The Old Game: A Retrospect After Three and a Half Years on the Water-wagon

by Samuel G. (Samuel George) Blythe

"The Old Game: A Retrospect After Three and a Half Years on the Water-wagon" by Samuel G. Blythe is a reflective account written in the early 20th century. This work falls under the category of personal memoir and provides insight into the author's experiences and observations regarding alcohol consumption and the journey of abstinence from drinking. The book likely explores the personal and social implications of giving up alcohol, highlighting the contrasts between the conviviality of drinking and the perceived benefits of sobriety. In this memoir, Blythe shares his perspective after three and a half years of sobriety, reflecting on the "old game" of drinking and the new game of abstinence. He examines what he gained and lost during his transition to a non-drinking lifestyle, acknowledging both the physical and mental toll that alcohol took on him and his peers. Through candid observations, he describes encounters with friends, societal expectations surrounding drinking, and the adjustments he had to make in his social life. Blythe ultimately concludes that quitting alcohol has led to improved health and a more fulfilling use of time, arguing that the mental clarity and personal freedom derived from sobriety far outweigh the fleeting pleasures of drinking.