Here is a preview of his book:
All Drinking Aside
Preview
Denial, anger, fear, depression, self-pity, doubt: a toxic cocktail of emotions enflamed by alcohol, narcotics and prescription drugs. Where does one begin? Where will it all end? In this 90-piece orchestration of autobiographical flashbacks, the author describes his descent into alcoholism while three fictional alter egos (unnoticed by him) discuss his prospects for recovery. This intense, introspective and illuminating fiction looks at alcoholism and addiction from the inside out and back again. In three parts, the Destruction, the Deconstruction and the Reconstruction, the alcoholic beast is revealed. The vicious cycles of alcoholic addiction: hospitals, detoxes, rehabs and relapse. Repeat, repeat, repeat. A textbook case of chronic chemical dependency, "All Drinking Aside" will provoke, deceive, disturb and annoy you while it entertains and informs. "All Drinking Aside" is "Everybody's Autobiography," if you're an alcoholic and "Someone You Know," if you are not.The book has gotten some wonderful reviews. Here are a couple.
Reviews
By Cynthia Altomare on November 5, 2013
As a Registered Nurse, I have worked in the fields of psychiatry and addictions for 28 years. I am also a grateful member of the recovering community. The author's portrayal of his struggle to free himself from his obsession to repeatedly seek oblivion is imaginative and certainly thought provoking. The question is always "why". Why do some people have no control over their self destructive drinking? Why do some people feel the need to continually anesthetize themselves, long after the pleasure in the activity has dissipated? Why do some people have to lose everything in order to merely contemplate change? The war between Jim's three alter egos is a creative and captivating means of expressing the ongoing internal conflict that must happen in order for that contemplative process to proceed. "All Drinking Aside" is one man's struggle to rejoin the living. If you do not suffer from any type of chemical dependency, I'll just bet you are related to or friends with someone who is trapped in this affliction. This book is a must read!
By Brittany on November 17, 2013
This book, is a true look into an addict/alcoholics brain and inner thoughts. I love the style as Jim writes about his three alter egos input. These alter egos tell it like it is the good, the bad, and the ugly. Me being new in recovery and new to the fellowship, I feel as at some points Jim is talking about me. I would recommend this book to someone in recovery or someone who is curious about why we as alcoholics and addicts act the way we do. Overall this book is an amazing journey of a sick man and his continuous struggle.
By Sonny on November 5, 2013
Humor, satire, fantasy...the book has it all. This autobiographical "fiction" will make you laugh; nod your head in agreement; question. You don't need to be an alcoholic (active or passive, past or present) to relate to Jim's characters and situations. My wife and I have totally enjoyed reading it.
Here are some direct quotes from the book:
Selected Quotes from All Drinking Aside
How Others Saw Jim:
(Surimi): Jim is clever, deceptive, annoying, disturbed. Sotto, Vatchi, be careful with what you think you see and hear. Jim has constructed and destructed mirrors everywhere and they may not be mirrors of himself. And should he hold up a mirror to show you your reflection he may deceive you. He may wish to make his thoughts seem that they are yours. You are both rubbernecking the train wreck of Jim's life, rubbernecking. He will survive this or he will die from this. Here his story ends and here, too, his story begins. (From Chapter 1)
How He Felt Versus How He Appeared:
Alcohol was taking over my life in each and every form and I didn’t even know it. I had learned more and more about scotch and wine and beer and cocktail recipes and this glass and that glass, boiler-makers and hot toddies and which garnish goes with which drink and on and on. More and more knowledge about alcohol and no real knowledge of alcoholism. Generally speaking, as I got more and more entrenched in alcoholic behavior, the more I felt sophisticated, the less sophisticated I must have appeared. Who could see the forest? All I saw were trees. (From Chapter 8)
Letting Go:
Letting go.
As a child, I saw a chicken get its head chopped off and its body slip out of my Uncle's hand. That chicken ran headless, down a deep slope and into the swimming pool. Blood everywhere.
My Uncle's hand let go. Letting go is hard to do. A pool of liquor awaits me. (From Chapter 27)
Shared Courage:
As a child, I saw a chicken get its head chopped off and its body slip out of my Uncle's hand. That chicken ran headless, down a deep slope and into the swimming pool. Blood everywhere.
My Uncle's hand let go. Letting go is hard to do. A pool of liquor awaits me. (From Chapter 27)
Shared Courage:
Shared courage is where I find the strength in my recovery. My alcoholic mind left alone is
This is a book worth reading if it relates to you or someone you know. Give it a read!
