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Going Under

A memoir of family secrets, addiction and escape

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Going Under

By: Seana Smith
Narrated by: Seana Smith
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About this listen

 From the outside, Seana Smith lived an enviable life. An Oxford graduate, a successful career with the BBC and Sydney’s Channel 9, a bestselling author, happily married. But behind this perfect life she had a secret: Seana was a drinker, and alcohol was slowly taking away her life, destroying her health, her emotional well-being, her world.

With engaging style and wit, Going Under reveals the true story behind Seana’s lifelong battle with drink. It lays bare a confusing childhood of Scottish sailing adventures and also brutal violence from her bullying, alcoholic father; where punches were thrown, broken bones hidden and her family lived in fear.

Learning from the best, Seana drank her way through tutorials at Oxford University (which were held in the pub), through the sexual misadventures of her twenties and through the intensity and mundanity of motherhood.

It took the death of her parents and a tree-change to Orange in regional NSW for Seana to find the courage to break free; a new life in a new world. She had finally left the past behind. Addiction & Recovery Alcoholism Dysfunctional Families Indigenous Creators Mental Health Awareness Parenting & Families Relationships Women Memoir
All stars
Most relevant
The honesty hurts .
The account of the good and bad encourages you to review your own life journey

Honesty

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Initially I didn't think this was for me..but 2 chapters in and I couldn't stop listening....thank you Seana x

So very relatable

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Seana’s charismatic father and his terrible alcoholism looms over this memoir. It was the animus that propelled Seana to travel far away to Australia. It was the animus that triggered his son’s schizophrenia. It was the horrific cross Seana’s mother had to bear. And finally, as Seana realises over the year long narrative, it was the cause of her own troubled grey area drinking. Commencing with the death of her mother in Nairn, Scotland, this is a one year narrative set in Orange NSW that dips back into the sometimes challenging past of her childhood in Ormiston. A powerful and redemptive tale that ends with Seana committing to sobriety.

An inspiring memoir

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I’ve read a lot of recovery books but this is different. The descriptive writing brings it to life. You can completely imagine the Scottish life, and the Australian life and this is a story of a reconciliation of childhood trauma filled with wonderful memories and a life set up in Sydney then orange. A story of a mother, a wife, a recovery from a toxic relationship with alcohol, a life well lived! I really enjoyed Seana’s voice too. I really love when the author narrates their own book. Highly recommend.

Combines a life story with beautiful descriptive writing of a childhood in Scotland and of an immigrant to Australia.

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This unique book explores many important life topics and shines a light in dark places - all made palatable by the author's exquisite use of language, humour and explosive truth bombs.
So powerful incorporating a memoir with quit lit all described in vivid words and imagery, which still linger. Moves effortlessly through different countries, eras and topics,
I related personally to many aspects of this book and so refreshing to see them through Seana's illuminating lens.
Top marks! I enjoyed the audiobook so much (read by the author herself) that I also bought the book in print too.

Power of self-knowledge & allowing hope to soar!

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