In his debut book Lying Drunk, longtime journalist and opinion columnist Tony Hicks tells the searing, tragic story of his addiction to alcohol. It chronicles a decades-long journey and the monstrous lies he told to everyone in his life, and which formed the bedrock of his life. The anchor of alcoholism, even during his current sobriety, is portrayed as the weight he carries daily.
In the 12 chapters and a prologue of the 207-page book, priced at $21.99 released in June, Hicks lays out a multitude of truths that lurk behind an alcoholic’s supersize deviant, destructive behavior. Among them are the yin and yang of how alcohol makes a person with an addiction feel, the hard work it takes to be an alcoholic, and the ease with which one can fall off—or leap from—the sobriety wagon. Above all, the book speaks of devastation: Hicks knows the insurmountable pain he has inflicted on family members and relationships.
Remarkably, the author’s signature humor—satirical at times, lighthearted at others—prevails in the exact proportion necessary to prevent his story from becoming all sturm und drag. Laughter is his innate, long-practiced PPE (personal protective equipment) and works as the swift breeze that carries a reader through each story he tells.
In an interview from his home in Walnut Creek, Hicks says, “Humor’s always been my tool, since I was a kid. Who wants to read a super-serious book telling people what they need to do? This isn’t a self-help book. I do have underlying points, but some of the best points on the planet are made through humor. It’s a comfortable way for a reader to get into your story, warm up to you, and feel like you and the material are approachable. I’ve always used humor to get closer to people, make girls like me, to seem smart, whatever. That was my strategy early on.”…