5. Personal Geology

Examining the fault lines bisecting her life, Amy questions why she became an alcoholic.

Amy Liptrot's incisive memoir of overcoming alcoholism amid the luminous Orkney landscape.

Liptrot grew up on a sheep farm on Orkney. She was shaped by the wind-swept islands, but longed for the excitement of the city.

A move to London led to a life that was hedonistic and fun but she was unable to control her drinking. Her alcoholism exposed her to some terrifying situations and left her lost and lonely.

At 30 she finds herself washed up back home in Orkney, and discovers that this place she once longed to escape is curative, its wildness and lore playing an essential part in her recovery from addiction.

Abridged by Sara Davies.

Concluded by Tracy Wiles,

Producer: Simon Richardson

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2016.