Helped my real struggle with alcohol.

I could not stop listening to this book. I started it on the way to a meeting and listened more on the way to the office. By the time I arrived at the office I had resolved to contact my health insurance company to find a qualifying IPO. Prior to this book I had no clue how I could even set something like that in motion. The information provided together with the honesty and transparency of the book has saved my life. Thank you for sharing.

53 people found this helpful

A Good Look At The Dual-Diagnosis...

Drugs and alcohol are fun, until they're of equal weight with despair, until they're heavier than the despair that kills. "Girl Walks Out of a Bar" isn't a comic look at addiction as the publisher's summary states it is. While candid and not taking itself overly seriously, it's not comic at all. Instead, it's a bio of an illness, especially of the dual-diagnosis of mental illness treated by self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. Smith is very open about how necessary it all is at the beginning, a way of dealing with depression and feelings of inadequacy, of always trying to shoot for more as a way of feeling good enough. It's a necessary and fun part of being with friends who drink and party, but not as hard as you do. It's a necessary way of getting through the stresses of a job, the stresses of daily life.
And what do you do when the shakes start, and you start vomiting blood? Smith shows how recovery is hard and not for the faint of heart, but for those struggling to survive even one more minute.
While parts of "Girl Walks Out of a Bar" did drag a bit, mostly since it goes heavily into her past, as in: every single event is remembered, I found the book on the whole to be quite worth it. Not everybody understands how addiction is sometimes (heck, probably "mostly") used to self-medicate, and the book paints a vivid portrait of alcohol and drugs as a singular coping mechanism. The initiated will appreciate it, friends and family going through this will appreciate it.
And the blessedly uninitiated might find it to be a portrait of everyday courage in the face of what some view to be a self-inflicted disease.
It's frank, honest, a fine portrayal.

47 people found this helpful

Just as it is...

If you could sum up Girl Walks Out of a Bar in three words, what would they be?

Raw, Real, and Eye-opening.

What did you like best about this story?

I sure did learn a lot about what addiction does to a person, on the inside (literally and figuratively) and to the people we surround ourselves with. I'd have to say this author has some beast courage. I love that the honesty began to roll off of her tongue when lying was really the familiar habit. She was so ready that lying wouldn't come.

Any additional comments?

Thank you. I so needed to learn how it really is. I'm the people we surround ourselves with....the Mommy.

12 people found this helpful

Missing important details

The story is interesting, and the author shares details of her addiction which are frightening. However the stories are never fleshed out. It is almost as though she is afraid to cover negative or personal details about others in her story. This is most apparent in the epilogue where she mentions in passing interesting things that have happened to her since being in recovery. These are the kind of stories (related in depth) that your audience is interested in! For a superior memoir of recovering from alcoholism I highly recommend Blackout by Sarah Hepola, or maybe Dry by Augusten Burroughs, or even Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe.

3 people found this helpful

Not good, not bad, just ok

What three words best describe Hillary Huber’s performance?

Hillary Huber's performance was fine. Not particularly memorable, but also not particularly memorable in an annoying way either.

Any additional comments?

Meh, only ok. Worth the daily deal, not worth a full credit.

3 people found this helpful

very worth it

If you could sum up Girl Walks Out of a Bar in three words, what would they be?

Sarcastic, compelling, calm

What was one of the most memorable moments of Girl Walks Out of a Bar?

When Lisa's marriage fell apart or really any time she told a story of something outragious she did when she was drinking

Which character – as performed by Hillary Huber – was your favorite?

Lisa's mom

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

12 people found this helpful

Loved it!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it was great I couldn't put it down.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Girl Walks Out of a Bar?

When she was already in a cab on our way to go see her brother's first child his daughter being born and she turned around because her coke dealer called and she would rather go do that then meet her niece.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

One Day At A Time

Any additional comments?

This book has honestly opened up my eyes to how bad someone could actually get addicted to drugs, drinking, smoking, eating, well anything really. I mean the only thing I've ever really heard about addiction and coming off of it is detox after that nothing I had no idea it was like that like for real. I couldn't imagine having to live one day at a time like that, it takes a very strong person to do that

10 people found this helpful

Decent Overall Story of Recovery

Would you try another book from Lisa F. Smith and/or Hillary Huber?

Yes.

Would you be willing to try another book from Lisa F. Smith? Why or why not?

It was a good story, a bit dull at times but overall nice that she made it.

Did Hillary Huber do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes. But there really was only 1 main character.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I'd wait for the DVD

Any additional comments?

Good job across the board.

9 people found this helpful

This is a compelling story, well read.

Excellent reading of a compelling story. Lots of details about life under the influence. My only slight criticism would be to include more details about recovery process. All told this is well worth the listen.

1 person found this helpful

great story well read.

i always enjoy the perspectives of challenge and conquest. congratulations and thanks for sharing. always like living a friend when a book like this ends.

1 person found this helpful