A sober hedonist's guide to living a decadent, wild, and soulful life--alcohol-free.
In a culture where sipping "rosé all day" is seen as the epitome of relaxation, "grabbing a drink" the only way to network; and meeting at a bar the quintessential "first date," many of us are left wondering if drinking alcohol really is the only way to cultivate joy and connection in life.
Jardine Libaire and Amanda Eyre Ward wanted to live spontaneous and luxurious lives, to escape the ordinary and enjoy the intoxicating. Their drinking, however, had started to numb them to the present moment instead of unlocking it. Ward was introduced to Libaire when she first got sober. As they became friends, the two women talked about how they yearned to create lives that were Technicolor, beautifully raw, connected, blissed out, and outside the lines . . . but how? In The Sober Lush, Libaire and Ward provide a road map for living a lush and sensual life without booze. This book offers ideas and instruction for such nonalcoholic joys as:
• The allure of "the Vanish," in which one disappears early from the party without saying goodbye to a soul, to amble home under the stars
• The art of creating zero-proof cocktails for all seasons
• Having a fantastic first date while completely sober
• A primer on setting up your own backyard beehive, and honey tastings
For anyone curious about lowering their alcohol consumption or quitting drinking altogether, or anyone established in sobriety who wants inspiration, this shimmering and sumptuous book will show you how to keep indulging in life even if you stop indulging in alcohol.
“I wish I’d had The Sober Lush when I quit drinking. I was so scared the exciting part of my life was over, but this guidebook to pleasure and beauty and play is a reminder of all that awaits us when we stop hiding with booze and reconnect with the world—and ourselves.”
—Sarah Hepola, author of Blackout
“The difficult part of getting clean isn’t that initial burst of rehab. It’s the arduous process of carving out a sober identity. This book is a big-hearted, big-brained way to find that new life. It’s a charming, humorous exploration of learning how to do right by ourselves.”
—Joshua Mohr, author of Sirens
“I fell in love with Amanda Eyre Ward and Jardine Libaire from the first line of this fantastic book and finished it wanting them to be my new best friends. While The Sober Lush explores sobriety, it is ultimately a book about the beauty and delicacy of love, friendship, family. In short, this book is for everyone who wants to find new ways to live, love, and become a lush at life.”
—Elizabeth L. Silver, author of The Execution of Noa P. Singleton and The Tincture of Time
“This wonderful book had everything: incredible writing, laugh-out-loud moments, raw storytelling, honesty, friendship, humor, and sex. Read this book! I absolutely loved it. The Sober Lush truly shifts your mind-set about how incredible and fulfilling a sober life can be! The Sober Lush is a provoking read that left me wanting more.”
—Annie Grace, author and founder of This Naked Mind
