One Drink Too Many

Very profound and thought-provoking book. I think that the character can be interchanged with almost anybody. I think we have all been guilty of drinking and driving at least once and nothing happened. It becomes very tempting for us to then do it again and again. The character in this book Harry, makes the decision to drink and drive and ends up in prison after he kills 3 people with his reckless behavior. Prison is of course different than anything else he experienced, and it will have to be seen if Harry will reform himself or give up hope.

This book was short and written well. The author laid everything out, his thoughts and feelings over this period of time in Eric’s life. I think that the book was interesting because many times we simply judge others on their actions and do not listen to them. The goals of inspiring people that Eric has is admirable and I wish him the best in achieving those goals.

Poet and writer Jamell Crouthers (who on the Internet assumes the moniker ‘Aquarianmind’) has been writing poetry since he was 13 years old. He didn't take his writing ability seriously until his late 20s. Jamell creates thought provoking content about different aspects of life. His goal is ‘to write as many poetry books on societal issues that we all face in today's age. Through writing poetry, it is an easy read for others and it's a gateway to getting inside of my mind and how I write.‘

Jamell blends his talents as both a poet and prose author in formatting his novel in a large-scale poetic layout. Leaving spaces between his phrases allows the reader to enter the mind of the main character and learn as he learns. The related story is that of Harry, imprisoned for drunk driving resulting in the deaths of two people. From his prison cell he begins his story, a confessional that relives the horror of that fateful night, the subsequent imprisonment with all the stresses that produces, to coming to grips with his alcoholism (a family trait!), and finding a path to rehabilitation – and redemption.

One Drink Too Many by Jamell Crouthers tackles the issue of drunk driving. This book is written in a poetry format, making it a little challenging to read. However that very format makes for a memorable and unputdownable book. We have the opening pages that start in a prison, a young man named Harry, or prisoner number- 12201990, in his cell, going over in his head what happens in prison on a daily basis and how he survives. If only he hadn't made that one bad decision to drink and drive, his life would be totally different. With a childhood that included a lot of drinking and drugs, Harry was an only child, privileged and spoiled, often looked to as the cool kid. That led to a lot of bad decision making. While the author gives here a classic example of a life gone wrong, there may be redemption, grace, and forgiveness for Harry. This book examines what it means to make a mistake, and how, hopefully you can overcome that mistake and still lead a meaningful life. Highly recommend it.

I love a well-written book in verse. One Drink Too Many by Jamell Crouthers is more than just a well-written book in verse – it is a book that can change lives. Written for a teen and young adult audience, the writer has keyed into a situation that most young people and adults will face at some time in their lives: are they “okay enough” to drive after drinking? The story is told through the eyes of Harry, who is in prison for driving drunk and killing 3 innocent people. Readers learn about Harry's backstory and what happened on that devastating evening, as well as following his prison journey. In prison, Harry has to choose whether he will sit and rot or if he will search for redemption and try to use his story to influence others for the better. Since the book is only 78 pages and is written in verse, it can be read quickly and it will be appealing to reluctant readers, which makes it perfect for the teen demographic.

In One Drink Too Many, Jamell Crouthers crafts a cautionary tale of the far reaching and life changing effects of one decision.