Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, by Natalie MacLean

 

Available May 9 (Canada) and June 7 (US)

First, an admission. I know next to nothing about the wine industry, its marketing or community. I know the issues of women climbing the ladder in a largely male dominated area, however. That said, while I found the details of MacLean's climb as a wine writer and the obstacles she faced specific to that industry interesting, especially while dealing with the devastation of divorce, it was the human element that attracted me.

I'm not going to detail the story, others will have done a far better job of it than I could. Instead, I'm simply going to share some of my own reactions as I read. First, I was impressed by the brutal honestly of Natalie MacLean. She somehow came across as vulnerable and emotional while still showing strength and determination. Her husband's unexpected declaration that he wanted a divorce, during the Christmas holidays, no less, closely followed by attacks on her career by rivals, left her stunned. Yet, even as her world whirled out of control, her first thought was of her then young son. No matter what, she wanted to protect him. That made me like her and want to see her come out ahead. Mother first, business woman second, in other words. This is the story of how she got to that point and how she moved on, often stumbling, questioning herself, unsure, uneasy, yet determined to turn this disaster into victory. I wanted to see her overcome, so to speak.

It's an often emotional, intense read. She shares words of wisdom from friends and counselors. Given recent media attention to mental issues and depression where those seeking help are often scoffed at for being weak, she did what she needed to do. That said, she worried that people would think her a psychological exhibitionist by sharing her roller-coaster ride in a book, but pressed on. You'll like her counselor. It's an intensely personal story, one that will dazzle you one moment with peeks into the glamour of the wine industry, with hints on tasting and evaluating wine, but also tell you how she came to write about wine in the first place. Yes, it's all there. Laid out bare. 

Quite frankly, I've barely touched the surface of all I learned, experienced, and, yes, felt as I read. Her personal story isn't mine and while our worlds seem far, far apart, human nature and experiences are universal. Be prepared for quite the ride as you read. It won't be an easy read but you won't regret one moment of it.