≡ Read Free Everything I Never Wanted to Be A Memoir of Alcoholism and Addiction Faith and Family Hope and Humor Dina Kucera 9780982579435 Books

Everything I Never Wanted to Be A Memoir of Alcoholism and Addiction Faith and Family Hope and Humor Dina Kucera 9780982579435 Books

Download As PDF : Everything I Never Wanted to Be A Memoir of Alcoholism and Addiction Faith and Family Hope and Humor Dina Kucera 9780982579435 Books

Everything I Never Wanted to Be A Memoir of Alcoholism and Addiction Faith and Family Hope and Humor Dina Kucera 9780982579435 Books

I began reading this yesterday. At times I could barely hold in my laughter. Addiction and alcoholism isn't funny, as the author states, unless you are an addict or alcoholic. In just over 24 hours, I finished the book. While I spent yesterday laughing at the retelling of the author's crazy, out-of-control life, I also related to her suffering. The second half of her book hit home even more. Today I cried, recovered, then cried again. I have lived her life, or at least much of it. I only have one child to deal with. I've spent so much time wondering what I did wrong that I failed to see what I did right. My son has put me through quite a bit, but I have done the same to him. We've spent many months not speaking to each other. I've kicked him out of my house, dragged him to rehab, sent him to live with his father, let him sit in jail all to no avail. I realize his addiction is his. I am here to love him and support him in recovery, should he chose that course for himself. However, I am not here to financially support him or his lifestyle. Having a relationship with him is more important than trying to make him live the life I want for him. Because of this, I listen as he talks of going to college, owning his own business, and moving somewhere else (anywhere--he hates this place). I don't preach about recovery or his addiction. He doesn't believe he has a problem even though it's so obvious to the rest of us. I pray for him throughout the day and ask God to take care of him and keep him safe. I wish I had a magic wand to wipe away his addiction, but I'll settle for God. I think he's a better bet.

Anyway, if you have a child living in addiction or have been an addict or alcoholic yourself, you will certainly relate to this book. Heck, you may even learn a thing or two. If nothing else, you will take comfort knowing you are not the only one suffering--and it's okay to laugh at times. There are millions of us out here and we'll say a prayer for you tonight, too.


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Everything I Never Wanted to Be A Memoir of Alcoholism and Addiction Faith and Family Hope and Humor Dina Kucera 9780982579435 Books Reviews

It is difficult even to imagine going through what Dina had; actually she is still on her toes, praying there won't be another episode, another relapse. This is a story about a mother's love, about strength and faith that we don't know we have.

God really knows how to assign trials and burdens. He knows Dina to be a strong woman. Dina disagreed; she sees herself as a funny woman, but not as someone with enough strength to deal with all that life threw her way. But all-knowing as God is, He was right of course. Dina drew her strength from her comical outlook. One broken piece at a time, she plowed through and picked up her life, even though it seemed that the setbacks and dark times were far more than the days when the sun shone bright.

Dina bared her life in this book, with sincerity. Her being a stand up comic shows in her writing style. It was like listening to her, while she's up on stage, weaving humor into her sorry life. ThIs style definitely made for "light" reading, but the audience couldn't laugh out loud, because they can see behind the jokes. How would one expect her life to turn out if alcoholism runs in the family? How does one deal with three daughters who are alcoholics or drug addicts? Throw in an aged, sick mother, a husband who's recovering from a heart attack, a job that sucks but is the only way to get health insurance.

Reading Dina's story, one can easily pass judgment, utter a string of she-should-have's. But really, can just anyone understand enough? Not the police officer, not the doctors, not regular parents; but the mother or the father of an alcoholic or an addict, their families, who has to live with them and love them everyday. Only they truly understand.

Dina probably knew she will attract scrutiny when she published this story. Very likely, but not from me ma'am. I only have admiration for you.

I have marked a lot of passages in this book the positives, the negatives, and the funnies. I'll wrap up this review with one of the funnies, taken from a prayer by Dina to God "But one thing. Please, God, help John's tooth feel better until we have health insurance. I'm not saying you made a mistake, but what is the purpose of wisdom teeth? We have to pay large sums of money to have them removed. They're like tonsils. It's like you put a whole person together and had parts left over and said, 'Just put them in the mouth somewhere'."
While not the best book on addiction I have ever read, this book takes you on a journey through one family's addiction and pain. The author describes with great clarity and impact the ancestoral pattern of alcohol and drug use from her parents, herself, her husband, and subsequently her own addiction to alcohol.

The beginning of this book tends to be a trifle boring; then, when Dina so movingly takes us on her own journey from alcoholism to sobriety, and then to experience the devastating effects of drug addiction on her children, we cannot help but address this book with compassion. In her quest for sanity, the author pulls out all the stops, including quitting her own job, to diminish the chaos in her family.

As a 35 plus year recovering alcoholic, I could identify with the author's own personal pain and suffering; fortunately I have not experienced this with my own children, but I did have another family member pass away from the disease of addiction. If you are experiencing the author's dance of deception that this disease causes in your own family, this is a good book to read.

All of us in sobriety well recall the days when we became Everything I Never Wanted to Be.
To say this book was an easy read would be a lie. It’s true what they say if you don’t laugh at your self, you’ll cry instead. Dina’s memoir about the struggles with her children, her family, and her own personal issues. I laughed and I cringed and I even felt a huge sinking feeling while reading this book. I found myself wondering when she would take responsibility and she did partially but I was still frustrated with her narration. I felt like she purposely left a lot out because she was trying to focus on her children and not herself. All in all it was a good book but I was more surprised the turn the book took. I was expecting Carly to tell her story and not her mother.
I began reading this yesterday. At times I could barely hold in my laughter. Addiction and alcoholism isn't funny, as the author states, unless you are an addict or alcoholic. In just over 24 hours, I finished the book. While I spent yesterday laughing at the retelling of the author's crazy, out-of-control life, I also related to her suffering. The second half of her book hit home even more. Today I cried, recovered, then cried again. I have lived her life, or at least much of it. I only have one child to deal with. I've spent so much time wondering what I did wrong that I failed to see what I did right. My son has put me through quite a bit, but I have done the same to him. We've spent many months not speaking to each other. I've kicked him out of my house, dragged him to rehab, sent him to live with his father, let him sit in jail all to no avail. I realize his addiction is his. I am here to love him and support him in recovery, should he chose that course for himself. However, I am not here to financially support him or his lifestyle. Having a relationship with him is more important than trying to make him live the life I want for him. Because of this, I listen as he talks of going to college, owning his own business, and moving somewhere else (anywhere--he hates this place). I don't preach about recovery or his addiction. He doesn't believe he has a problem even though it's so obvious to the rest of us. I pray for him throughout the day and ask God to take care of him and keep him safe. I wish I had a magic wand to wipe away his addiction, but I'll settle for God. I think he's a better bet.

Anyway, if you have a child living in addiction or have been an addict or alcoholic yourself, you will certainly relate to this book. Heck, you may even learn a thing or two. If nothing else, you will take comfort knowing you are not the only one suffering--and it's okay to laugh at times. There are millions of us out here and we'll say a prayer for you tonight, too.