“As the saying in the sober community goes, ‘Alcohol is the only drug that you have to justify not taking.’ And that is the most important point: alcohol is a drug.” – Millie Gooch, The Sober Girl Society Handbook
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Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health by David Nutt
Stepping away from personal narrative, Drink? by David Nutt is an investigative take on the impact alcohol has on our health and society. David Nutt is a scientist with hands-on experience treating patients and medical research career spanning 40 years, his book has the answers to the questions you’re too afraid to ask and covers alcohol’s impact on mental health, sleep, hormones and fertility. This is the book to choose when you want the facts on alcohol, it can help you make informed decisions about your future drinking (or not-drinking) habits.
“The impact of alcohol on health is profound. Up to half of all people in beds in orthopaedic wards are there because of alcohol-related injury and at the weekends the A&E departments of our hospitals are filled with people who are drunk. Alcohol and medicine are inextricably entwined in the same way as money and banking.” – David Nutt, Drink?
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Quit Like A Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol by Holly Whitaker
The book that queen Christy Teigan credits with her sobriety, Quit Like A Woman is a bold take on what it’s like to stop drinking as a woman in today’s world. When author Holly Whitaker tried to quit drinking over 8 years ago, she found the recovery modules she encountered “archaic and patriarchal”. This sober book chart’s Holly’s journey in her own recovery, whilst considering the role alcohol plays in society and in particular the lives of women. A sober call to arms, and well worth adding to your bookshelf.
“Spending a night out drinking is akin to dismantling every piece of protection we have—our cognition, our decision making, our reaction time, our memory, our standards, our voice. If we thought about alcohol in this way—as something that undermines our collective momentum and personal agency and vitality and self-worth—what would that mean for us? What if we all rejected the poison—then what? I’ll tell you what: world domination, bitches.” – Holly Whitaker, Quit Like a Woman
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Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola
If you are drinking a lot, blackouts might have become a regular occurrence in your life – perhaps even the sign of a really good night out. In her memoir, Blackout, Sarah Hepolla illustrates why there’s nothing funny about blackouts and that when you blackout you are experiencing alcohol-induced amnesia. If you are looking for a read to help you feel less alone, whilst illustrating the harm of alcohol, this is it. We also love how Sarah dismantles the story of alcohol providing confidence and instead reminds us that it takes away our power and agency.
“Addiction was the inverse of honest work. It was everything, right now. I drank away nervousness, and I drank away boredom, and I needed to build a new tolerance. Yes to discomfort, yes to frustration, yes to failure, because it meant I was getting stronger. I refused to be the person who only played games she could win.” – Sarah Hepola, Blackout
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Love Yourself Sober: A Self Care Guide to Alcohol-Free Living for Busy Mothers by Kate Baily and Mandy Manners
If you feel stuck in “mummy wine o’clock” and are a parent questioning your relationship with alcohol, this is the sober book for you. Kate and Mandy are sober mums on a mission to break the booze pattern in mothers and their book empowers readers to make informed choices around alcohol and drinking. Combining positive psychology, coaching methods and workbook features, Love Yourself Sober is a supportive book that will help you centre your self-care and make the changes that are right for you.
“As you begin your sober journey, it’s vital to focus on self-care. Life is a balancing act physically, mentally, and emotionally and we can easily become depleted and imbalanced … Self-care is essential to a life you love sober, so we encourage you to look at your self-care level and keep it as a focus, adding to it as you go along.” – Kate Baily and Mandy Manners, Love Yourself Sober
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Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life by Rosamund Dean
Sober curious or keen to try mindful drinking? Rosamund’s book could be your perfect match. Using mindfulness can be a useful way to reduce your drinking and this book offers a way to make alcohol-free days feel fun and joyful, rather than a chore. It also includes a 28 day Clean Break programme to help you make a clean break from booze and reset your habits. Moderation isn’t for everyone, so if you are struggling with problem drinking this probably isn’t your first choice. But as a way to cut down your drinking, it can help you drastically change your drinking habits.
“Mindful drinking is exactly what it sounds like: it’s the opposite of drinking without thinking.” – Rosamund Dean, Mindful Drinking
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The Sober Lush: A Hedonist’s Guide to Living a Decadent, Adventurous, Soulful Life–Alcohol Free by Amanda Eyre Ward and Jardine Libaire
This is the guide to sober fun and living your best alcohol-free life you have been looking for. The Sober Lush is a guide to living a fun, sensual life without alcohol. It shares ideas and plans for sober joy including leaving parties early, creating non-alcoholic cocktails, first (and more) dates sober and (if it takes your fancy) setting up your own at-home beehive. If you’re feeling bored or discontented with your booze-free existence, this is one of the best sober books to pop in your basket. You’ll find inspiration for more sober adventures.
“Meditation is like sobriety in that it doesn’t make everything perfect but helps us be okay with how everything is.” – Amanda Eyre Ward and Jardine Libaire, The Sober Lush
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Booze Less by Millie Gooch
From Millie Gooch, founder of Sober Girl Society, comes a practical and upbeat guide for anyone curious about living alcohol-free. This interactive journal combines mini-essays, prompts, and tips to help you explore a sober or sober-curious lifestyle, set boundaries, find fulfilling alcohol-free hobbies, and navigate social events without alcohol.
Full of actionable advice and positive encouragement, Booze Less shows that drinking less doesn’t mean being a buzzkill — it’s a guide to discovering freedom, confidence, and joy while going booze-free.
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Bad Drunk by Millie Mackintosh
After noticing the impact of alcohol on her health and wellbeing, Millie Mackintosh chose to go alcohol-free. Over two years into her sober-curious journey, she shares her honest and heartfelt experience - from the moments that led to her decision to stop drinking, to the positive effects of her alcohol-free lifestyle today. Co-written with NHS GP Dr Ellie Cannon, Bad Drunk blends practical, science-backed advice with Millie’s personal insights, including what has worked for her, the challenges she’s faced, and tips for navigating the journey.
Whether you’re looking to cut back, quit altogether, or support a loved one, this book is a thoughtful guide for making choices that prioritise your health, happiness, and future wellbeing.
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No Lost Causes Club by Lauren McQuistin
After being told her life expectancy could be as low as twenty-five if she didn’t stop drinking, Lauren initially felt numb — then sparks of despair. Sobriety seemed impossible, especially for a young singer relying on alcohol to cope. Six years later, Lauren shares her journey with honesty and vulnerability in No Lost Causes Club.
Part memoir, part practical guide, it explores the social and emotional challenges of alcohol dependence and offers empathetic advice for those newly navigating sobriety. Raw, intimate, and deeply relatable, this book is a comforting and insightful companion for anyone learning how to build a full, meaningful life after alcohol.
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