Ballad of a Sober Man
Buy the Book
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop.org | Indigo
Product Details
Publisher: AnneElise Publications
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Formats: Paperback, Ebook
ISBN: PB: 978-1-7354813-0-2; EB: 978-1-7354813-1-9
Trim: 5.5 x 8.5
Page Count: 354
An ER Doctor’s Journey of Recovery
J.D. Remy
2020 BIBA Winner, Best Memoir
A successful emergency physician full of narcissism and ego wakes up in detox, his life having burned to the ground.
Dr. J.D. Remy—physician, father, husband, and medical missionary—awakens one morning to find himself in rehab for alcoholism. His destructive behavior has resulted in the loss of his marriage, children, career—and almost—his life. Faced with the challenges of rebuilding a foundation, Dr. Remy must accept that he is an alcoholic and summon the courage to tame the demons that caused such dire circumstances.
Over time, he makes new connections in sobriety and rekindles friendships from his former life. With the aid of old friends and his new sober network, he navigates his program as a professional in long-term recovery. He must overcome unemployment, a devastating divorce, the estrangement of his children, social stigma, and the coronavirus outbreak.
Armed with the gift of desperation, a strong twelve-step program, and his recovery “mosh-pit,” he learns to accept and let go, confronting the worst of his character flaws to emerge on the other side as a better version of himself. Ballad of a Sober Man is a raw and realistic memoir of one man's difficult journey through recovery, as he interacts with an eclectic cast of characters, finds romance in a brave new world, and battles a global pandemic...
About the Author
Dr. J.D. Remy has been a practicing emergency physician since 1995. Born in New York City, he and his sister were raised in the suburbs of New Jersey by their mother and stepfather. After graduating medical school in Washington DC, he completed an emergency medicine residency in Baltimore and has since worked full-time in several emergency departments throughout the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. During his career he has served as medical director for local EMS agencies, president of his hospital's medical staff, and has led five medical missions to Haiti from 2010 to 2015. In his spare time, he enjoys running and playing acoustic guitar. He is father to a daughter and two sons, whom he loves dearly.
Reviews
“This is no typical sobriety book (‘quit lit’) because its tale is told with humor and candor, while still spelling out the gruesome and deathly aspects of alcoholism. If you were going to offer a book on alcoholism to anyone struggling with the disease, I would highly recommend this one. It is more comprehensive and entertaining than any other book of its nature.” —Gigi Langer, PhD, author of 50 Ways to Worry Less Now
“An honest, important read. Through Dr. Remy’s journey, wisdom, and insight you are able to have hope and compassion for yourself.” —Annie Grace, author of This Naked Mind
“In the crowded addiction memoir field J.D. Remy’s story is a stand-out. Be prepared to dislike the man when you first meet him. But as he proceeds through recovery, Remy cultivates an ongoing relationship with pain with rare grace and elegance. There’s an aching poignancy to his prose. You find yourself not only liking him, but rooting for him.” —Michael Pond and Maureen Palmer, co-authors of Wasted
“In this heartbreaking yet inspiring memoir, J.D. Remy captures the fear and emotional volatility resulting when a slow progression of alcohol abuse finally implodes. Peppered with wry humor, Remy recounts his struggle with full frontal honesty, unafraid to reveal his vulnerability or call out his ego. An engaging and crisply written story of a tormented healer turned sober man.” —Linda Lou, author of Bastard Husband
“As a medical provider in recovery myself, this book is spot on, beautifully written, and inspirational.” —Karla Juvonen, author of From the Brink of a Drink
“Dr. Remy shares his worst nightmare and his journey into recovery and healing. He willingly describes his suffering and his fight to remain sober, despite serious losses. You will come to understand that alcoholism chooses its victim regardless of status and success.” —Pamela D. Pesta, author of Letting Go of the Thief