A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Its such a savage thing to lose your memory, but the crazy thing is, it doesnt hurt one bit. A blackout doesnt sting, or stab, or leave a scar when it robs you. Close your eyes and open them again. Thats what a blackout feels like. For Sarah Hepola, alcohol was the gasoline of all adventure. She spent her evenings at cocktail parties and dark bars where she proudly stayed till last call. Drinking felt like freedom, part of her birthright as a strong, enlightened twenty-first-century woman. But there was a price. She often blacked out, waking up with a blank space where four hours should be. Mornings became detective work on her own life. What did I say last night? How did I meet that guy? She apologized for things she couldnt remember doing, as though she were cleaning up after an evil twin.
