Book title: Nice Recovery
Author: Susan Juby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Susan Juby’s own story of recovery is fascinating, raw and often hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2/3 of this book. Although I read the rest of the book, I would describe it as opportunistic. This portion, where Juby talks about various strategies to recovery needs to be a reference guide, and not part of the actual novel. Recommended for the OLA White Pine award for non-fiction in 2012, it will be a fascinating read for its visceral and authentic voice.
| Bibliographic entry | Juby, S. (2010). Nice recovery. Toronto, Canada: Penguin Canada. |
| Description | Juby’s struggles with anxiety as a child and teenager lead her to abuse alcohol. This autobiography is very revealing in how young adults are consumed by emotions that often leave to a self-medicating behaviour with alcohol and drugs. |
| Reaction | Juby’s gripping tale of drug and alcohol abuse, addiction and rehabilitation are disturbing. Her humourous and self-deprecating spin on each tale allows the reader to approach these difficult topics with ease. The latter third of the book is informational and dry, but the first two-thirds of the book are insightful. |
| Recommended age level | Intermediate/Senior |
| Subjects/themes | Anxiety, mental health, alcohol abuse, addiction |
| Curriculum connections | Health and Physical Education: describe the influence of mental health on overall well-being |
| Awards | Nominated for the non-fiction category of the Ontario Library Association’s White Pine awards |
| Miscellaneous | This is Susan Juby’s first non-fiction book |
threadbare beauty 