Thirst

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & GUARDIAN AUDIOBOOK OF THE WEEK

The beautifully written, moving and darkly funny memoir about alcohol addiction and the journey to sobriety. Narrated by the author, award-winning comedian John Robins.

This audiobook includes two pieces of bonus material including a podcast episode of John Robins on The Allender Calendar, as well as an exclusive conversation with comedians Elis James and Dave Masterman.

John Robins is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Taskmaster champion, and an award-winning broadcaster. He is also an alcoholic. But what does that mean?

In Thirst, John tells the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him. From his earliest drinking experiences – pretending to be drunk aged five, spraying aftershave into his mouth at a school play afterparty, and drinking red wine alone at university – to his last drink in 2022, he traces his journey into sobriety.

From hazy memory to sudden clarity, John reflects on mental health, friendship, creativity and the lies we tell ourselves. He asks: are alcoholics born or made? How do we understand youthful missteps? And can Buddhism provide relief when dealing with haemorrhoids?

Filled with insights and epiphanies from the world of addiction and recovery, Thirst blends John’s trademark honesty and hilarious digressions with the collective wisdom of alcoholics to offer a compelling, powerful and morbidly funny narrative for anyone who has ever asked 'why do we drink?', 'why do I drink?' or 'do I drink too much?'.

'The funniest book ever written about wanting to drink yourself to death' Lou Sanders

'A triumph, and as powerful a description of alcoholism as I've read' Bryony Gordon

‘Heartfelt [and] darkly funny’ Guardian, Audiobook of the Week

© John Robins 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026