A Portrait of the Piss Artist as a Young Man

(Paperback)

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It was love at first taste for fifteen-year-old Tadhg Hickey when he drank a can of Scrumpy Jack on the night of his exam results. Straight away it provided a cure for that constant feeling of 'something wrong, something not quite right', a way of numbing anxiety and childhood trauma. He realised he was extraordinarily good at drinking and energetically threw himself into a life of pubs, parties and staying pissed, while also managing to become a comedian. But alcohol had the last laugh ...

A Portrait of the Piss Artist as a Young Man shows us the often-hilarious lengths of self-deception an alcoholic will go to, the horrific consequences of addiction and the redemptive process of recovering from this deadly but ultimately treatable illness, and remaining sober. A deeply touching memoir and with a side of self-help, Tadhg's easy-going writing style belies his serious message - that each of us has the power to change our lives.

Reviews

''Tadhg has mastered the skill of making the difficult shit that us humans deal with in life accessible, through a beautiful irreverent cocktail of vulnerability, hilarity, emotional intelligence and charm'' - Niall Breslin, aka Bressie

''An amazing story of addiction and redemption'' - Paul Howard

''Hickey's memoir is self-deprecating and well-paced, but the liveliness is a smokescreen for his more serious intent. However familiar the addiction arc, Hickey's candour could actually really help people, especially those noticing the "craic" mutating into something decidedly less fun'' - Irish Times

''[A] memoir of catastrophe and eventual triumph'' - Independent Westmeath

''Tadhg Hickey has really put his heart and soul into this memoir of catastrophe and eventual triumph, and I hope it sells and sells. If nothing else, it's an inspiration to anyone who may be having similar problems'' - Anne Cunningham

Author Bio

Tadhg Hickey is a comedian, actor, writer, director, voice-over artist and an alcoholic. He has written and performed sitcoms and Player series for RT, his viral sketches have achieved global critical and media acclaim, and his one-man shows enjoy sell-out tours throughout Ireland and the UK. He lives in the best city in the best country in the world - Cork, Ireland, obviously - with his partner and newborn baby. The piss artist's newborn needs nappies, so buy this book.