Review of Tamed & Alive

Laney K · Post by **Laney K** » 21 Jun 2025, 13:11

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tamed & Alive" by Lori Anderson.]

5 out of 5 stars

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Tamed & Alive by Lori Anderson is a memoir of Lori's life and experiences as an addict and someone with borderline personality disorder. Her story started when she graduated from a Catholic all-girls high school. After graduation, she begins a vicious cycle of falling in love, moving to a new country, and failing to hold down a job. Due to her mental health issues, the consequences of her actions were of little concern as she would impulsively move in with a man after knowing him for a day or hop the border to a new country. Drugs and alcohol were constant companions. Read about this and more in her memoir Tamed & Alive.

As someone who enjoys dark humor, the writing style of this book was right up my alley. Despite the truly horrifying things that Anderson went through, she maintained a sense of humor throughout the book. From the opening joke about hoping her crimes are past the statute of limitations to digs about how as she improved the book would be dull, Anderson was not afraid of self-deprecating or dark humor. That being said, if you are not a fan of such humor, then it is probably better if you avoid this book.

The book can also be eye-opening to the world of addiction and mental illness. Before reading this memoir, I did not know anything about borderline personality disorder. Her story gave me insight into the diagnosis and prompted me to do further research. Though I have known several addicts in my life, I do believe this memoir helped me better understand the vicious cycle of addiction.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The humor embedded throughout the book added a lighter side to a heavy and dark book. There was nothing to dislike. Anderson was candid about her experiences, which was refreshing to read. Her struggles with her mental health and addictions were eye-opening to me and helped to bring insight to a widely unknown mental health diagnosis. I do believe this book is better suited to non-religious or open-minded audiences, as deeply religious people might be offended by some of the content in this book. If you enjoy dark humor and emotional memoirs, I highly suggest you check out Tamed & Alive.

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Tamed & Alive
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Post by **Kibet Hillary** » 23 Jun 2025, 14:38

I am happy that the author handles an important topic while still maintaining to infuse humor in the book. I also do not know much about borderline personality disorder, but the book has, undoubtedly, ignited a spark in me to learn more about it. Many thanks for the review, @Laney K.

Post by **Kutloano Makhuvhela** » 25 Jun 2025, 15:24

This reads like a hard book. Addiction and impulsive behaviour I reckon don't mix well together. I think the memoir would be an eye-opener for many readers. Thank you for taking your time to pen down this review.

Onyemuwa-dave · Post by **Onyemuwa-dave** » 26 Jun 2025, 04:17

Foremost, I must say it actually takes strength to joke about traumatic experience that you passed through like the author does in the book. The author tries her possible best to highlight the negative impact unchecked Drug and mental health issues can cause on the individual. This looks like a really interesting read, thank you for the review.

Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 27 Jun 2025, 15:50

From the outside, one might think that Lori was living a life of spontaneity and adventure as opposed to chaos and misery. I am intrigued by her book and I am sure I will read about all four of those elements. I want to know her story of addiction and struggles with personality disorder. Thank you for reviewing this book.

Helen Waziri · Post by **Helen Waziri** » 15 Jul 2025, 10:55

It sounds like Tamed & Alive offers a raw and deeply personal look at addiction and mental health, with the author’s candidness being a key strength. The dark humor throughout the book must create an interesting contrast to the serious themes, and it’s great that it opened your eyes to borderline personality disorder. I imagine Anderson’s humor really adds a unique layer to her experiences, making her struggles relatable despite their darkness. It’s definitely a book that requires a certain kind of reader, but for those open to it, it sounds like a powerful read.

Etimbuk Eshiet · Post by **Etimbuk Eshiet** » 15 Jul 2025, 17:09

This review really captured my interest. I appreciate how the author used humor to lighten such a heavy topic. It’s inspiring to hear how candidly she shared her journey, and now I’m even more curious about the book. Thanks for the thoughtful review!