Go Ask Alice (Paperback)
by Anonymous

An Adult Reader's Review
Reviewer: Gary F. Taylor

   Presumably the diary of a teenage drug addict, GO ASK ALICE was first published when I was in junior high school. It was widely distributed at my school, and the faculty urged the students to read it for an accurate portrait of the horrors of drug use--and read it I did. At the time I was very, very impressed by the book. But that was almost thirty years ago. Today I am 40 years old, and I am a much more critical reader than I was when I was 12. And my thoughts upon rereading this book are quite different than they were when I first came to it.
The obvious issue here is whether or not the book is what it purports to be. Upon re-reading it, I find myself willing to believe that GO ASK ALICE is indeed the diary of a teenage drug user--but I also think it has been heavily re-written in spots to intensify its anti-drug agenda. I base this observation on two points. First, whenever the book describes drugs or their effects, it suddenly changes tone and becomes very, very specific in a way that the other entries are not. Secondly, the descriptions it offers re the effects of certain drugs are exactly those you would expect of a non-drug-user writing with reference to studies available in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

   This does not change the fact that this is a good book for young teenagers to read. The literary merit is zero--but that is not the point; the point is, as it always was, that casual drug use is simply not a good idea, and it places you in a situation where one thing can easily lead to another without the user being aware of the drift or having conscious control. But it is also a book that needs to be read with responsible adult input, for some of its content may need qualification. Ultimately, although dated and perhaps not quite as honest as it at first glance seems, it remains a powerful tool in any parent's anti-drug arsenal.

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Paths to Recovery: Al-Anon's Steps, Traditions and Concepts (Hardcover)
by Al-Anon Family Group Head Inc

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Marriage On The Rocks: Learning to Live with Yourself and an Alcoholic
by Janet Woititz

About the Author
Janet G. Woititz is the founder and president of the Institute for Counseling and Training in West Caldwell, New Jersey, which specializes in working with dysfunctional families and individuals. She is an internationally recognized speaker and trainer.

excellent
Reviewer: Jenma

  Besides going to ala non, this is an excellent starting point to validate and identify your problems with an alcoholic. Also buy Jeff Jay's LOVE FIRST--on how to do an intervention. I bought both of these books for myself and my friends so they would understand what I was going through (friends give you all the wrong advice until they really understand) and help me with the intervention--which WORKED!!! Don't be afraid to tell people. You are hurting yourself and your children by keeping secrets. Believe me, my 6 year old knew way more than i could have imagined when I started being honest with her--I was shocked--sometimes it seemed like she understood more than I did). To my shock--My husband went into a 28 day detox/alcohol rehab program after I did the intervention---it MUST be done RIGHT to work! Even the interventionist said he was a really tough case. These 2 books did the trick (I read many other books that did not "speak to me" the way these 2 books did. After 2-3 years of research online and in books--these are the 2 books that worked for me and my husband. After his 28 days treatment he refused a sober house (which was a mistake--it would have been better if he was recovering away from me and my daughter for OUR sake not his). In a sober house, the newly sober alcoholic can still go to work, see family, etc--he just lives in the sober house for support and checks and balances). So, After the 28 days, he has now been in outpatient rehab for 2 months. A very slow, emotional time for the family, but at least he is abstaining from alcohol. They tell me it takes 4-6 months for their heads to clear and really start a true recovery. THUS, I cannot stress enough that AFTER treatment the follow up is almost as tough. You must get your WHOLE family into recovery/treatment--the best thing is to insist that you alcoholic spouse/friend/dad/etc. go to outpatient rehab after inpatient rehab (even better, to a sober house first after inpatient treatment) and then the family and significant other should be in any and all programs available at the out patient treatment. That is when you realize that YOU need to help YOURSELVES and stop worrying about the alcoholic. PLEASE, go to ALANON as well and read these books. Also look at books on co-dependency to help you and your children get a life. The books by Beatty (I forgot her first name) on co-dependent 12 steps are excellent too. ESPECIALLY if you have kids involved.

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When They Won't Quit: A Call to Action for Families, Friends and Employers of Alcohol and Drug-Addicted People
by Bruce Cotter

An excellent approach to a very difficult problem
Reviewer: Anonymous (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

After over 15 years of watching my mother's drinking problem worsen, my family came to the conclusion that there was nothing we could do to help her. We thought, "How can you help someone who doesn't want help or doesn't think there is a problem?" This book very clearly shows you that with the right approach, there is something that you can do to help your loved one get the necessary treatment required to overcome his/her addiction. Bruce Cotter uses a very clear, personal approach that everyone can understand. After reading this book, I felt empowered to help my mother into the treatment program that she desperately needs.

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