Thirst

Name: Thirst
Price: 49.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9780241740040

Twelve Drinks That Changed My Life

John Robins

$49.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Viking
07 May 2026

Memoirs; Humour

A beautifully written, moving and darkly funny memoir about alcohol addiction and the journey to sobriety

John Robins is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Taskmaster champion, and an award-winning broadcaster. He is also an alcoholic.

But what does that mean? What is an alcoholic?

In Thirst, John tells the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him. From his earliest drinking experiences - pretending to be drunk after a sip of champagne aged five, spraying aftershave into his mouth at the school play afterparty, and university nights spent downing red wine alone in his room - to his last drink in 2022 and the journey into sobriety that followed, John explores our relationship with alcohol through reflections on decades of his own drinking.

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?

Filled with insights and epiphanies from the world of addiction and recovery, Thirst blends John's trademark raw honesty and hilarious digressions with the collective wisdom of alcoholics and those around them to offer a compelling, powerful and morbidly funny narrative for anyone who has ever asked 'why do we drink?', 'why do I drink?' or 'do I drink too much?'.

By: John Robins
Imprint: Viking
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 222mm, Width: 138mm, Spine: 40mm
Weight: 500g
ISBN: 9780241740040
ISBN 10: 0241740045
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 07 May 2026
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

John Robins is a radio presenter (5Live, Radio X), comedian (Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo, Mock The Week) and podcaster (How Do You Cope?, The Elis James and John Robins Show, Beef's Golf Club, The Moon Under Water). Throughout his stand-up and radio career he has gained a reputation for speaking candidly and hilariously about his own mental health.

Reviews for Thirst: Twelve Drinks That Changed My Life

The most honest, helpful and perceptive book I've ever read about alcohol, and also the funniest -- Josh Widdicombe The funniest book ever written about wanting to drink yourself to death -- Lou Sanders Insightful and intelligent. Harrowing but hopeful. And, as always, hilarious -- Adrian Chiles A triumph, and as powerful a description of alcoholism as I've read -- Bryony Gordon I loved this book. Unflinching, poetic, funny and beautiful, yet still somehow so needlessly pedantic and silly. It’s a rich and generous enquiry into how to be a human -- Josie Long Robins at his finest -- Pierre Novellie Equal parts hilarity and heartbreak, delivered with rare candour -- Lou Sanders