"I’ve read everything he’s ever published, but this one is still my favorite. Weirdly, it’s about his experience quitting smoking. I’m not a smoker but I think about the way he talks about addiction every day. And it’s mostly set in Japan, my favorite place on earth. "

"This classic collection of short stories is about a character dealing with addiction, but Johnson masterfully elucidates the "spirit" component of alcoholic "spirits": His writing is almost otherworldly in its attunement to what's below surfaces, gliding into these spaces with words that capture our most nuanced internal states"

"Clegg's memoir of hitting bottom made me so grateful, both for him, and for the possibility of recovery from addiction, which so many of us don't survive. It's a story of violent indulgence, the saving grace of his own wise spirit, as well as the transformative power of love from true friends."