He was overweight, barely able to surf, in chronic pain and in the doghouse... A Year Without Beer is the journey of a man standing at the crossroads. The choice was to be this person for the foreseeable future or to change habits, the habit being drinking way too much, way too often. Written in real time over a three-year period, this is the journey of failure, heartache, hope and hard work into a seemingly impossible goal of achieving three hundred and sixty-five days of sobriety in order to get a life back. A Year Without Beer is a collection of funny stories, tips and tricks to cut back or give up, all whilst still maintaining a social life and contact with friends and family that don't mind a drink. Or three.
Be happier, healthier and more productive by taking a break from booze! An illustrated day-by-day guide packed with inspiration and practical help, The 28 Day Alcohol-Free Challenge is the only book you need to reset your drinking habits and discover a hangover-free world of quality time to achieve your goals. Drawing on their own experiences of ditching the drink, and bringing together the collective experience of the thousands of people they have helped, Andy and Ruari bring you unparalleled insight into how you can make your break from alcohol an empowering, life-changing experience. Andy Ramage and Ruari Fairbairns started their website One Year No Beer to connect with like-minded people who no longer wanted to deal with the adverse effects of drinking alcohol. In The 28 Day Alcohol-Free Challenge Andy and Ruari share their extensive experience of going alcohol free, including having a great time at parties, resisting appeals from friends to 'just have the one', and, most importantly, how to make the most of the health benefits of going sober.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2013 WALKLEY NON-FICTION BOOK AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2014 DOBBIE LITERARY AWARD ‘I’m the binge-drinking health reporter. During the week, I write about Australia’s booze-soaked culture. At the weekends, I write myself off.’ Booze had dominated Jill Stark’s social life ever since she had her first sip of beer, at 13. She thought nothing could curb her love of big nights. And then came the hangover that changed everything. In the shadow of her 35th year, Jill made a decision: she would give up alcohol. But what would it mean to stop drinking in a world awash with booze? This lively memoir charts Jill’s tumultuous year on the wagon, as she copes with the stress of the newsroom sober, tackles the dating scene on soda water, learns to watch the footy minus beer, and deals with censure from friends and colleagues, who tell her that a year without booze is ‘a year with no mates’. In re-examining her habits, Jill also explores Australia’s love affair with alcohol, meeting alcopop-swigging teens who drink to fit in, beer-swilling blokes in a sporting culture backed by booze, and marketing bigwigs blamed for turning binge drinking into a way of life. And she tracks the history of this national obsession: from the idea that Australia’s new colonies were drowning in drink to the Anzac ethos that a beer builds mateship, and from the six o’clock swill that encouraged bingeing to the tangled weave of advertising, social pressure, and tradition that confronts drinkers today. Will Jill make it through the year without booze? And if she does, will she go back to her old habits, or has she called last drinks? This is a funny, moving, and insightful exploration of why we drink, how we got here, and what happens when we turn off the tap. PRAISE FOR JILL STARK ‘What gives this book resonance is Stark’s ability to balance a serious agenda, backed by her interviews, statistics and the inside information to which a health reporter has access, with a personal narrative that is equally earnest in its intent but lighter in its execution … High Sobriety is an entertaining and informative read about one woman’s year of online dating, family reunions and beer gardens without a drink, and her account of the nation’s attitude towards the thing she denies herself.’ The Age ‘It's hard not to recommend this book: from teenagers experimenting with their first taste to those who've been imbibing for decades, many will find Stark's story illuminating, touching, and memorable.’ The Australian
'I'm the binge-drinking health reporter. During the week, I write about Australia's booze-soaked culture. At the weekends, I write myself off.' Booze had dominated Jill Stark's social life ever since she had her first sip of beer, at 13. She thought nothing could curb her love of big nights. And then came the hangover that changed everything. In the shadow of her 35th year, Jill made a decision: she would give up alcohol. But what would it mean to stop drinking in a world awash with booze? This lively memoir charts Jill's tumultuous year on the wagon, as she copes with the stress of the newsroom sober, tackles the dating scene on soda water, learns to watch the footy minus beer, and deals with censure from friends and colleagues, who tell her that a year without booze is 'a year with no mates'. In re-examining her habits, Jill also explores Australia's love affair with alcohol, meeting alcopop-swigging teens who drink to fit in, beer-swilling blokes in a sporting culture backed by booze, and marketing bigwigs blamed for turning binge drinking into a way of life. And she tracks the history of this national obsession: from the idea that Australia's new colonies were drowning in drink to the Anzac ethos that a beer builds mateship, and from the six o'clock swill that encouraged bingeing to the tangled weave of advertising, social pressure, and tradition that confronts drinkers today. Will Jill make it through the year without booze? And if she does, will she go back to her old habits, or has she called last drinks? This is a funny, moving, and insightful exploration of why we drink, how we got here, and what happens when we turn off the tap.
The survival expert and New York Times bestselling author of Prepare for Anything offers a comprehensive, practical guide to self-reliant living. Whether you want to “go green” or live the life of a modern-day pioneer, survival expert Tim MacWelch teaches you the knowledge and skills you need in order to unplug successfully. Written from a hands-on perspective, this guide covers everything from raising chickens in your urban backyard to going totally off the grid in your solar-powered log cabin. A guide for the modern homesteader, How to Survive off the Grid contains essential information on energy efficiency, finding and pumping your own water, being your own doctor, keeping chickens, goats, bees, and other critters, and much more.
