About being an alcoholic

Here's John Robins reading the introduction to his  new memoir Thirst,  telling  the story of his life through the lens of alcohol.

The book is out today in hardback, ebook and audiobook, read by the comedian himself and running for just over 11-and-a-half hours – of which this is an extract.

Publishers Penguin say: 'From hazy memory to sudden clarity, he sheds light on subjects from mental health to friendship, from creativity to the lies we tell ourselves, and answers questions such as: are alcoholics born or made? How can we make sense of youthful missteps? And can Buddhism provide relief when dealing with haemorrhoids?'

The audiobook is available here – and you can read our review of the book here.

Published: 7 May 2026