Thatcher makes the book compelling by mix- ing the factoids of empirical research with a confessional account of his own, intensely regretted, troubled use of drinking during his adolescence and young adulthood. It also draws from his own lengthy experience as a social worker, counsellor and social program designer and policy analyst. Sensitive to the reading sensibilities of today’s young read- ers, he writes in quickly paced, snappy way that should keep the attention of young readers, without being insipidly cozy with them. The style will thus be of as much or more interest to the “communication filters” through which the wisdom in the book may well be the most common vector of trans- mission for its contents: namely health edu- cators, substance abuse counsellors, teach- ers and parents.
The book is a welcome addition to the sub- stance abuse prevention and intervention literature. It takes the reader through a strong argument line in favour of sensible drinking and then presents a host of practi- cal advice and walk- through exercises that will help teens and young adults develop an attitude towards drinking in which they assume an empowered role—and avoid the emotional whims, peer pressure, and adver- tising that draws them into foolish (i.e., s/ nkin’) drinking. While the author obviously stands firmly in the camp supporting moder- ate drinking rather than across-the- board abstinence, he does identify genetic and psychological factors that are flags waving frantically for abstinence. For this minority of young drinkers, there are also a variety of exercises offered to help the abstainer through an abstinent lifestyle. Whether a moderate drinker or an abstainer, the com- mon thread in Thatcher’s advice is the same: sobriety should be a marching order that one adopts to guide a healthy lifestyle.
At the core of Thatcher’s self- help strategy is self- designed habit formation and, in this, he draws heavily from recent research on the nature of habits and cognitive- behavioral and social strategies for crafting healthy habits and breaking unhealthy ones. The book’s contents might well be a lifesaver for many of our young people. As Archie Brod- sky of Harvard Medical Centre, the widely respected writer on substance abuse and addiction, notes in his endorsement on the
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inside cover, “the book is equally sensible and accessible , and discerning as it is bal- anced”—and is “a welcome antidote to the alarmist messages of many alcohol educa- tors.”
In speaking openly about drinking to a popu- lation which, for the most part, might well be under provincial and state drinking age thresholds, the messages in this book might be controversial and in this sense, reminds us of the long debated issue of providing sex education in the schools. Unfortunately, the fact is that, like teen sex, binge drinking is commonplace among Canadian and North American youth generally. Given its norma- tive occurrence and the health and safety risks with which it is loaded up, the subject virtually cries out for an open, serious, re- spectful discussion between responsible adults and teens and young adults, just as it renders obvious the need for some very practical “how to” advice about sensible drinking management. The discussion and the advice in Thinkin’ Drinkin´ effectively and thor- oughly provides a basis for both.
I do have one constructive suggestion for the publisher and the author, however. The book is a fine tool unto itself but it could well be transformed into an audio- taped or video- taped seminar or even an illustrated manual prepared in a cartoon format, or a documentary that makes an appearance on television and can be accessed by educators for many years hence. The ideas in the book are extremely valuable and any means of getting its contents out there to its intended audience should be pursued.
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