After years of hiding her addiction from everyone—stockpiling pills in her Louboutin’s and elaborately scheduling her withdrawals between PTA meetings, baby showers, and tennis matches—Laura Cathcart Robbins is running out of places to hide.
She has learned the hard way that even her high-profile marriage and Hollywood lifestyle can’t protect her from the pain she’s keeping bottled up inside. Facing divorce, the possibility of a grueling custody battle, and the insistent voice of internalized racism that nags at her as a Black woman in a startlingly white world, Laura wonders just how much more she can take.
Now, with courageous and candid openness, she reveals how she started the long journey towards sobriety, unexpectedly found new love, and dismantled the wall she had built around herself, brick by brick. With its raw, finely crafted, and engaging prose, Stash is “emotionally riveting…usher[ing] in a new way for us to talk and read about the paradoxes of addiction, race, family, class, and gender.” (Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy).
#QUITLIT REVIEW:
Laura Cathcart Robbins’ debut memoir, Stash is a riveting and poignant account of addiction, love, and rehab. The book takes readers on a journey through Robbins’ married life with two kids, shining a light on her descent into drug addiction and the devastating consequences it had on her relationships.
Robbins’ writing is raw and honest, and she lays bare her struggles with addiction with unflinching candor. From managing her withdrawals in-between PTA meetings to her attempts to hide her addiction from her husband and children, Robbins’ story is a powerful reminder of the destructive power of addiction.
But Stash is also a story of hope and resilience. As Robbins confronts her addiction head-on and begins the difficult process of recovery, she learns to be honest with herself and those around her, and ultimately finds the strength to rebuild her life.
What sets Stash apart is Robbins’ ability to weave together her personal story with larger themes of class, race, and privilege, reinforcing that addiction does not discriminate. Through her story, she exposes the challenges faced by those who seek recovery.
If you’ve ever thought about or have actually hidden pills in your tampons inside of a suitcase packed for rehab, then this is without a doubt the book for you.
Overall, Stash is a powerful and compelling memoir offering a unique addiction and recovery perspective. Robbins’ storytelling is masterful, and her message of hope and perseverance will resonate with readers long after they finish the book. If you’ve ever thought about or have actually hidden pills in the tampons inside a suitcase packed for rehab, then this is without a doubt the book for you.
Sober Curator Pro Tip:
For those who LOVE buying a book based on the cover artwork (A’hem LOL), Stash will be a great addition to your at-home recovery library. Just know the book is so good that it won’t be collecting dust on your sober library shelf anytime soon. You’ll probably be loaning it out to your sober friends on a regular basis. And Laura Cathcart Robbins, if you’re reading this – please make sure to give me the heads up when your memoir becomes a movie or a TV Series. I will be in the front row with my popcorn, Reese’s Pieces, and bubbly water.
The Sobees #QUITLIT Score: 4 out of 5
I Turned To ‘Quit Lit’ For Help, And It Made Me Wonder: Is Sobriety Only For White Women?
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About Laura
Laura Cathcart Robbins is the best-selling author of the Atria/Simon & Schuster memoir, Stash, My Life In Hiding, and host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room. She has been active for many years as a speaker and school trustee and is credited for creating The Buckley School’s nationally recognized committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Her recent articles on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a 2022 TEDx Speaker, and LA Moth StorySlam winner. Currently, she sits on the advisory boards of the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ podcast Festival. Find out more about her on her website, or you can look for her on Facebook, on Instagram, on Tiktok, and follow her on Twitter.
The Only One in the Room
Hosted by Laura Cathcart Robbins, a writer and a recovery thriver and survivor, Laura found herself in an all too familiar position. In September 2018, she was the only black woman in the room at Brave Magic, a famed writer’s retreat. After it was over, she wrote about her “only one” experience in The Huffington Post and comments started flooding into her DM. These comments were from people from all races, ethnicities, creeds, and nationalities who had felt “othered”. Laura beautifully interviews a person about their Only One story each episode and addresses as many of those DM’s as possible in the process.
In this podcast, you’ll hear raw, vulnerable accounts from people who are, like most of us, just eager to connect. Our hope is that The Only One In The Room will inspire a change of perspective in how we all see and hear each other’s stories. We want you think twice before judging the person standing next to you at a party, in the pick-up line at school or in a crowded subway car. This is a podcast for anyone who has ever felt alone in a room full of people – which is to say, that this podcast is for everyone.
Videos Laura Cathcart Robbins
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What is Stash: My Life in Hiding about?
Stash: My Life in Hiding is a memoir by Laura Cathcart Robbins that explores her hidden addiction to prescription pills and alcohol while living a seemingly perfect life in Hollywood. The book traces her journey from secrecy and denial to sobriety, self-awareness, and personal transformation.
Who is Laura Cathcart Robbins?
Laura Cathcart Robbins is an author, speaker, and the host of the podcast The Only One in the Room. She writes and speaks about addiction, recovery, race, and identity, drawing from her own experiences navigating sobriety while living in elite social circles.
Is Stash considered “quit lit”?
Yes. Stash is part of the “quit lit” genre—books that explore addiction, sobriety, and recovery through memoir or nonfiction storytelling. Robbins’ book stands out for addressing addiction through the lens of race, privilege, motherhood, and identity.
What addiction does Laura Cathcart Robbins discuss in the book?
In Stash, Robbins writes candidly about her addiction to prescription sleep medication and alcohol, describing how she secretly hid pills around her home while maintaining the appearance of a successful family life.
What themes does Stash explore?
The memoir explores addiction, secrecy, recovery, race, privilege, motherhood, divorce, and the process of rebuilding a life after substance use disorder.
Why is Stash considered an important recovery memoir?
Stash brings a unique perspective to addiction literature by exploring how race, class, and identity intersect with recovery. Robbins’ story highlights that addiction can exist even in environments that appear successful or privileged.
Is Stash suitable for readers in recovery?
Yes. Many readers in recovery find the book relatable because it honestly portrays the secrecy, shame, and emotional complexity that often accompany addiction, as well as the long process of healing.
Does the book focus only on addiction?
No. While addiction is central, the memoir also examines family dynamics, relationships, identity, and how societal expectations can shape a person’s sense of self.
What makes Stash different from other addiction memoirs?
The book blends deeply personal storytelling with reflections on race, privilege, and belonging in elite social environments, offering a perspective that is often underrepresented in recovery narratives.
Who would enjoy reading Stash?
Readers interested in addiction memoirs, recovery stories, personal growth narratives, and discussions of identity and privilege will likely find the book compelling.
