A Short History of Drunkenness
How, Why, Where, and When Humankind Has Gotten Merry from the Stone Age to the Present
By Mark Forsyth | Publisher: Crown
About the book
From the internationally bestselling author of The Etymologicon, a lively and fascinating exploration of how, throughout history, each civilization has found a way to celebrate, or to control, the eternal human drive to get sloshed
“An entertaining bar hop though the past 10,000 years.”—The New York Times Book Review
Almost every culture on earth has drink, and where there’s drink there’s drunkenness. But in every age and in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. It can be religious, it can be sexual, it can be the duty of kings or the relief of peasants. It can be an offering to the ancestors, or a way of marking the end of a day’s work. It can send you to sleep, or send you into battle.
Making stops all over the world, A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind’s love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to the twentieth century, answering every possible question along the way: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy and Sumerians got sauced, and find out how bars in the Wild West were never quite like in the movies.
This is a history of the world at its inebriated best.
Editions of A Short History of Drunkenness
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780525575375
- EBook
- ISBN 9780525575382
Read an Excerpt
From the internationally bestselling author of The Etymologicon, a lively and fascinating exploration of how, throughout history, each civilization has found a way to celebrate, or to control, the eternal human drive to get sloshed
“An entertaining bar hop though the past 10,000 years.”—The New York Times Book Review
Almost every culture on earth has drink, and where there’s drink there’s drunkenness. But in every age and in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. It can be religious, it can be sexual, it can be the duty of kings or the relief of peasants. It can be an offering to the ancestors, or a way of marking the end of a day’s work. It can send you to sleep, or send you into battle.
Making stops all over the world, A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind’s love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to the twentieth century, answering every possible question along the way: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy and Sumerians got sauced, and find out how bars in the Wild West were never quite like in the movies.
This is a history of the world at its inebriated best.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Short History of Drunkenness about?
From the internationally bestselling author of The Etymologicon, a lively and fascinating exploration of how, throughout history, each civilization has found a way to celebrate, or to control, the eternal human drive to get sloshed
“An entertaining bar hop though the past 10,000 years.”—The New York Times Book Review
Almost every culture on earth has drink, and where there’s drink there’s drunkenness. But in every age and in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. It can be religious, it can be sexual, it can be the duty of kings or the relief of peasants. It can be an offering to the ancestors, or a way of marking the end of a day’s work. It can send you to sleep, or send you into battle.
Making stops all over the world, A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind’s love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to the twentieth century, answering every possible question along the way: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy and Sumerians got sauced, and find out how bars in the Wild West were never quite like in the movies.
This is a history of the world at its inebriated best.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in A Short History of Drunkenness?
History and Archaeology > History > History: specific events and topics > Social and cultural history
Where can I read a sample of A Short History of Drunkenness?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780525575375
Who is/are the Author/s of the book A Short History of Drunkenness?
Mark Forsyth
Who is the Publisher of the book A Short History of Drunkenness?
Crown
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
A Short History of Drunkenness is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780525575375) and ebook(ISBN 9780525575382)
Where can I buy A Short History of Drunkenness online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy A Short History of Drunkenness?