**A Cautionary Tale: Memoir Shines a Light on Wales’ Troubling Relationship with Alcohol**
In a country often celebrated for its rich culture and musical heritage, the shadow of alcohol addiction looms large—a theme confronted head on in Sophie Calon’s searing memoir, *Long Going*. This candid and evocative book, subtitled “a daughter’s memoir of a dad who drank”, has struck a chord with readers, offering a deeply personal exploration of a problem that touches far too many lives in Wales.
Calon, a Cardiff-based writer, narrates the heartbreaking decline of her father, once a successful lawyer, whose life unravelled over the course of just five years. At 50, he was at the height of his profession. By the time he reached 55, he had lost everything, eventually dying alone in Cardiff city centre at the close of the year. Gone was the man who once found beauty in all things, replaced by someone lost to addiction’s grasp. For a period, he even found himself camping in Callaghan Square—uncomfortably close to the very office where he had closed million-pound deals not long before.
The memoir is more than a family story; it is a mirror held up to Welsh society’s relationship with alcohol. Calon’s account does not sanitise or sensationalise. Instead, it offers an honest portrayal of the destruction wrought by dependency, both on the individual and their loved ones. Through her recollections, we see her emotional struggle—balancing compassion and deep love with the heartbreak and bewilderment addiction brings.
Readers have found the narrative almost unbearably relatable. For anyone who has watched a friend or family member’s personality gradually eroded by substance misuse, the effect is gut-wrenching. The book’s resonance lies in its refusal to provide neat resolutions; there is no redemption arc here, just the reality of lives unmade by dependency. Calon’s elegant yet unflinching prose brings to life the pain, the confusion, and the enduring affection that survive even as relationships are strained to breaking point.
Experts on addiction agree that alcohol dependency rarely announces itself suddenly. The memoir echoes the famous Hemingway quote describing bankruptcy: “gradually, then suddenly”. In Wales—as in much of the UK—drinking remains deeply woven into the cultural fabric, making early warning signs all too easy to overlook. The difference between social drinking and spiralling addiction can be hard to pinpoint, especially in a society where abstaining from alcohol is often viewed with suspicion.
Welsh statistics are sobering. In 2023, Wales recorded 562 deaths where alcohol was the direct cause—a 16% increase on the previous year and a troubling rise from 351 only a decade earlier. The impact, however, extends further than these figures. Alcohol features in a vast array of medical emergencies, chronic diseases and, tragically, violent incidents. The reach of alcohol-related harm is often underestimated, with countless indirect consequences never being fully captured by statistics.
The roots of such problems are not confined to any one socioeconomic group. As Calon’s own privileged upbringing illustrates, addiction knows no class boundaries. Those seeking support range from doctors and judges to the unemployed. Nevertheless, deprivation aggravates the risks. Individuals in the most deprived areas of Wales are nearly three times as likely to require hospital treatment for alcohol-specific conditions compared to residents in more affluent regions. Merthyr Tydfil stands out with some of the highest rates in the country.
Efforts to curb alcohol harm, such as the introduction of minimum pricing in 2020, have not been a panacea. Reports reveal that dependent drinkers often continue to put buying alcohol before meeting other essential needs, sometimes exacerbating hardship rather than alleviating it. Campaigners stress the urgent need for more robust and accessible treatment and support services across the nation.
*Long Going* does not just chronicle personal loss. It casts light on the multi-generational consequences of addiction, particularly for children growing up in homes where substance misuse is prevalent. Calon’s journey encompasses the pain of estrangement and the solace found in nature—remnants of the joy her father once instilled in her. Yet for many, the scars of addiction persist well beyond the event itself, often shrouded by shame and silence.
Calon’s account opens the door for a more honest conversation around addiction in Wales—a conversation that, despite its discomfort, is sorely needed. The memoir serves as a tribute to her father and stands as a call for understanding, empathy, and systemic change.
If you or someone you know is affected by issues relating to alcohol, help is available via the Dan 24/7 helpline on 0808 808 2234 or at www.dan247.org.uk. The journey to recovery starts with a conversation—one that, as Calon’s powerful book shows, can break the grip of silence and begin to heal fractured lives.