The Top 10 Quit Lit Books Sober Curious Women Must Read

Check out my Top 10 Quit Lit (and other life-changing) books that have a permanent spot in my sober toolbox.

Photo by Artis Kančs on Unsplash

I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was in the checkout line at the bookstore, two books about sobriety hidden in my arms, one of my boys wrapped around my leg begging for a Kinder Joy. I remember being so incredibly nervous that the people around me had noticed the books I was purchasing and were quietly judging the exhausted mother in front of them. I quickly purchased them, avoiding any eye contact with the cashier, and felt this small glimmer of hope that somewhere inside these books, I was going to find some answers.

Did I find all the answers? No. Personally, I don't think any one book has all the answers. But what I did find was much greater and would soon put me on the path of a life free from alcohol.

The first book I opened was, This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. My oh my, was it a game changer. The first and perhaps most important thing it taught me was: I wasn't alone. I highlighted countless paragraphs, doggy-eared important pages, and have since then revisited that book many times. It was hands down the most influential and inspiring book that led me to pursuing sobriety.

Along with that one, there has been so many other books about sobriety (this genre is often referred to as "quit lit") that I find myself constantly recommending. These books are generally written honestly and raw, funny, hopeful, enlightening, and eye opening. Authors of quit lit tend to pour their hearts out onto the pages as they share about their sobriety, their journey, and their beautiful lives beyond the bottle. A few of these titles played a huge role in my own journey and have a permanent place in my sober toolbox.

Here are my Top 10 Quit Lit (and other life-changing) Books as of 2023:

1. This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life by Annie Grace

2. We are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life by Laura McKowen

3. Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol by Holly Whitaker

4. Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol by Ruby Warrington

5. The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober: Discovering a happy, healthy, wealthy alcohol-free life by Catherine Gray

6. The Sober Lush: A Hedonist's Guide to Living a Decadent, Adventurous, Soulful Life--Alcohol Free by Amanda Eyre Ward and Jardine Libaire

7. Untamed by Glennon Doyle

8. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Don Miguel Ruiz

9. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

10. The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson

Leave a comment below and tell me what YOUR favorite sobriety or life-changing book has been so far throughout your journey!