Overall, I think it makes a good case against alcohol. It is more a large collection of anecdotes than a well cited review of the evidence. However, we all know that this evidence is out there. The book is designed to convince people to stop drinking, and people often respond better to anecdotes than hard evidence. The only part I disagree with is where he continually says that alcohol has no advantages whatsoever. If that were the case, I doubt anyone would touch the stuff! The warm, fuzzy happy feeling that comes from having the first one or two is what hooks people in and is a benefit for those feeling insecure, or tired, or down. It's not really an "advantage" per se because it's actually your body responding to mild poisoning, but it feels like one and is very alluring. That being said, the warm fuzzy happy feeling is really nice, but unfortunately most people can't stop there (I often struggled to) and that's where the issues start. I would love to give this 5-Stars, but I can't. Not because it doesn't work, it does! I read Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Stop Drinking first, and the author of this book appears to have taken what he wrote, and just updated it since Carr is now deceased. That's ok, because the language and examples were a bit dated in Carr's book. Still, it's a little strange to read something that almost feels like something you read before that is just paraphrased from something else. Jason Vale fearlessly confronts every misconception about alcohol and a teetotal lifestyle and offers practical, down-to-earth advice on how to overcome issues such as: `what do I tell my friends and family?'; `will people think I'm boring?'; or `where will my confidence come from?' I discovered a passion for sobriety after about three months of giving up alcohol `for a while'. It did not take long to realise that life without alcohol was immeasurably better in every way.

I find myself being much more productive. I get up early for the gym. I remember my evenings. I feel great all the time. I haven't dieted but in a month I've lost 8 pounds in weight. I've saved LOTS of money and my self respect is at an all time high. I don’t agree with all his points. For example, it could offer a pleasurable effect. Being “numb to the world” as it he puts it, could be thought of as pleasurable if you are not happy with your live. I bought this book 6 months ago and got most of the way through it - did about 10 days off the booze and then succumbed to temptation.More encouraging is the fact that many testimonials (a generous number of which are listed in the front of the book) indicate it has not only given readers the strength to `give up' alcohol, but that it has removed their desire to drink. This is the root of the success and appeal - because the result is permanent (and not an ongoing struggle of willpower) and, as the title suggests, because it is easy. So open your mind and take a journey with Jason to explore the myths about the most used and accepted drug addiction in the world! Whether you agree with this statement or not, one thing is for sure, you will never see alcohol in the same light ever again after reading this book. Jason Vale takes an honest and hard hitting look at people’s conceptions of our most widely consumed drug. Jason’s major argument is there is no such thing as an ‘alcoholic’ and that we are conditioned to accept alcohol as a ‘normal’ substance in today’s society despite the fact that it is the major cause of many of today’s social problems and a wide range of health issues. It is increasingly hard to drink a small or `moderate' amount of alcohol and `controlling ` your intake is a constant, exhausting battle - not drinking at all is a simple mental reprogramming that is blissfully easy in comparison.

There is no such thing as an alcoholic and there is no such disease as alcoholism! (as society understands it). Whether you agree with this statement or not, one thing is for sure, you will never see alcohol in the same light ever again after reading this book. Jason Vale takes an honest and hard hitting look at people's conceptions of our most widely consumed drug. Jason's major argument is there is no such thing as an 'alcoholic' and that we are conditioned to accept alcohol as a 'normal' substance in today's society despite the fact that it is the major cause of many of today's social problems and a wide range of health issues. This book is much more than a simple eye opener, it will: change the way you see alcohol forever; show you how to stop drinking; help you enjoy the process and enjoy your life so much more than you do now without having to drink alcohol. So open your mind and take a journey with Jason to explore the myths about the most used and accepted drug addiction in the world!I have a list of excerpts I've jotted down as I've read, but not sure if I'm allowed to post them so I'll just throw out this one-liner that I think sums up what he's trying to convey: The weight continues to come off me - and even Christmas week when I ate for England I didn't put any on! Are you hooked on alcohol? “If the thought of never doing “IT” again fills you with fear, you are hooked; if it doesn’t, you aren’t.” I used to think that I was hooked on sugar, but after a few months with limited amounts of it, I realized I didn’t even really like it that much. The only food/drink that I’m hooked on is coffee.

So, I have read three books now on obtaining an alcohol-free life and within each one I discovered so much that inspired me to quit- and, honestly- I have never felt better! One main point Jason Vale starts with which really opened my eyes- there is no such thing as “alcoholism”! He states emphatically that Alcohol is an addictive drug just like heroin. Early in the book Jason confesses that his text contains its fair share of brain-washing, or rather repeated, mantra-like messages which serve to break down common perceptions about alcohol. Instead of freeing yourself from the prison of alcohol addiction only to incarcerate yourself in the prison of `recovery', Jason argues the third option is to free yourself from your desire to drink, and from the belief that by abstaining from alcohol you are missing out. It goes on. Does it make you more sociable? Probably not when you think about it. People slur their words, withdraw themselves from conversation and become violent. 75% of stabbings involve intoxication. It’s expensive. It’s had for our health. It makes us feel horrible the next day. Why then do we do it? So I did read it and unsurprisingly no damage was done and I am still happily and contentedly alcohol free.Apart from preaching to the converted - I found the book highly readable (Juice Master aside Jason is neither a medical doctor nor a psychologist and does not write as if he is) and full of practical advice to help readers execute a vital shift in perception.

Jason Vale states at the beginning of his book: “I write, but I am not an author. I will never win a literary award and I don’t have an Oxbridge education. What I do have is an incredibly simple way for you to understand the nature of the trap you are in and a ridiculously easy route out if you choose to take it.” I loved his honesty right up front- never worried a minute about the formatting of his sentences- just read it like listening to a conversation- perfect for me! The good news is that after the first week or so, it gets much, much easier. I barely think about booze during the day, and at night - well I do think of it sometimes but not in the sense of wanting it. I've been out for meals with friends or family in the evening and driven home with a smile all over my face.

The first week or so was hard work; not so much physical pain or anything like that but thinking about booze A LOT. The book really helps with this though because it teaches you how to think differently about alcohol. You get a desire and immediately counter it. The basic premise of the book is that everything we've come to accept about alcohol is a lie and everything it promises you is false. Without these techniques I'd never have made it through the initial difficult period. Vale points out that our society promotes drinking at nearly every celebration. Let’s drink to so and so’s promotion, birthday, wedding, graduation, christening, team making it to the Super Bowl etc. Consider how many alcohol related commercials ran during the Super Bowl; and the ads are always glamorous. The rest of the book smashes these concepts, proving that without alcohol your social life will not only survive but flourish; relaxation will be deeper (and not merely a drug-induced stupor); and that there is a treasure-trove of other treats beyond intoxication. It also tastes like piss. We all know it. We all had that first drink, it was horrible. But we kept at it because it was the socially acceptable thing to do and gradually built up a tolerance to the horrible taste. But at the end of the day it is still a poison that our body does not like. Vale makes many valid points such as: “Alcohol is the only drug in the world where when you stop taking it, you are seen as having a problem.” This statement is so true! When people stop smoking, they’re often congratulated, but when people stop drinking alcohol, they’re often scrutinized.