Customer Reviews

Get Up: A 12-step Guide to Recovery for Misfits, Freaks, and Weirdos

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Bucky Sinister is a hulking, tattooed, punk rock poet who ruled the SF poetry scene, toured the country with his visceral verse and published on one of the country's most respected independent presses.

But Sinister was also an addict who, by his own words, didn't stop drinking until he "ran out of access to alcohol, by lack of money, lack of charm or lack of consciousness."

When Sinister decided to seek help for his addiction, he faced a series of fears specific to him and his community: if all of the concerts and events he loved were held in bars, how can he possibly navigate them without drinking? If all of his punk rock friends were still hitting the bottle, wouldn't they resent him / reject him for cleaning up? And as writer rarely performed or wrote sober, how would this affect his art?

But ultimately, Sinister triumphed -- not only over his addictions, but over his life.

"Get Up: A 12-Step Guide to Recovery for Misfits, Freaks and Weirdos" is a clear-eyed, honest account of his Sinister's journey as well as a self help tome for "misfits" of all types looking to get their life together.

I'm sure much will be written about Sinister's "on the level" perspective: this is not a holy-than-thou, 'do it my way and be saved' type of book. Rather, Sinister confides in the reader like a peer and friend, sharing stories which can be as funny as they are raw, and sharing advice that resonates long after you put down the book. The book works with -- as opposed to against -- the traditional 12-step program, helping addicts see the potential these meetings have, even if some aspects of them (at first) may seem completely contrary to their lives.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is struggling with addictions, or knows someone who is.

I've been sober for 19 years as of this writing, but I would not classify myself as a misfit, freak or weirdo. Well, maybe a little. I'm not an artist by trade. I play a little music and do some writing, but I've got a straight job in an office, and a wife and kids at home in a development house in the suburbs on a tree-lined street. Though I am certainly a skeptic when it comes to religious/spiritual ideas, by all outward appearances I've got more in common with Ward Cleaver (or maybe Ned Flanders) than I do with Bucky Sinister.

In any case, I've read a fair number of recovery and self-help related materials. Without a doubt, this is the single most helpful, direct, honest and practical one of the bunch. I've had the book for about eight weeks, and I've read it cover to cover three times now. The second time through, I started marking it up with highlighters, writing in the margins and sticking post it notes to certain pages. The third time through, I started writing in my own notebook.

I gave up going to 12 step meetings more than 10 years ago, mostly because I was exhausted with the disrespect given to those with atheist, agnostic or, in many cases, anything other than Christian beliefs. I thought I had learned enough that I could keep working a program without going to meetings. After reading this book, though, I realized that I had fallen away from that.

I have several goals in life that I have been kicking around for a long time, but on which I have not made any progress. These things are important to me, but I continue to go through the motions of my life without addressing them.

This book has inspired me to begin to work my program with a new vigor. Maybe going to some meetings will help to keep me focused on my program. Bucky's advice for non-Christian survival in the rooms makes the possibility of meetings a lot more palatable than the condescending "We Agnostics" chapter of the Big Book. I've got more balls now than I did back then, and I'm willing to try. And it's high time I go through the steps again with a practical purpose in mind and not just go through the motions of them because a sponsor said to. Bucky's breakdown of the steps, by the way, is excellent.

Yes, there's a bit of filler in the book ("Your Inner A-Team," "The Hero's Journey" and "My Life in the Art Scene," for example, though I loved "Achieving Your Goals the Lee Marvin Way"), and sometimes Bucky's desire to show how hipper than thou he is becomes nearly cringe-worthy, and calling people who aren't alcoholics "normies" is cringe-worthy, but I can forgive those things when the rest of the material and the overall message is this powerful.

In conclusion, if you've got any excuse for not fitting in in recovery, whether you're a not yet completely dried loner out or you're a crotchety old timer who's angry that you can't smoke at your home group anymore, I suggest that you get a copy of this book and give some of the ideas in it a chance.

Thank you, Bucky. I'll let you know how it goes.

Bucky Sinister speaks sense to that portion of addicts of whom so many others cannot even begin to approach. He is straight forward, honest, and non-preachy. But he is SOBER! This book does no disservice to the AA program, he goes through it all without telling anyone else how to make it work for them, but he knows how to say it without becoming disingenuous. I recommend anyone, alcoholic or not, to read this book. It is for freaks, misfits and weirdos as well as those who love them. Thank you Bucky Sinister!

The book is short, direct and gets to the point.
The message is sound. If you're not happy, and chemicals are a big part of your life, you need to deal with your chemical problem.
He gives some signs that you're an addict that i've never heard before.
He sounds positive, and he believes in the message he's delivering.
And for him, that's important. Because he hates hypocrites.
His self-analysis about how he was screwed by a couple all-engrossing religious groups really hit me.

Poet Bucky Sinister sets his sites on recovery in this self-help book for outsiders, misfits and artists who need to get their act together and embrace the 12 Steps. Anyone who has read Sinsiter before knows that this isn't going to be be a new age self-help affair. It retains Sinister's wit, irreverence, sharp insights, and pop culture references. Need help setting and reaching your goals? Just look to Lee Marvin in Point Blank for help. Need to figure out what kind of recovering addict you are? Just take inventory of the characters on the A Team and you'll figure it out. All kidding aside, this is a heartfelt book that digs deep emotionally and philosophically. I'd recommend it even if you don't need help in recovery. There's a lot to be gleaned here for folks just trying to reassess where they are in their life, for folks who feel they are at a crossroads, and for folks who feel they aren't living the life they hoped they would. A good read to start the year.

Although the other reviewers seemed to like it, I found the 'A-Team' bit felt like filler to stretch the volume out to publishable length.

Yes, AA is for Atheists! You might not think so reading the pre-relapse Oprah-endorsed self help trash churned out by newly dry b-list celebs. Nor can I guarantee that you can walk into any meeting and find the welcome that Mr. Sinister and I found 14 years and 10 miles apart.

God-free members have helped AA along since 1935 (Jim B. for example), more of us should be making it and passing it along. The rise of agressive religiosity in this country is reflected in AA, and those of us who stay sober without superstition need to be a little less polite so that frightened newcomers can find us.

If you want to be sober and have been scared away by the thought that AA is a cult, read 'Get Up' and start showing up at meetings. If you are an AA member without religion, pay for your seat by reaching out to newcomers.

I have not needed a drink since 1988, nor have I had to pretend to believe anything.

I've been in 12 step programs for ever, staying sober, but still have struggles with the God thing and don't say anything to others. Now I will. Thank you

My name is Barbara and I'm a Normie. I've spent my whole life surrounded by addicts of diverse flavors but I never got hooked on substances -- work and shopping, that's another story. Somewhere along the line I picked up a basic drug and alcohol counseling certificate because I was doing so much of it around the kitchen table. And, various shrinks have sent me to lots of different 12 Step meetings over the years but they didn't take. That said...

If you have ANY bad habits, addictions, compulsions, whatever that you don't like and want to get rid of READ THIS BOOK!!

Especially read it if you are a loner, a non-joiner, a biker, a gangsta, an artist, a punk, a tatoo "installer", diagnosed with Asberger's, or enjoy any other condition that makes you feel "different", "special", or not fitting in. Bucky absolutely NAILS that condition and with wild hilarity, can totally motivate you to seek help in getting rid of whatever you want to get rid of.

If you're a Tom Waits fan, READ THIS book. Likewise, if you empathize with Nik Colyer's Biker Bob books and their new take on self-help, READ THIS book!

Get Up is the self help book for people who dislike self, help, and self help groups. It's wonderful, even if you're a weird Normie with a zany sense of humor. Thanks, Bucky.

Great book not all people in recovery take the nice road to recovery. I like this book because it gets past the zen like recovery plan that most books want you to have. The truth is hard to understand and sometimes we need writers like Bucky sinister to remind, and educate us that recovery is all about getting up!!!!!!!!!