Very helpful for families of alcoholics, who are often ignored in the recovery equation. This is not a recently written book, but I feel its completely applicable today. Alcoholics going it alone will not have as good a chance of maintaining sobriety without their family's involvement and understanding. Without the family getting involved, the family may cease to exist.

Although it is a required "Text" for my class, it is an easy read. Very informative...brings you into the heart of the alcoholic's family suffering.

This is one of the author's early, classic books. Families of alcoholics need this---and need so much information to help them deal with the craziness of living with alcoholism. I recommend this book, and "Under the Influence" by James Milam (his book so well explains the entire physiological disease of alcoholism) Under the Influence: A Guide to the Myths and Realities of Alcoholism . These are but two of the books that make up the still-too-little information for the tens of millions of families of alcoholics that need urgent help.

This book helps to understand the dynamics of not just the dependent's role in addiction but the family as a whole, and what roles they play. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a family member struggling with any addiction or grew up in an abusive family.

Yes, there is hope and understanding. Wegscheider-Cruse gives a very detailed account of how we play out our birth roles and act them out in dysfuctional situations. Reading this book gave me the best insight of why I displayed certain behaviors. It also gave me an understanding of the roles other people play. Down right insightful! A must read.