Going Under cover art

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.

©2024 Seana Smith (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio
Alcoholism Biographies & Memoirs

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What A Story and Told With Such Honesty and Heart.

What a story. What a woman you are too. I am pleased to have been able to not only listen to this memoir but to think more about you...even though I knew you from our shared blogging years, I really knew not much.
To be as brave and courageous as this, sharing the many experiences that you are not so proud of (no thanks drinking) and those where you have felt love and care for your beautiful family.

I loved hearing your voice (and accent) Seana in my ears for this worthy book.

I am learning more about memoir myself and found this book of much interest.
I am in awe of the struggles you have overcome...and not with ease but with a sudden relevation.
Life, hey it's interesting and you are here sharing the stories.

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Very relatable

Very open and courageous. Great story telling and love listening to the Scottish accent. Totally relatable in many ways.

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

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.

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Power of self-knowledge & allowing hope to soar!

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.

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