Unexpected Joy of Being Sober

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Gray's tale of going sober is uplifting and inspiring' - The Evening Standard 'An icon of the Quit Lit movement' - Conde Nast Traveller 'Fascinating' - Bryony Gordon 'Not remotely preachy' - The Times 'Jaunty, shrewd and convincing' - Sunday Telegraph 'Admirably honest, light, bubbly and remarkably rarely annoying.' - Alice O'Keeffe, Guardian 'Truthful, modern and real' - Stylist 'Brave, witty and brilliantly written' - Marie Claire Ever sworn off alcohol for a month and found yourself drinking by the 7th? Think there's 'no point' in just one drink? Welcome! There are millions of us. 64% of Brits want to drink less. Catherine Gray was stuck in a hellish whirligig of Drink, Make horrible decisions, Hangover, Repeat. She had her fair share of 'drunk tank' jail cells and topless-in-a-hot-tub misadventures. But this book goes beyond the binges and blackouts to deep-dive into uncharted territory: What happens after you quit drinking? This gripping, heart-breaking and witty book takes us down the rabbit-hole of an alternative reality. A life with zero hangovers, through sober weddings, sex, Christmases and breakups. In The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, Catherine Gray shines a light on society's drink-pushing and talks to top neuroscientists and psychologists about why we drink, delving into the science behind what it does to our brains and bodies. Much more than a tale from the netherworld of addicted drinking, this book is about the escape, and why a sober life can be more intoxicating than you ever imagined. Whether you're a hopelessly devoted drinker, merely sober-curious, or you've already ditched the drink, you will love this book. 'Haunting, admirable and enlightening' - The Pool 'A riveting, raw, yet humorous memoir with actionable advice. A truly unique blend of storytelling and science that holds a universe of hope.' - Annie Grace, author of This Naked Mind 'Like listening to your best friend teach you to be sober. Lighthearted but serious, it's packed with ideas, tools, tips and, most importantly, reasons for living a sober life. This book is excellent.'- Eric Zimmer, host of podcast The One You Feed 'Gray's fizzy writing succeeds in making this potentially boring-as-hell subject both engaging and highly seductive' - The Bookseller 'Catherine Gray is an exceptional writer. Her exquisitely crafted thoughts on the joys of being sober are not only deeply honest and pragmatic, but she manages to infuse tons of humor. This is a delightful, informative, and compelling read for all those who are sober or seeking sobriety.' - Sasha Tozzi, Huffington Post columnist 'Catherine's writing style and voice captivate me. She has a way of translating her story into an experience I don't want to end. I want to drink every drop she produces.' - Holly Whitaker, founder of Hip Sobriety School and co-presenter of Home podcast 'This book is great. A balanced, informative and entertaining melange of memoir, sociology and psychology. I identified very strongly with huge sections of it.' - Jon Stewart, guitarist of Sleeper and Leaving AA, Staying Sober blogger > 'Sober is too often equated with "sombre" in our culture. Gray's book turns that idea on its head. Her experience of sobriety is joyful and life-affirming. A must-read for anyone who has a nagging suspicion that alcohol may be taking away more than it's giving.' - Hilda Burke, psychotherapist and couples counsellor 'Catherine Gray really captures the FUN we can have in sobriety. This book challenges the status quo; sobriet sounds as liberating as taking a trip to the jungle. Fun and inspirational. What an important book for our time! A joy to read.' - Samantha Moyo, founder of Morning Gloryville 'If you want to hit refresh on life, you need this book. Consider The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober your healthy new addiction.' - Kate Faithfull-Williams, former health editor of Grazia, co-author of The Feelgood Plan and Hey, Where Did My Day Go? blogger 'This book is a gamechanger. Everyone deserves to have Catherine hold their hand as they navigate the new world of not drinking - whether exploring alcohol-free periods or going for full-on sobriety - and this book enables just that. Wise, funny & so relatable.' - Laurie, Girl & Tonic blogger 'Catherine Gray manages to achieve what so many have struggled to do before her; bring the undeniable joys of a sober lifestyle to light in a non-preachy, honest and accessible way. I am very excited that her words have come into the world at a time that calls for so many of us to wake up and live more consciously. My heart is bursting at the thought of how many lives this book will go on to positively and profoundly affect.'- Joanne Bradford, co-author of The Inner Fix and founder of Motherheart