Why We Drink Too Much

Written primarily by Bill Wilson, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, this book outlines the 12-step program for recovering from alcoholism. It includes personal stories of recovery, explanations of the steps, and chapters targeted at specific audiences such as agnostics, wives, and employers. The book emphasizes the importance of admitting powerlessness over alcohol, seeking help from a higher power, and community support. It has been highly influential and has sold over 37 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling books of all time.

“Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture” is a popular science book in which surgeon and researcher Dr. Charles Knowles examines alcohol as the world’s oldest and most widely used drug, tracing its evolutionary roots, history, and deep embedding in social life. Combining up‑to‑date medical science with his own experience of problematic drinking, he explains how alcohol affects the brain, gut, and wider body, why some people are more vulnerable than others, and how social norms and marketing encourage overconsumption. The book argues that heavy drinking is not a simple failure of self‑control, questions stigma around the term “alcoholic,” and offers a more compassionate, evidence‑based view of alcohol use and harm.