They say, until you fully own your own story, you always be vulnerable to one shard of it, the sharpest, dirtiest piece, coming to undo you. But if you can stand firmly in the heart of your own narrative, holding all the threads of what’s happened in your hands, you are truly free. Blind Drunk is a liberation text. It doesn’t just bundle all of Veronica Woodruff’s story into an integrated whole, it offers something that will liberate others too. Her interrogation of her own choices and the circumstances and cultural mores that enabled them, is honest, curious and without judgment, providing a pathway for anyone else who might want to reflect on their relationship with alcohol. Brave, smart and unputdownable. 

— Lisa Richardson, Writer

…whether it be through family, friends or tacit societal approval. How we choose to manage that relationship can define our lives. Veronica Woodruff not only grew up surrounded by alcohol’s typical institutional and cultural green lights, but in the belly of that beast’s ultimate pathology—from which she repeatedly tried to escape. From her parents’ de facto alcoholism through her own peer-approved initiation, casual use, occasional misuse, and flirtation with dependency, Woodruff’s page-turning recollections of a life spent running from alcohol’s familial ravages while simultaneously entertaining its charms is a roadmap of reexamination, research and chosen sobriety that will make anyone look more closely at how and why they drink.”

— Leslie Anthony, Writer for several publications including Canadian Geographic. Author of Snakebit: Confessions of Herpetologist and The Aliens Among Us: How Invasive Species are Transforming the Planet—and Ourselves.

I loved this book. Veronica Woodruff had me completely immersed in the story—her characters, especially her family, felt so real and relatable. I honestly couldn’t believe this all happened in Canada! The story is both gripping and emotional, and I kept thinking it would make an incredible movie.

On top of the storytelling, the book is packed with thoughtful insights and eye-opening facts about drinking culture. As someone working in the non-alcoholic space, I found it incredibly relevant and timely. I’m buying a copy for my entire team.

Highly recommend—equal parts shocking, powerful, and inspiring.

― Jane Stoller, CEO Glimmer Dealcoholized Sparkling Wine

…Blind Drunk is a harrowing look at the direct negative impact of alcohol on three lives – and indirectly on many more. However, Woodruff is to be commended for eschewing preachiness: she does not pontificate on the ills of drink so much as illustrate the deleterious impact a culture focused on alcohol can have on particular individuals, while drawing on research to reinforce her lived experience. A cautionary tale rather than an injunction, the memoir is also a tribute to the redemptive powers of the natural world. Furthermore, it is inspirational in its affirmation of resilience: Veronica learns well how to get back up from a fall.

Incorporating some elements of autobiography (by providing a start-to-present, chronological overview of Woodruff’s life) in a conventionally writer-focused memoir, Blind Drunk borrows from the techniques of fiction’s narrative arc to provide readers with a powerful subjective account, bolstered by relevant data, of the effects of cultural mores regarding alcohol consumption on the individual…

— Ginny Ratsoy, BC Book Review

"Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or still happily drinking, you’ll find something worth your time in Veronica Woodruff’s Blind Drunk: A Sober Look at Our Boozy Culture. Not just a deeply personal story of generational alcoholism, Woodruff’s book reaches far beyond her (always engaging) personal anecdotes and the realm of the straightforward memoir to deliver a kegful of sober facts backed up by solid research. The result is a bonafide page-turner that pushes, probes, and punches well above its weight. A stellar effort from a first-time author.”

Braden Dupuis, Editor, Pique Newsmagazine

“If you’ve lived in the Pemberton area for any length of time, you likely know the name Veronica Woodruff. A fountain of knowledge on all things natural in this part of the world, she is a “go-to” for information on Mt. Meager, Mushrooms, One Mile Lake, forest ecology, waterways & on & on. Don’t believe me? Check out some of the amazing talks she has given at the Pemberton and District Library on our YouTube page to see for yourself. Many of us know Veronica for who she is now and what she means to this community, but it’s been a long road to get here.

Her early years were spent in economic privilege. Daughter of Jeff (corporate real estate lawyer) and Diane (glamorous entertainer), she and her siblings seemed to have it all. McMansion, private schools & connections to Toronto’s elite. Jeff and Diane were perfectly suited to the business/social culture of the day, where every occasion & negotiation was marinated in alcohol and business mixed well with pleasure.

High-functioning addiction is a high-wire act not many keep up for long. When cracks start to show, it’s often too late to stop the collapse. The crash came while Veronica was in high school and would eventually lead to her hopping off the back of a motorbike in Whistler, another Ontario refugee looking to write a new story. She succeeded, but one thing remained the same. The ubiquity of alcohol in her life.

This brave, highly readable memoir is an interrogation of our relationship with alcohol, particularly in Mountain Culture, but also the culture at large. Without preaching or shaming, it will have you examining the role alcohol plays in your life and has some ideas on how to change it if you want to.”

Brennan Armstrong, Pemberton & District Public Library

"Blind Drunk is three parts memoir and one part academic research. Written from a place of serious authority by the right person at the right time, Veronica has asked tough questions without judgement or an agenda. Agree or disagree, she provides a safe space to challenge what the role of alcohol is in modern society. The answers are on a spectrum rather than being clear-cut black and white. It is a fantastic read that should be essential reading for anyone who drinks anything."

— Luke Whittall, Author of the Sipster’s Pocket Guides, the Okanagan Wine Tour Guide & Valleys of Wine: A Taste of British Columbia’s Wine History.