobriety that followed, John explores our relationship with alcohol through reflections on decades of his own drinking.

From hazy memory to sudden clarity he sheds light on subjects from mental health to friendship, from creativity to the lies we tell ourselves, and answers questions such as: are alcoholics born or made? How can we make sense of youthful missteps? And can Buddhism provide relief when dealing with haemorrhoids?

Filled with insights and epiphanies from the world of addiction and recovery, Thirst blends John’s trademark raw honesty and hilarious digressions with the collective wisdom of alcoholics and those around them to offer a compelling, powerful and morbidly funny narrative for anyone who has ever asked ‘why do we drink?’, ‘why do I drink?’ or ‘do I drink too much?’.

Publisher Review

The most honest, helpful and perceptive book I’ve ever read about alcohol, and also the funniest — Josh Widdicombe The funniest book ever written about wanting to drink yourself to death — Lou Sanders Insightful and intelligent. Harrowing but hopeful. And, as always, hilarious — Adrian Chiles A triumph, and as powerful a description of alcoholism as I’ve read — Bryony Gordon I loved this book. Unflinching, poetic, funny and beautiful, yet still somehow so needlessly pedantic and silly. It’s a rich and generous enquiry into how to be a human — Josie Long Robins at his finest — Pierre Novellie Equal parts hilarity and heartbreak, delivered with rare candour — Lou Sanders