Drink

A Cultural History of Alcohol

De: Iain Gately

Narrado por: Matthew Lloyd Davies

A spirited look at the history of alcohol, from the dawn of civilization to the modern day.

Alcohol is a fundamental part of Western culture. We have been drinking as long as we have been human, and for better or worse, alcohol has shaped our civilization. Drink investigates the history of this Jekyll and Hyde of fluids, tracing mankind's love/hate relationship with alcohol from ancient Egypt to the present day.

Drink further documents the contribution of alcohol to the birth and growth of the United States, taking in the War of Independence, the Pennsylvania Whiskey revolt, the slave trade, and the failed experiment of national Prohibition. Finally, it provides a history of the world's most famous drinks-and the world's most famous drinkers. Packed with trivia and colorful characters, Drink amounts to an intoxicating history of the world.

©2008 Iain Gately (P)2019 Tantor

doing this in the blind as audible has screwed up the interphase again

I got this free. I am glad I spent the time . I learned some things. But...not nearly as enjoyable or fun as expected. it feels more like a lecture and at times an anti alcohol book.

Study the history of food, sex and alcohol to knew all that is humanity

One of the big three, well researched, great narrator and very enlightening. A must for history buffs and causal read alike.

A detail account of why you should be drinking

I learned a whole lot more than I thought I would. I didn't expect there to be so much world history covered in this book. Well done!

Amazing!

I really enjoyed this a lot. My favorite audio book I’ve listened too. Make sure to remember that you WILL want to drink over the course of it so keep that in mind while listening!

An excellent review of the history of alchohol.

I was given this book because I have a very negative view of alchohol. Far from a prohibitionist but not quite a free drinker, I've learned a bit more about my relationship with alchohol in a positive way.

The most concise history of alcohol you’ll ever hear.

As a spirits professional with a half dozen certifications, I can say this has been one of my favorite books on alcohol I have ever seen.

It is charming and far reaching across both time and culture.

My only complaint is that I wish it had been longer!

Interesting story of the history of booze/people

A fun, well-narrated exploration of booze and the people that drink it, or do not!

Delightful listen

Not a boring History book; makes you rethink your next drink (preferably while sipping it).

Very very very DRY

As a history buff, I was VERY displeased at how dry this topic was. I choose this as a fun alternative to my normal history listens. There were so many missed opportunities for fun stories, or entertaining insight on such good topics across history, but it was completely lacking. Very hard to pay attention to when listening because it was just the same thing over and over regarding mankind moving to a new place, creating a new alcohol, and so on and so forth. I was really surprised from the reviews I read previous to listening to this book, because they were all misleading!

Not recommended: great history with tons of bias

The book does a great job introduction the history of alcoholic consumption from the ancient period to the modern day, that part I really enjoyed.

What’s far less enjoyable is the trolly loads of confirmation bias and cherry picking the author indulges in to paint alcohol in a positive light. He cites studies showing a correlation between wine consumption and lower heart diseases, but never bothers to mention the existence of counter points arguing that people who drink wine are typically more affluent and thus have better health outcomes anyways. He cites the history of how vodka evolved through Russian history but puts little emphasis on how many millions of women are beaten and abused at home due to wide spread alcoholism amongst Russian men; he also neglects to mention that vodka production was the Czar’s primary method of oppressing the Russian populous and how it was put into turbo under Stalin, trading the people’s health for the Soviet coffers.

This book tries too hard to paint alcohol as this funny little drink that makes you act funny by ignoring all the seriously harmful and dark parts of its history, and threw away its respectability as a result.