Join host Sharon Quirt as she chats with author Alan Kaufman on his story, Drunken Angel from heartbreak to triumph…
Son of a French Holocaust survivor, Alan Kaufman drank to fill the huge hole in his heart, wrecking himself and everyone in his path. In Drunken Angel, the poet and critically acclaimed writer recounts with unvarnished honesty the story of the alcoholism that took him to the brink of death, the PTSD that drove him to the edge of madness, and the love that brought him back. With his estranged daughter as inspiration and two unforgettable mentors for support, Kaufman got into recovery at age 37, taking full responsibility for nearly destroying himself, his work and so many loved ones along the way. Kaufman minces no words as he looks back on a life pickled in self-pity, self-loathing and guilt, delivering a lacerating, cautionary tale of a life wasted and reclaimed.
In league with the handful of gut-wrenching, life-changing, and enduring books about the tortures of addiction, Drunken Angel probes the consciousness of an addict to expose the true horror of alcoholism. Alan Kaufman’s searing memoir is a surreal reading experience full of stylistic acrobatics that speak to the genius of a writer nearly lost.
“With an outsized heart to go with its outsized thirst, Drunken Angel tells the sort of truths that feel like myths and the sort of myths that feel like truth.” —Daniel Handler, author of Adverbs
“A great, amazing and honest book. An interesting life, a shameless sincerity, and the talent to tell a story are the essential ingredients needed to create a captivating memoir and Alan Kaufman’sDrunken Angel has tons of all three.” —Etgar Keret, author of The Girl on the Fridge
“As engrossing, moving and honest a literary memoir as one will ever read, Drunken Angel is that rare combination of aching beauty and haunting truth, all made vivid and alive with a poetry that is both turbulent and profoundly wise. Alan Kaufman takes his readers on a Jewish Huck Finn journey of addiction, regret and rage. With his immense literary gifts as a storyteller, he turns the jagged, jaded tale of his life into a true work of art, and along way finds the reconciliation and peace that made this memoir possible, and for that, we should all be grateful.” —Thane Rosenbaum, author ofThe Golems of Gotham, Second Hand Smoke and Elijah Visible
“Alan Kaufman’s story is riveting: raw in its passion and lacerating in its testimony.” —Oscar Villalon, former book editor at the San Francisco Chronicle and board member of the National Book Critics Circle
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Written by Life with Direction with Sharon Quirt
Life with direction provides an upbeat, positive venue for authors, teachers, healers and completely amazing people from around the globe to share their journeys, stories and teachings. My hope is that the show brings you the answers you have been looking for and helps direct you in a positive knowledgeable way to discovering your truth. A life with direction is moving forward rather than being stuck, share with us weekly as we direct you to an empowered life.
Sharon is a Spiritual Life coach, Hay house author, intuitive healer, and expert in regression therapy. She has worked around the world helping others find their true direction. She loves to work with creative entrepreneurs to help them build their lives and businesses towards more prosperity and inner and outer harmony. She is a skilled holistic healer with over 20 years of experience assessing and correcting physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual issues. Her well-developed intuitive sensing skills allow her to consistently discover and heal the foundational cause of disease, imbalance, and suffering. Through years of study, practice and adventure I have become free to be my true authentic self. I am a gifted teacher, Speaker and healer. Through years of listening I have learned the power of freedom and to use this power to guide others to achieving their true self empowerment. I truly love my work and those that I am blessed to know through it. http://www.sharonquirt.com
