In “Distress Tolerance,” an essay that Kaveh Akbar wrote a few years ago for my former publication Gay Magazine, he tells the story of a drunken bike accident that left him with a broken hip, something he didn’t realize until the following day. That incident, wrote Abkbar, was not the moment that turned him toward sobriety. It took several more years before he managed to get help, and now, a few years deep into recovery, he acknowledges the “profound strangeness” of withholding alcohol from himself but also the visceral understanding of how alcohol can take over the body and distort reality: “The more you drink, the more you become defined by the drink, the more you look like a drink and smell like a drink and behave like a drink,” he wrote. The accident also illuminates how alcohol can raise a person’s tolerance of distress and trick them into accepting a higher measure of discomfort and pain: “Alcoholics and addicts, whose lives are often spent lurching from one painful crisis to another, tend to display distress tolerances that are significantly higher than those of their sober peers,” he wrote.
I’m enjoying this book so much, as it’s continues to surprise me over and over again. Also I’ve highlighted so many parts that I want to come back to, that I’m basically going to have to read it all over again as soon as I finish 😂
I just picked this up from the library this morning and read the first two chapters while sitting there. Each sentence is like a line of poetry (or two). Looking forward to reading this.
How do we join the Book Club? I loved this book and look forward to the chance to discuss it with others. (I've also recommended it to everybody who would listen to me! Can they join the book club too?)
I read Martyr! as soon as it came out because Kaveh Akbar was doing a signing at my local bookstore. I told him in the signing line that all my questions were too spoilery to ask when most of the audience hadn't read the book and that I was looking forward to reading it for this book club. We had a nice little chat!!! It's one of the best books I've read in a loooooooooooong time, and I'm looking forward to our discussions here.
It doesn’t come in the UK until March 7th. Hopefully the chat will be after that data. Arian Moayed is reading the book on Audible so I’ve pre-ordered and am very excited!
I’m enjoying this book so much, as it’s continues to surprise me over and over again. Also I’ve highlighted so many parts that I want to come back to, that I’m basically going to have to read it all over again as soon as I finish 😂
Hello! I am wondering if there is a recording of the final Zoom? I understand if there isn’t but just thought I’d ask. Thanks!
I just picked this up from the library this morning and read the first two chapters while sitting there. Each sentence is like a line of poetry (or two). Looking forward to reading this.
I just read the chapter about Zee and Cyrus chopping wood. It’s actually the funniest thing I’ve read in ages.
How do we join the Book Club? I loved this book and look forward to the chance to discuss it with others. (I've also recommended it to everybody who would listen to me! Can they join the book club too?)
I read Martyr! as soon as it came out because Kaveh Akbar was doing a signing at my local bookstore. I told him in the signing line that all my questions were too spoilery to ask when most of the audience hadn't read the book and that I was looking forward to reading it for this book club. We had a nice little chat!!! It's one of the best books I've read in a loooooooooooong time, and I'm looking forward to our discussions here.
Just got my skip the line copy from the LA Public Library :)
Yep. Going to have to read this one.
Really looking forward to reading this one!
Can’t wait to dive into this. Sounds like a great read.
Cannot wait to read this!
It doesn’t come in the UK until March 7th. Hopefully the chat will be after that data. Arian Moayed is reading the book on Audible so I’ve pre-ordered and am very excited!
Sounds great. Let’s go!