Her Best-Kept Secret

Why Women Drink - And How They Can Regain Control

By: Gabrielle Glaser

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

What's the first thing many women do when they go home? Make a dash for the white wine in the refrigerator.

In Her Best-Kept Secret, journalist Gabrielle Glaser uncovers this hidden-in-plain-sight drinking epidemic - but doesn't cause you to recoil in alarm. She is the first to document that American women are drinking more often than ever and in ever-larger quantities. And she is the first to show that contrary to the impression fostered by reality shows and Gossip Girl,young women alone are not driving these statistics - their moms and grandmothers are, too. But Glaser doesn't wag a finger. Instead, in a funny and tender voice, Glaser looks at the roots of the problem, explores the strange history of women and alcohol in America, drills into the emerging and counterintuitive science about that relationship, and asks: Are women really getting the help they need? Is it possible to come back from beyond the sipping point and develop a healthy relationship with the bottle?

Glaser reveals that, for many women, joining Alcoholics Anonymous is not the answer - it is part of the problem. She shows that as scientists and health professionals learn more about women's particular reactions to alcohol, they are coming up with new and more effective approaches to excessive drinking. In that sense, Glaser offers modern solutions to a very modern problem.

©2013 Gabrielle Glaser (P)2013 Blackstone Audiobooks

Interesting but not accurate

I enjoyed most of the first three chapters of this book but once we hit chapter four and the extreme criticism of Alcoholics Anonymous, this book left a very sour taste in my mouth. What the author failed to mention is that many AA's have tried countless times to control their drinking and have tried many of the methods she claims work better for women who are trying to do something about their drinking. I should know because after trying everything to control my drinking, the only thing that worked for me was AA. I have never encountered creepy "old timers" and usually most of the men at meetings try to not speak to women especially new comers. If AA doesn't work for you, then perhaps the medications listed may be a viable option. I know that AA isn't for everyone but there are many people that it has helped. It has changed my life and AA along with Al-Anon saved my marriage. It's good to be informed but the author of this book is not as informed as she makes herself out to be.

Secret No More

After reading a review awhile back I bought this book. It sat on a shelf for years. Recently I bought the Audible version and devoured it in a day and a half. I drink about a liter of white wine everyday. I like the taste and it relaxes me. I also exercise. Lately my drinking has become a concern of mine. Both my parents were in AA as well as my husband. I hate the all or nothing concept. Some people may have no choice but I like the idea of moderation. I heard of naltrexone on YouTube so I wasn't surprised to hear about it again in this book. I'm going to explore that option with my physician. I couldn't agree more with the author that AA is not for most women. Our egos are not like men's. We rarely put ourselves first making the concept of I, Self, Me (the Ism's) foreign. Thank you Gabrielle for a well researched, thoughtful book.

Great research told in a compelling manner

The content was fascinating and the stories and research reinforced her main messages. Her description of working women in the US really hit home.


One suggestion, the narrator while doing a great job mispronounced several words: Wil-AAH-mit Valley, St. HeLENa California, Coq au Vin is pronounced Coq au VAN.

Title Doesn’t Represent Content

I was thinking this was a memoir. A woman’s personal story about fighting this addiction. It’s not. It’s about their view of why women drink, how AAA is not a good fit for women and how medication should be more often looked at for treating alcohol abuse disorder. If this is what you’re looking for, then the book is very good.

Mispronounced

The information was interesting. But the narrator should have researched the pronunciation of Oregon names. Especially when representing someone who’s from Oregon with “150 years of deep roots”. It was distracting.