Blackout

Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget

By: Sarah Hepola

Narrated by: Sarah Hepola

In this unflinchingly honest and hilarious memoir, a woman discovers that her best life is a sober one.

For Sarah Hepola, drinking felt like freedom; part of her birthright as a twenty-first-century woman. But there was a price–she often blacked out, having no memory of the lost hours. On the outside, her career was flourishing, but inside, her spirit was diminishing. She could no longer avoid the truth–she needed help.

Blackout is the story of a woman stumbling into a new kind of adventure–sobriety. Sarah Hepola's tale will resonate with anyone who has had to face the reality of addiction and the struggle to put down the bottle. At first it seemed like a sacrifice–but in the end, it was all worth it to get her life back

Critic reviews

"Simply extraordinary. Ms. Hepola's electric prose marks her as a flamingo among this genre's geese. She has direct access to the midnight gods of torch songs, neon signs, tap beer at a reasonable price, cigarettes and untrammeled longing. . . . As a form, addiction memoirs are permanently interesting because they're an excuse to crack open a life. Ms. Hepola's book moves to a top shelf in this arena. . . . It's a win-win. She got a better life. We have this book."—Dwight Garner, The New York Times

"It's hard to think of another memoir that burrows inside an addict's brain like this one does. . . . Her writing lights up the pages, and she infuses the chapters describing her resolute slog toward sobriety with warmth and sprightly humor. [Grade:] A."—Entertainment Weekly

"You don't need to be a reformed problem drinker to appreciate Hepola's gripping memoir about the years she lost to alcohol-and the self she rediscovered once she quit."—People, "Summer's Best Books"

"Brutally funny and alarmingly honest."—Entertainment Weekly, "Must List"

"Hepola unstintingly documents both her addiction's giddy pleasures and its grim tolls. Her account will leave you breathless-and impressed."—People, "Smart New Memoirs"

"Alcohol was the fuel of choice during Hepola's early years as a writer, but after too many nights spent falling down staircases, sleeping with men she didn't remember the next day, and narrowly surviving countless other near disasters, she fought her way clear of addiction and dared to face life without a drink in hand."—O Magazine, "The Season's Best Biographies and Memoirs"

"Wry, spirited. . . . Hepola avoids the tropes of the 'getting sober' confessional and takes us into unexplored territory, revealing what it's like to begin again-and actually like the person you see in the mirror."—MORE Magazine

"Hepola is an enchanting storyteller who writes in a chummy voice. She's that smart, witty friend you want to have dinner with. . . . Like Caroline Knapp's powerful 1996 memoir 'Drinking: A Love Story,' 'Blackout is not preachy or predictable: It's an insightful, subtly inspiring reflection by a woman who came undone and learned the very hard way how to put herself back together."—Washington Post

Story that grips you and won't let go.

As a guy that has hone through the hell of addiction, the slamming into my rock bottom, and the slow journey to the sober man I am today, this story told from a female perspective is absolutely gripping. I could not stop listening even through parts that reminded me of my own dungeons. This is one of the best and most inspiring audiobooks I have ever heard, and every word is true.

Excellent storytelling, brutal honesty, inspiring

Any additional comments?

This is one of the first books I've "read" cover to cover in a long time. Riveting, honest, gut wrenching at times... Sarah is an excellent writer and never boring. I first heard about the book and Sarah on Fresh Aire with Terry Gross and it was enough to bring me to the book. Worth every minute - highly recommended!

The writing is beautiful

I heard the author on Fresh Air and loved the way she spoke and her voice. I was so happy this was read by her. A gritty, personal and candid account of her drinking, this memoir bears all. And, can make a lot of people think about the excuses we make and others make for us when we black out regularly.

an honest story of one woman's journey

addiction comes in many forms, in hers, alcohol. she explains her struggles, joy, and personal exploration of this world and our time in it.

Honest and touchingly brutal

I could completely relate to so much of her story. She doesn’t hold back from the harrowing consequences of drinking heavily on friendships, relationships and ones sense of self. Her insights were razor sharp and this book really helped me come to terms with my own drinking.