Close Menu
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
Home - “I Had a Brother Once” by Adam Mansbach | #QUITLIT Review
#QUITLIT

“I Had a Brother Once” by Adam Mansbach | #QUITLIT Review

Alexandra NymanBy Alexandra NymanMay 28, 20243 Mins Read
The Sober Curator Library I Had a Brother Once Adam Mansbach
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
The Sober Curator Library I Had a Brother Once Adam Mansbach

As I was walking down the aisles of Indigo, my go-to bookstore. A curious cover caught my eye. “I Had a Brother Once.” I put it back on the shelf, thinking, “You should never judge a book by its cover.” And yet, the thought of allowing a cliché to force me to not even peek and see for myself if the allure of the design lived up to my curiosities was unacceptable. I marched back to the memoir section and pulled the book from the shelf.

first of all i never usually stayed out past midnight or even ten,
but i was feeling myself that night.
something was ending & it was time to celebrate.

Adam Mansbach
#ADDTOCART ON AMAZON

In exploring mortality, sorrow, and familial bonds, Mansbach ventures beyond the comedic realm he’s often associated with, diving into profound depths. Mansbach gained notoriety with his book “Go the Fuck To Sleep” in 2011; here, he trudges through heavier terrain, crafting a raw and unfiltered narrative of his brother, David’s, suicide.

Mansbach’s prose, liberated from traditional constraints, takes on a lyrical quality, inviting readers into the intimate recesses of his grief-stricken soul. With gut-wrenching honesty, he recounts the moment of receiving the devastating news from his father, the weight of the words “David has taken his own life” echoing hollowly in his consciousness.

Yet amidst the anguish, Mansbach unearths fragments of insight, piecing together the puzzle of his brother’s life. Through introspection and dialogue with fellow survivors, Mansbach grapples with the incomprehensibility of suicide, seeking solace in shared narratives and collective sorrow. His journey is not one of closure but of acceptance, a testament to the enduring bonds of kinship and the resilience of the human spirit.

Ultimately, “I Had a Brother Once” resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced the profound loss of a sibling, offering solace in shared grief and the enduring promise of remembrance.

The Sobees #QUITLIT Score: 4 out of 5

QUITLIT-4-Sobees

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. 

#QUITLIT is our curated list of addiction and recovery book reviews. All Sober Curator Contributors should be well-read, from addiction and recovery memoirs to fiction and self-help. You can also find us on Goodreads here. 

What’s on your nightstand? We want to hear about what you’re reading and the addiction and recovery books you can’t live without. Please email us at thesobercurator@gmail.com

In the mood to #ADDTOCART? Check out our curated list of #QUITLIT books in our Amazon Shop.

ADDICTION FICTION: Book reviews featuring addiction, recovery, and mental health storylines.


the sober curator quit lit reviews
Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

follow the sober curator on instagram

Follow The Sober Curator on Instagram

alcohol free alcohol free lifestyle book review mental health quit lit book review quitlit sober curator the sober curator
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Alexandra Nyman
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Alexandra Nyman is a fashion designer, marketing professional, and the founder of the Break Free Foundation. When she is not screaming at the top of her lungs, advocating for change, she can be found taking a million pictures of her cat and playing way too much Animal Crossing.

Related Posts

Breaking Free from Addiction: How Virtual Programs Can Help

Breaking Free from Addiction: How Virtual Programs Can Help

October 21, 2025
Sober Dad Crew Episode 80: Alysse Bryson – Building a Sober Pop Culture Movement

Sober Dad Crew: Alysse Bryson – Building a Sober Pop Culture Movement

October 21, 2025
#QUITLIT Book Review_ “UnSweetined” by Jodie Sweetin

#QUITLIT Book Review: “UnSweetined” by Jodie Sweetin — A Full House Star’s Sobriety Story

October 19, 2025

Comments are closed.

Top AF Sober Travel Companies USA Today
Sober City Mobile App
SOBERSCRIBE AND GET ON THE LIST!
7 events found.
  • Week of October 20
  • Previous week
  • Next week
Notice
No events scheduled for October 20, 2025.
Notice
No events scheduled for October 21, 2025.
7:00 pm
BigVision Recovery Horror Film Reading
October 22 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

BigVision Recovery Horror Film Reading

BigVision 309 Social Club 309 East 49th Street @ 2nd Ave, New York
$15.00
Ongoing
15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025
October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am PDT

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

Hill Country RV Resort and Event Center 17740 Texas 16, Medina
$55.20
7:00 pm
Sober Dating + Comedy | Sober AF Bottle Shop Tacoma, WA
October 23 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Sober Dating + Comedy | Sober AF Bottle Shop Tacoma, WA

SOBER AF Bottle Shop Tacoma 5222 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma
$28.52
Ongoing
15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025
October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am PDT

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

Hill Country RV Resort and Event Center 17740 Texas 16, Medina
$55.20
12:00 pm
Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference
October 24 @ 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference

Bodecker Foundation 2360 NW Quimby St., Portland
Free
3:00 pm
Speed Dating: Sober & In Recovery
October 24 @ 3:30 pm - 7:00 pm PDT

Speed Dating: Sober & In Recovery

Planted Cafe 333 Smith Street, Brooklyn
$40.00
+ 1 More
Ongoing
15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025
October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am PDT

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

Hill Country RV Resort and Event Center 17740 Texas 16, Medina
$55.20
MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures
October 25 @ 5:00 am - November 2 @ 2:00 pm PDT

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

Cusco, the Salktanay Trail, and Machu Picchu!
See website
Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat
October 25 @ 9:00 am - November 1 @ 5:00 pm PDT

Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat

$4000 – $5000
5:00 am
Shatterproof Walks to End Addiction Stigma
October 25 @ 5:00 am - 9:00 am PDT

Shatterproof Walks to End Addiction Stigma

Pier 76 Hudson River Park 408 12th Avenue, New York
11:00 am
Happy.Sober.Free: Madison Meet-Up
October 25 @ 11:00 am - 6:30 pm PDT

Happy.Sober.Free: Madison Meet-Up

Goodman Community Center - Iron Works 149 Waubesa Street, Madison
$111.00
Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference
October 25 @ 11:00 am - 9:00 pm PDT

Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference

Bodecker Foundation 2360 NW Quimby St., Portland
Free
+ 6 More
Ongoing
15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025
October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am PDT

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

Hill Country RV Resort and Event Center 17740 Texas 16, Medina
$55.20
MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures
October 25 @ 5:00 am - November 2 @ 2:00 pm PDT

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

Cusco, the Salktanay Trail, and Machu Picchu!
See website
Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat
October 25 @ 9:00 am - November 1 @ 5:00 pm PDT

Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat

$4000 – $5000

Week of Events

Mon 20
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am PDT

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025 Join us for the 15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025! Where all clean and sober motorcycle riders can gather annually in the Tx Hill

$55.20
October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

October 25 @ 5:00 am - November 2 @ 2:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

October 25 @ 5:00 am - November 2 @ 2:00 pm PDT

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures Our journey blends the culture and cuisine of Cusco with the legendary Salkantay Trail, culminating at the Incan masterpiece of Machu Picchu. Trek through shifting

See website
October 25 @ 9:00 am - November 1 @ 5:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat

Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat

October 25 @ 9:00 am - November 1 @ 5:00 pm PDT

Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antiqua If you’re in recovery—whether newly sober or years into your journey—and ready to reconnect with your purpose, build meaningful connections, and embrace a life

$4000 – $5000
October 23 @ 2:00 pm - October 26 @ 10:00 am <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

15th Annual Texas Serenity Run 2025

October 25 @ 5:00 am - November 2 @ 2:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

October 25 @ 9:00 am - November 1 @ 5:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat

October 22, 2025 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
BigVision Recovery Horror Film Reading
October 22 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

BigVision Recovery Horror Film Reading

BigVision Recovery Horror Film Reading Step into the shadows for a spine-chilling evening at the 309 Social Club. Join us for a live reading of In The Ghost Light, a recovery-themed

$15.00
October 23, 2025 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sober Dating + Comedy | Sober AF Bottle Shop Tacoma, WA
October 23 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Sober Dating + Comedy | Sober AF Bottle Shop Tacoma, WA

Sober Dating + Comedy | Sober AF Bottle Shop Tacoma, WA Sober speed dating comedy event, where sober singles can date other singles at a venue not centered around drinking!

$28.52
October 24, 2025 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference
October 24 @ 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference

Recovery in Practice - 2 Day Conference Recovery in Practice—a free two-day conference—will take place October 24-25, 2025, in NW Portland, uniting artists, authors, activists and researchers for workshops, panel

Free
October 24, 2025 3:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Speed Dating: Sober & In Recovery
October 24 @ 3:30 pm - 7:00 pm PDT

Speed Dating: Sober & In Recovery

Speed Dating: Sober & In Recovery Find Your Match! - A Dating & Social Series for Everyone! Different Themes every week. Different Vibes. One Community. Speed Dating: Sober / In

$40.00
October 24, 2025 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Rocky Horror Picture Show Night at SOBER AF Zero Proof Bottle Shop
October 24 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm PDT

Rocky Horror Picture Show Night at SOBER AF Zero Proof Bottle Shop

Rocky Horror Picture Show Night Time & Location Oct 24, 2025, 5:00 PM Sober AF Zero Proof Bottle Shop, 5222 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409, USA About the event

See website
+ 1 More
October 25, 2025 5:00 am - 9:00 am
Shatterproof Walks to End Addiction Stigma
October 25 @ 5:00 am - 9:00 am PDT

Shatterproof Walks to End Addiction Stigma

Shatterproof Walks to End Addiction Stigma Together, we walk to end addiction stigma and restore hope for those impacted by substance use disorder. Together, we can change attitudes and save

October 25, 2025 11:00 am - 6:30 pm
Happy.Sober.Free: Madison Meet-Up
October 25 @ 11:00 am - 6:30 pm PDT

Happy.Sober.Free: Madison Meet-Up

Happy.Sober.Free: Madison Meet-Up Join us for an epic sober and wellness event where we will gather, connect and have fun! The day will feature yoga, live music & much more!

$111.00
October 25, 2025 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference
October 25 @ 11:00 am - 9:00 pm PDT

Recovery in Practice – 2 Day Conference

Recovery in Practice - 2 Day Conference Recovery in Practice—a free two-day conference—will take place October 24-25, 2025, in NW Portland, uniting artists, authors, activists and researchers for workshops, panel

Free
+ 6 More
View Calendar
Thirty for Wonder by Anne Marie Cribbin
The Sober Curator
Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok YouTube Pinterest
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • LINKS DISCLAIMER
  • EDITORIAL GUIDELINES
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • REFUND POLICY
  • DON’T SELL MY INFO
  • DATA SUBJECT REQUEST FORM
  • CONTACT US
© 2025 The Sober Curator - Benefits of a Alcohol Free Lifestyle

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.