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High Spirits: A Cultural History of Alcohol, Drugs, and Other Beautiful Mistakes
From the first fermented fruit to the last digital dopamine hit — this is the ultimate story of humanity’s oldest getting out of its own head.
High Spirits is a darkly funny, brutally honest journey through thousands of years of intoxication — from sacred brews and opium dreams to caffeine addictions, love obsessions, and virtual highs. Historian-philosopher Heinrich Wilson uncorks the truth about our we’ve always been drunk on something, whether it’s wine, religion, technology, or ourselves.
Why do we chase pleasure knowing it ruins us? Why do comfort and chaos taste so similar? And what happens when the next big high isn’t in a bottle, but in a microchip?
Blending history, psychology, and wicked humor, Wilson traces the rise of civilization through its hangovers — revealing that every empire, every invention, and every idea was born from one irresistible the desire to feel more alive.
Raise a glass, plug in, and take the trip.
Because sobriety was never humanity’s strong suit.
High Spirits is a darkly funny, brutally honest journey through thousands of years of intoxication — from sacred brews and opium dreams to caffeine addictions, love obsessions, and virtual highs. Historian-philosopher Heinrich Wilson uncorks the truth about our we’ve always been drunk on something, whether it’s wine, religion, technology, or ourselves.
Why do we chase pleasure knowing it ruins us? Why do comfort and chaos taste so similar? And what happens when the next big high isn’t in a bottle, but in a microchip?
Blending history, psychology, and wicked humor, Wilson traces the rise of civilization through its hangovers — revealing that every empire, every invention, and every idea was born from one irresistible the desire to feel more alive.
Raise a glass, plug in, and take the trip.
Because sobriety was never humanity’s strong suit.
119 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2025
About the author
Heinrich Wilson
75 books13 followersEnglish
Heinrich Wilson is an author with a wide-ranging catalogue that shifts in tone from sharp satire to heartfelt drama. His works explore hidden history, karma, timelines, and the mysteries of life and death, while also venturing into historical overviews and moving fiction. Books like The Cosmic Connection and The Great Book of Karma blend curiosity with wit, while titles such as Annie reveal his more serious and emotional side. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Empires series adds yet another dimension, distilling history into concise and accessible form. No matter the subject, Wilson’s writing always challenges readers to see life, history, and themselves from a new perspective.
Deutsch
Heinrich Wilson ist ein Autor mit einem vielseitigen Werk, das von bissiger Satire bis zu ernsten Dramen reicht. Seine Bücher behandeln verborgene Geschichte, Karma, Zeitlinien und die Rätsel von Leben und Tod, greifen aber auch historische Themen und bewegende Romane auf. Werke wie The Cosmic Connection und Das große Buch des Karmas verbinden Neugier mit Witz, während Titel wie Annie seine ernste und emotionale Seite zeigen. Mit der Reihe Aufstieg und Fall alter Reiche eröffnet er zudem einen klaren, kompakten Zugang zur Geschichte. Egal welches Thema – Wilsons Bücher fordern die Leser heraus, Leben, Geschichte und sich selbst mit neuen Augen zu betrachten.
Heinrich Wilson is an author with a wide-ranging catalogue that shifts in tone from sharp satire to heartfelt drama. His works explore hidden history, karma, timelines, and the mysteries of life and death, while also venturing into historical overviews and moving fiction. Books like The Cosmic Connection and The Great Book of Karma blend curiosity with wit, while titles such as Annie reveal his more serious and emotional side. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Empires series adds yet another dimension, distilling history into concise and accessible form. No matter the subject, Wilson’s writing always challenges readers to see life, history, and themselves from a new perspective.
Deutsch
Heinrich Wilson ist ein Autor mit einem vielseitigen Werk, das von bissiger Satire bis zu ernsten Dramen reicht. Seine Bücher behandeln verborgene Geschichte, Karma, Zeitlinien und die Rätsel von Leben und Tod, greifen aber auch historische Themen und bewegende Romane auf. Werke wie The Cosmic Connection und Das große Buch des Karmas verbinden Neugier mit Witz, während Titel wie Annie seine ernste und emotionale Seite zeigen. Mit der Reihe Aufstieg und Fall alter Reiche eröffnet er zudem einen klaren, kompakten Zugang zur Geschichte. Egal welches Thema – Wilsons Bücher fordern die Leser heraus, Leben, Geschichte und sich selbst mit neuen Augen zu betrachten.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 30, 2025
𝐀 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
High Spirits feels less like a lecture and more like an honest admission about who we are. Heinrich Wilson makes it clear that civilization wasn’t built on discipline alone, but on desire, escape, and obsession. The writing is playful yet precise, often humorous but never careless. What lingered with me was how modern distractions are treated as just another form of intoxication. The book quietly invites self-reflection without demanding agreement. It challenges the reader while still remaining approachable. Engaging, revealing, and unexpectedly personal.
High Spirits feels less like a lecture and more like an honest admission about who we are. Heinrich Wilson makes it clear that civilization wasn’t built on discipline alone, but on desire, escape, and obsession. The writing is playful yet precise, often humorous but never careless. What lingered with me was how modern distractions are treated as just another form of intoxication. The book quietly invites self-reflection without demanding agreement. It challenges the reader while still remaining approachable. Engaging, revealing, and unexpectedly personal.
December 30, 2025
𝐀𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠
High Spirits doesn’t shame humanity for its cravings, it explains them. Heinrich Wilson presents intoxication as a constant companion to progress, not a flaw to be erased. The blend of humor, history, and psychology keeps the book engaging without oversimplifying its ideas. What stays with you is the question it leaves behind: what are we intoxicated by now? The book feels especially timely in a world driven by endless stimulation. Insightful, relevant, and quietly provocative, this is a read that invites long reflection.
High Spirits doesn’t shame humanity for its cravings, it explains them. Heinrich Wilson presents intoxication as a constant companion to progress, not a flaw to be erased. The blend of humor, history, and psychology keeps the book engaging without oversimplifying its ideas. What stays with you is the question it leaves behind: what are we intoxicated by now? The book feels especially timely in a world driven by endless stimulation. Insightful, relevant, and quietly provocative, this is a read that invites long reflection.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews