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Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol
In the tradition of wildly popular histories such as Salt, an intoxicating tour of the cause of and solution to all of life's problems: alcohol.
Alcohol is a fundamental part of western culture and an essential element of Christianity. It is the most controversial part of our diet, simultaneously nourishing and intoxicating. 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. Along the way it scrutinizes the drinking habits of presidents, prophets, and barbarian hordes, and features drinkers as diverse as Homer, Ernest Hemingway, William Shakespeare, Al Capone, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.
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. Enthusiasts of craft brews and fine wines will discover the origins of their favorite tipples. Packed with trivia and colorful characters, Drink amounts to a sloshed history of the world: Better make it a double.
Alcohol is a fundamental part of western culture and an essential element of Christianity. It is the most controversial part of our diet, simultaneously nourishing and intoxicating. 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. Along the way it scrutinizes the drinking habits of presidents, prophets, and barbarian hordes, and features drinkers as diverse as Homer, Ernest Hemingway, William Shakespeare, Al Capone, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.
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. Enthusiasts of craft brews and fine wines will discover the origins of their favorite tipples. Packed with trivia and colorful characters, Drink amounts to a sloshed history of the world: Better make it a double.
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First published July 3, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
December 18, 2013
It’s a sad reflection on the state of popular histories in general that I got really excited when Iain Gately’s Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol devoted an entire chapter to Australia and the Rum Rebellion. And then split a chapter between China and Japan. And, um, mentioned Africa.
Okay, what I’m saying is that if you’re setting out to write a history of [something] in a Euro-American context, you should say so upfront and not go around calling it something silly like “a global history”. That way, people won’t be pathetically grateful when you remember there are other parts of the world.Vague observations on the state of popular non-fiction aside, this was a light, breezy read that actually didn’t contain much that I didn’t already know, but it seemed generally accurate and sensible.
Okay, what I’m saying is that if you’re setting out to write a history of [something] in a Euro-American context, you should say so upfront and not go around calling it something silly like “a global history”. That way, people won’t be pathetically grateful when you remember there are other parts of the world.Vague observations on the state of popular non-fiction aside, this was a light, breezy read that actually didn’t contain much that I didn’t already know, but it seemed generally accurate and sensible.
December 5, 2020
For a book all about alcohol, it was pretty dry. (Hardy har.) It’s a world history through the lens of alcohol. According to this book, every major human event was motivated by alcohol. Roman empire? Expanded to find more alcohol. The Christian Eucharist? An excuse to drink wine. The American Revolution? A reaction to bans on rum imports. And so on.
The book starts with ancient civilizations like Greece, Rome, Egypt and China. Each discovered alcohol independently. So I thought this was a world history but it’s really a Western Civ history. Nearly all the book focuses on England and the United States, with an occasional reference to the rest of Europe and a mention of Asia near the end.
I was more interested in the different types of drinks and how they affected people. I could not care less about the drinking opinions or habits of Samuel Coleridge or Picasso or anyone else.
It took until the 1850s for the world to discover that alcohol was the same ingredient in all these drinks. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome wasn’t addressed until the 1970s, and drunken driving didn’t get much attention until the 1980s. Yikes. There is no mention of domestic violence related to drunkenness, and the author pretty casually dismisses all these other concerns. By the end it’s pretty clear he adores alcohol:
Alcohol has been one of the building blocks of Western civilization and continues to be an important ingredient of both our diet and our culture. While its contribution to nutrition is often overlooked, it is nonetheless significant. ... In addition to sustenance, alcohol also provides an aesthetic experience—drinking is an affair of the palate, as much as of the stomach or the head. ... Moreover, the power of alcoholic drinks to lessen inhibitions and facilitate self-expression continues to associate their consumption with friendship, and artists in every medium still page homage to their liquid muses. Finally, there is yet a place for intoxication in modern society. We resort to the bottle when our passions are high—we drink to celebrate and to drown our sorrows. ... Moderate tippling has a positive effect on health. ... Its beneficial side effects are readily apparent: It eases the stresses of coexistence, it helps us to relax when we are tense, it restores life’s luster when we feel sad.
I feel I should add that studies promoting health benefits have been disputed recently, and medical experts say such benefits do not outweigh the risks. Any health benefits from alcohol are easily obtained from other dietary sources. About 93,000 Americans a year die from alcohol; worldwide it is several million.
The author has about five or ten favorite words (per annum, tippling, eponymous), and eventually I got really sick of them. There is also a serious lack of copy editing in this book. Commas are thrown about completely randomly and often show up between a subject and verb.
December 2, 2024
Lasu citu atsauksmēs, ka galvenā sūdzība ir "tā nav nekāda pasaules vēsture, tur viss koncertēts tikai uz angliski runājošo pasaules daļu" - bet grāmata jau tā bija gana apjomīga, un es balsoju par kvalitāti, ne kvantitāti tikai tāpēc, ka vajag (un tika jau tika minēti arī Austrālijas aborigēni, indiāņi, maliet Āzijas utt).
Man patika valodas stils, kur es jutu aizrautību ar tematu. Man ļoti patika, kā caur vienas lietas (alkohola) prizmu tik skatīta pasaules ekonomiskā, sociālā, reliģiskā un kultūras vēsture.
Man patika valodas stils, kur es jutu aizrautību ar tematu. Man ļoti patika, kā caur vienas lietas (alkohola) prizmu tik skatīta pasaules ekonomiskā, sociālā, reliģiskā un kultūras vēsture.
August 2, 2016
This book has some really great historical tidbits in it, and the style is clear and very enjoyable to read.
My main criticism is that I can't help but think about all the things missing from this book. It attempts to look at drinking all over the world, but in practice anything outside of Western Europe and U.S. history (and the Greek and Roman classical eras that they claim lineage from) is pretty pathetically covered. A few-page dip here and there into Japan or Brazil as encountered by Westerners really gives nothing more than a snapshot with little contextualization.
At the end of the day, this is "a" cultural history indeed, and although nowhere near complete, still a fun and informative read.
My main criticism is that I can't help but think about all the things missing from this book. It attempts to look at drinking all over the world, but in practice anything outside of Western Europe and U.S. history (and the Greek and Roman classical eras that they claim lineage from) is pretty pathetically covered. A few-page dip here and there into Japan or Brazil as encountered by Westerners really gives nothing more than a snapshot with little contextualization.
At the end of the day, this is "a" cultural history indeed, and although nowhere near complete, still a fun and informative read.
March 25, 2009
As I was reading this book, I kept developing a prodigious thirst for both the text and the subject matter. Ah, alcohol! I cannot even try to read about your glories without falling prey to your allure!
Ahem, sorry... Anyway, this popular history covers the entire history of the drink of poets, madmen, working men and gods, but the keenest focus is on how cultures -- from the ancient Sumerians to modern-day Americans and all in between -- view the water of life. Each new type of alcohol is introduced in the text with a brief history of how it came about, but the meat of the book is how these beverages fit into the world around them, what impact the drinks had and how various people viewed them. Thus, if you are looking for a history of alcohol that focuses primarily on the origins, creation, manufacture, etc. of the drink, you are best to look elsewhere. However, if you wish to learn the glorious and inglorious history of mankind's favorite drink, this is the book for you.
Whiskey rebellions! Gin scares! Prohibition! Drys vs. wets! Religion! War! Sex! It is all here, mashed up and fermented to near perfection by the author, who is clearly sympathetic to the subject matter.
Prost!
Ahem, sorry... Anyway, this popular history covers the entire history of the drink of poets, madmen, working men and gods, but the keenest focus is on how cultures -- from the ancient Sumerians to modern-day Americans and all in between -- view the water of life. Each new type of alcohol is introduced in the text with a brief history of how it came about, but the meat of the book is how these beverages fit into the world around them, what impact the drinks had and how various people viewed them. Thus, if you are looking for a history of alcohol that focuses primarily on the origins, creation, manufacture, etc. of the drink, you are best to look elsewhere. However, if you wish to learn the glorious and inglorious history of mankind's favorite drink, this is the book for you.
Whiskey rebellions! Gin scares! Prohibition! Drys vs. wets! Religion! War! Sex! It is all here, mashed up and fermented to near perfection by the author, who is clearly sympathetic to the subject matter.
Prost!
October 13, 2023
Read about half and I couldn't renew, somebody else must want to borrow it. Very interesting at times, at others? Well Half the book seems to be humans loved AL so much that, couldn't have society without it, were all drunks. And a lot of people drank because of the anti microbial properties, transportability, longevity etc. Still, interesting. I didn't finish by the time I had to return it. I borrowed it again later and . . . still very interesting. If people went to war for access to salt, just guess... just guess...
Edit. Sigh. Everything has to do with greed somehow. In reading the second half I still find it interesting but it's kind of dragging now. I like the book, I enjoy it. But 3.5 stars. I wish GR had a 1-10 scale of had half stars. I just can't justify giving 4 stars.
Edit. Sigh. Everything has to do with greed somehow. In reading the second half I still find it interesting but it's kind of dragging now. I like the book, I enjoy it. But 3.5 stars. I wish GR had a 1-10 scale of had half stars. I just can't justify giving 4 stars.
June 21, 2025
Gately gives the reader a bit of everything which is to be expected with as gargantuan a topic as "the history of alcohol." The stories around humanity's favorite beverage that this book chronicles provide plenty of fun historical anecdotes that I will bring up the next time I am sharing a bottle of wine. Each chapter intertwines the historical context of the time around each subject well, pointing out how, for example, the gin craze was triggered by farming legislature and not simply societal decay. The book also touches on some of the opponents of alcohol without granting them much credit for their contributions, discussing the impact of the temperance movement and AA from an admittedly pro-drinking perspective. Gately seems to be a bit of a romantic about booze, which (in my mind to Gately's credit) made the history read not merely as fact but as story.
July 21, 2022
Cool fun facts about alcohol but i wish it was more than just a Eurocentric view of things
December 22, 2022
A very good history of alcohol and it’s development over time
September 21, 2015
My wife saw this book on the shelves of a used bookstore and pointed it out to me. I'm a big fan of reading historical non-fiction, and a big fan of booze in all its myriad forms (I'm a cocktail author and a beer brewer ... and I'm not against a glass of wine on occasion either!), so this one definitely called to me.
Drink traces the evolution of alcohol--the drinks, our attitudes about it, our understanding of it--from the dawn of recorded history to very nearly the present day (it finishes up in 2008). It's a fascinating look at just how much of mankind's history is wrapped up in the production, distribution, and enjoyment of booze. We learn how beer and wine came into being as a form of liquid nutrition, but rapidly became much more than that. Gately adeptly traces alcohol's religious, spiritual, psychedelic, and other aspects.
He does all this with a steady, straightforward, highly readable voice. Drink is consistently interesting, frequently amusing, and often outright funny. Gately seems often to arch an eyebrow at the antics of those he's describing, while simultaneously passing no judgment (at least, not toward the drinkers ... he seems unable to pass up throwing a bit of scorn in the direction of the various temperance movements that have periodically derailed man's attempts to stay well-lubricated).
The only complaint I have with the book, and it was enough to knock a star off, is that it is incredibly Eurocentric. While some small amount of time is given to Africa and the Middle East (principally during the age of the great Egyptian kingdoms), and a little attention paid to Asia, the book mostly reads like a history of white people's relationship with Alcohol. While trying trace the history of alcohol throughout every nation and culture would probably be impossible, I would've liked to have seen a bit more about Central and South America, Asia, Africa, India, and other areas.
Overall, though, Drink was a great read. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I strongly recommend it to anyone else who loves a good, accessible history with which they can sit down--preferably with a glass of bourbon or beer in hand--and be entertained.
Drink traces the evolution of alcohol--the drinks, our attitudes about it, our understanding of it--from the dawn of recorded history to very nearly the present day (it finishes up in 2008). It's a fascinating look at just how much of mankind's history is wrapped up in the production, distribution, and enjoyment of booze. We learn how beer and wine came into being as a form of liquid nutrition, but rapidly became much more than that. Gately adeptly traces alcohol's religious, spiritual, psychedelic, and other aspects.
He does all this with a steady, straightforward, highly readable voice. Drink is consistently interesting, frequently amusing, and often outright funny. Gately seems often to arch an eyebrow at the antics of those he's describing, while simultaneously passing no judgment (at least, not toward the drinkers ... he seems unable to pass up throwing a bit of scorn in the direction of the various temperance movements that have periodically derailed man's attempts to stay well-lubricated).
The only complaint I have with the book, and it was enough to knock a star off, is that it is incredibly Eurocentric. While some small amount of time is given to Africa and the Middle East (principally during the age of the great Egyptian kingdoms), and a little attention paid to Asia, the book mostly reads like a history of white people's relationship with Alcohol. While trying trace the history of alcohol throughout every nation and culture would probably be impossible, I would've liked to have seen a bit more about Central and South America, Asia, Africa, India, and other areas.
Overall, though, Drink was a great read. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I strongly recommend it to anyone else who loves a good, accessible history with which they can sit down--preferably with a glass of bourbon or beer in hand--and be entertained.
July 7, 2011
Very entertaining, fascinating details, impressive scope. The breadth of research here is amazing, from Europe to Asia to Australia, from Sumeria at the beginning of recorded history, through the age of the Pharaohs, up through Russia in the 1990s, and the rise of craft brewing in America in the 2000s.
Understandably, the second half of the book slows down a bit, as we reach time periods with more recorded history. I enjoyed reading about the Whiskey Rebellion in the early days of American independence, the rum-soaked founding of Australia, the hybridized whiskey culture of Japan ("Make mine, Santori time"), and the twin saviors of the cognac industry: Hong Kong weddings and 90s rap musicians.
This book is strongest when talking about how people drank, and drink. I was unsatisfied by the author's explication of the why, the psychology of drinking and intoxication. Still, an amazing book, and a pleasure to read.
Three more random facts from the book:
1) The North American Indians were one of the only recorded cultures who did not have alcohol in their culture. Researchers speculate that this historical fact may have created a genetic weakness in regards to alcohol, and a trend toward alcoholism in Native Americans following European contact.
2) The slaves who built the Egyptian pyramids had a daily beer allotment of 10 pints (!). King Tutankhamen was buried with 40 bottles of wine in his sarcophagus: 20 whites and 20 reds.
3) During the 1990s there was a vodka shortage in Russia, and citizens resorted to making cocktails from "alternative intoxicants", including brake fluid. Tens of thousands died annually. Suspect moonshine produced in America during Prohibition claimed thousands of lives annually as well.
Understandably, the second half of the book slows down a bit, as we reach time periods with more recorded history. I enjoyed reading about the Whiskey Rebellion in the early days of American independence, the rum-soaked founding of Australia, the hybridized whiskey culture of Japan ("Make mine, Santori time"), and the twin saviors of the cognac industry: Hong Kong weddings and 90s rap musicians.
This book is strongest when talking about how people drank, and drink. I was unsatisfied by the author's explication of the why, the psychology of drinking and intoxication. Still, an amazing book, and a pleasure to read.
Three more random facts from the book:
1) The North American Indians were one of the only recorded cultures who did not have alcohol in their culture. Researchers speculate that this historical fact may have created a genetic weakness in regards to alcohol, and a trend toward alcoholism in Native Americans following European contact.
2) The slaves who built the Egyptian pyramids had a daily beer allotment of 10 pints (!). King Tutankhamen was buried with 40 bottles of wine in his sarcophagus: 20 whites and 20 reds.
3) During the 1990s there was a vodka shortage in Russia, and citizens resorted to making cocktails from "alternative intoxicants", including brake fluid. Tens of thousands died annually. Suspect moonshine produced in America during Prohibition claimed thousands of lives annually as well.
April 1, 2013
Easily one of my favorite books of all time. An endless source of trivia and handy facts for when you're out socializing and have nothing to add to the conversation. It's also written in a frank and forward style that had just enough wit to it without being cute.
It's essentially an object-oriented history, looking at the world from the perspective of alcohol as religious, economic, and social actor. It's why people grew crops, it's why they went to war, and it's why they put so much hops in the beer. This is obviously a bit myopic but the perspective is so unusual yet informative that it ultimately altered my thinking on a lot of history. Seeing things from just an economic perspective or social perspective is one thing, but you get a sometimes superior window by reading about what people were eating and drinking day in and out.
An excellent read.
It's essentially an object-oriented history, looking at the world from the perspective of alcohol as religious, economic, and social actor. It's why people grew crops, it's why they went to war, and it's why they put so much hops in the beer. This is obviously a bit myopic but the perspective is so unusual yet informative that it ultimately altered my thinking on a lot of history. Seeing things from just an economic perspective or social perspective is one thing, but you get a sometimes superior window by reading about what people were eating and drinking day in and out.
An excellent read.
April 23, 2009
Read around in this book. It was research for work. Somewhat dry for such a fun subject.
March 10, 2021
Alcohol has been a constant throughout civilization. As Mr. Gately shows there have been attempts to squash human enthusiasm for getting intoxicated, but with either little or no success. Even during harsh religious dictates, accommodations were allowed or underground avenues were created for wettin’ the ole whistle. While the author’s main focus is on various cultural evolutions involving alcohol, he also serves up plenty of interesting trivia about different customs that are not central to the topic. While the bulk of the book focuses on Europe and the United States, he covers alcohol’s importance and impact worldwide.
It appears, like many other animals, we were attracted to fermented fruits and its mind-altering effects even when we were still hairy simians, waaaay before we started wearing clothing or ever ate at a fast food joint. Mr. Gately takes us on a ride through alcohol’s development and yo-yoing reputation in various regions and times. It was not merely viewed as a food and intoxicant but also a medicine and status symbol. Leave it to humans to infuse the stuff with religious, moral, immoral, and near-magical significance. That author repeatedly shows that many old cultures make present-day imbibers look like friggin’ teetotalers. ‘Drink’ also explains the importance and shifting attitudes about alcohol throughout such periods as the Greek and Roman Empires, Christianity, Islam, the Dark Ages, the Aztecs, the Enlightenment, the stuff’s effect on Native Americans during colonialism, the American Revolution, the Temperance Movement, World Wars I and II, Prohibition, the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Vietnam War. Mr. Gately also does not shy away from such topics as fetal alcohol syndrome, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, wine’s health benefits, and how liquor companies find ingenious ways to market their products. People’s pretzel-like logic demonizing or praising certain alcohols over others was and still is about status-seeking poseurs trying to feel superior. Heck, there are multiple examples in ‘Drink’ where people who drank potable water instead of alcohol were seen as odd inferior beings. The book explains what happened when new liquors came into being such as cider, rum, gin, whiskey, and the invention of carbonation as well as distillation. Alcohol was everywhere and seen as so necessary that many laborers preferred payment by happy juice over actual currency. ‘Drink’ shows the push back by alcohol vendors when coffee, tea, and opium hit the populace. There’s even a chapter dedicated to absinthe that was completely unfamiliar to me. You will recognize a constant pattern throughout the book where the rich and powerful are treated very differently than most of the population when it comes to access, cost, and punishment.
‘Drink’ will not help you to become a bartender or, god forbid, help you rationalize your alcoholism. Mr. Gately’s objective was to show alcohol’s importance in human development. It was not just a beverage. Alcohol consumption is shown to symbolize a person’s heritage and sometimes as a political statement. The author displays its benefits as well as its cruelty. It is well written and includes quite a bit of humor. ‘Drink’ will help you put alcohol in a clear-eyed historical perspective. That’s a good thing because giggle juice is certainly never going away unless humans become extinct.
It appears, like many other animals, we were attracted to fermented fruits and its mind-altering effects even when we were still hairy simians, waaaay before we started wearing clothing or ever ate at a fast food joint. Mr. Gately takes us on a ride through alcohol’s development and yo-yoing reputation in various regions and times. It was not merely viewed as a food and intoxicant but also a medicine and status symbol. Leave it to humans to infuse the stuff with religious, moral, immoral, and near-magical significance. That author repeatedly shows that many old cultures make present-day imbibers look like friggin’ teetotalers. ‘Drink’ also explains the importance and shifting attitudes about alcohol throughout such periods as the Greek and Roman Empires, Christianity, Islam, the Dark Ages, the Aztecs, the Enlightenment, the stuff’s effect on Native Americans during colonialism, the American Revolution, the Temperance Movement, World Wars I and II, Prohibition, the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Vietnam War. Mr. Gately also does not shy away from such topics as fetal alcohol syndrome, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, wine’s health benefits, and how liquor companies find ingenious ways to market their products. People’s pretzel-like logic demonizing or praising certain alcohols over others was and still is about status-seeking poseurs trying to feel superior. Heck, there are multiple examples in ‘Drink’ where people who drank potable water instead of alcohol were seen as odd inferior beings. The book explains what happened when new liquors came into being such as cider, rum, gin, whiskey, and the invention of carbonation as well as distillation. Alcohol was everywhere and seen as so necessary that many laborers preferred payment by happy juice over actual currency. ‘Drink’ shows the push back by alcohol vendors when coffee, tea, and opium hit the populace. There’s even a chapter dedicated to absinthe that was completely unfamiliar to me. You will recognize a constant pattern throughout the book where the rich and powerful are treated very differently than most of the population when it comes to access, cost, and punishment.
‘Drink’ will not help you to become a bartender or, god forbid, help you rationalize your alcoholism. Mr. Gately’s objective was to show alcohol’s importance in human development. It was not just a beverage. Alcohol consumption is shown to symbolize a person’s heritage and sometimes as a political statement. The author displays its benefits as well as its cruelty. It is well written and includes quite a bit of humor. ‘Drink’ will help you put alcohol in a clear-eyed historical perspective. That’s a good thing because giggle juice is certainly never going away unless humans become extinct.
July 12, 2025
"আমি কোনো রিস্ক নিই না,"—তারাপদ রায়ের সেই অমর মাতাল যখন বোতল আর ফটোফ্রেমের মাঝে নিজের ‘সেফ অপারেশন’ চালিয়ে যাচ্ছেন, তখনই আমি Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol বইটা হাতে পাই। সালটা ২০১২। বইটা পড়ার সঙ্গে সঙ্গে মনের মধ্যে সেই মাতালের সংলাপগুলো বারবার ধাক্কা দিচ্ছিল। কারণ যা গ্যাটলি লিখেছেন, আর যা তারাপদ রায় লিখেছেন, তার মধ্যে ফারাক শুধু মাত্র স্কেলে—সাহিত্যের স্কেল আর ইতিহাসের স্কেল। মদ সর্বত্রই আছে, এবং সর্বত্রই কিছু না কিছু ঢালে—শুধু শরাব নয়, গল্প, বিদ্রোহ, বিশ্বাস আর ভ্রান্তিও।
গ্যাটলি এখানে মদের সঙ্গে মানুষের সম্পর্কের এক বিস্তৃত, বর্ণময় ও মনোগ্রাহী ইতিহাস তুলে ধরেছেন। ঠিক যেন ইতিহাসের ডেকানিটার মুখ খুলে গেছে, আর আমরা চুমুক দিয়ে চুমুক দিয়ে সভ্যতার যাবতীয় ঝাঁজ ও ঝিমুনি খেয়ে নিচ্ছি।
গ্যাটলির বইয়ের আসল শক্তি এখানেই—তিনি মদকে কেবল পানীয় হিসেবে দেখেননি, দেখেছেন এক সামাজিক, রাজনৈতিক, ধর্মীয় ও সাংস্কৃতিক অনুষঙ্গ হিসেবে। প্রাচীন মেসোপটেমিয়ায় বিয়ার আর ব্রেডের যুগলজুটি, গ্রিক দার্শনিকদের ওয়াইন-চালিত আলোচনার মঞ্চ, রোমানদের বেসামাল অর্গি কালচার, ইসলামি সমাজে আরাক ও তার ধর্মসঙ্কট, মধ্যযুগীয় ইউরোপের বিয়ার মঠ, ব্রিটিশ রাজতন্ত্রের ব্র্যান্ডি-শাসন, আমেরিকার প্রোহিবিশন যুগের গ্যাংস্টার-বিয়ার-বুটলেগিং, এমনকি হিপি-সংস্কৃতির বারবন মিশে সবই এই বইয়ের পাতায় পাতায়।
মদ এখানে শুধু একটা বস্তুর নাম নয়, এটা একটা সময়চেতনা, একটা চিন্তার ধরন, একটা প্রতিরোধ আর আত্মসমর্পণের খেলা।
গ্যাটলি আমাদের দেখান, কিভাবে মদ ছিল একদিকে পবিত্র (খ্রিস্টের রক্তরূপী ওয়াইন), আবার আরেকদিকে পাপ (ইসলামে হারাম)। কীভাবে 'ডিস্টিলেশন'-এর বিজ্ঞান বদলে দেয় সাম্রাজ্যের গতিপথ—একটা ভালো ব্র্যান্ডি মানেই আরও বেশি উপনিবেশ।
এমনকি সমাজবিজ্ঞানীর চোখেও যেটা সমাজভিত্তিক উত্তরণ বা অধঃপতন, সেটাও এই বইতে এসেছে রসালো ভঙ্গিতে। বিশেষ করে নারীর মদ্যপান ঘিরে দ্বন্দ্ব, রাজনৈতিক মদ্যনীতি, অথবা শ্রমিক শ্রেণির 'সস্তা মদে আত্মবিস্মৃতি'র সংস্কৃতি—সব কিছুই এসেছে অত্যন্ত তথ্যসমৃদ্ধ অথচ প্রাণবন্তভাবে।
এই জায়গাটায় এসে তারাপদ রায়ের “আমি কোনো রিস্ক নিই না” পড়লে মনে হয়, এই মাতাল পুরাণ আসলে একটা বৃহত্তর মানব ইতিহাসের ক্যারিকেচার। গ্যাটলি দেখাচ্ছেন মদের সঙ্গে রাষ্ট্রবিজ্ঞান, অর্থনীতি, এমনকি যুদ্ধও কীভাবে ওতপ্রোতভাবে জড়িত। আর তারাপদ রায় সেই একই ইতিহাসকে নামিয়ে আনছেন একটা মধ্যবিত্ত বাঙালি সংসারে—যেখানে নেতাজির ছবি, সিঙ্ক, আলু আর গিন্নির আলপিনপরা জিজ্ঞাসা একটা ছোটখাটো লাতিন আমেরিকান বিপ্লবের মতোই নাটকীয়।
দুই ক্ষেত্রেই মদ মানুষের স্বরূপ উন্মোচনের চাবিকাঠি। গ্যাটলি একে দেখাচ্ছেন রেনেসাঁর আলোয়, রায় দেখাচ্ছেন রান্নাঘরের টিউবলাইটে।
গ্যাটলির লেখার মধ্যে যেটা খুব আনন্দের, সেটা হলো ভারী বিষয়কে হালকা ককটেলের মতো উপস্থাপন। ভাষা সহজ, কিন্তু তথ্যে টইটম্বুর। আপনি যদি কখনো ভেবেও থাকেন, "মদের ইতিহাস দিয়ে আমি কী করবো?", তাহলেও এই বইয়ের প্রথম দুই অধ্যায় পড়ার পর আপনার মন পাল্টে যাবে।
তিনি কার্ল মার্ক্সকে যেমন টেনে আনেন, তেমনই বলেন, “No empire ever thrived without a favorite drink.” এমনতর ছোট ছোট one-liner দিয়ে তিনি প্রতিটি অধ্যায়কে রসঘন করে তোলেন।
গ্যাটলির Drink এবং তারাপদ রায়ের মাতাল—দু’জনই একে অপরের ব্যাকরণ বুঝে ফেলেছেন, যদিও শতাব্দী আর ভাষার দূরত্ব বিস্তর। একজন দেখাচ্ছেন সভ্যতা কীভাবে গ্লাসে উঠে এসেছে, আর একজন দেখাচ্ছেন, কীভাবে গ্লাস থেকে সভ্যতা মাঝেমাঝে নামিয়ে ফেলতে হয়, গিন্নির রান্না শেষ হওয়ার আগেই।
এই বইটি মদ্যপানে উৎসাহ জোগায় না, বরং বোঝায়, কেন এই তরল বস্তুটি এত যুগ ধরে মানুষের রক্তে, ঘামে, ইতিহাসে মিশে আছে।
এটা একটা সাংস্কৃতিক ইতিহাস, এক চুমুকে শেষ করা যায় না। আবার পকেটে নিয়ে বারবার পড়তে হয় না। শুধু একটাই জিনিস দরকার: একটা খোলা মন আর একটু ঠান্ডা মাথা।
অলমতি বিস্তরেণ।
গ্যাটলি এখানে মদের সঙ্গে মানুষের সম্পর্কের এক বিস্তৃত, বর্ণময় ও মনোগ্রাহী ইতিহাস তুলে ধরেছেন। ঠিক যেন ইতিহাসের ডেকানিটার মুখ খুলে গেছে, আর আমরা চুমুক দিয়ে চুমুক দিয়ে সভ্যতার যাবতীয় ঝাঁজ ও ঝিমুনি খেয়ে নিচ্ছি।
গ্যাটলির বইয়ের আসল শক্তি এখানেই—তিনি মদকে কেবল পানীয় হিসেবে দেখেননি, দেখেছেন এক সামাজিক, রাজনৈতিক, ধর্মীয় ও সাংস্কৃতিক অনুষঙ্গ হিসেবে। প্রাচীন মেসোপটেমিয়ায় বিয়ার আর ব্রেডের যুগলজুটি, গ্রিক দার্শনিকদের ওয়াইন-চালিত আলোচনার মঞ্চ, রোমানদের বেসামাল অর্গি কালচার, ইসলামি সমাজে আরাক ও তার ধর্মসঙ্কট, মধ্যযুগীয় ইউরোপের বিয়ার মঠ, ব্রিটিশ রাজতন্ত্রের ব্র্যান্ডি-শাসন, আমেরিকার প্রোহিবিশন যুগের গ্যাংস্টার-বিয়ার-বুটলেগিং, এমনকি হিপি-সংস্কৃতির বারবন মিশে সবই এই বইয়ের পাতায় পাতায়।
মদ এখানে শুধু একটা বস্তুর নাম নয়, এটা একটা সময়চেতনা, একটা চিন্তার ধরন, একটা প্রতিরোধ আর আত্মসমর্পণের খেলা।
গ্যাটলি আমাদের দেখান, কিভাবে মদ ছিল একদিকে পবিত্র (খ্রিস্টের রক্তরূপী ওয়াইন), আবার আরেকদিকে পাপ (ইসলামে হারাম)। কীভাবে 'ডিস্টিলেশন'-এর বিজ্ঞান বদলে দেয় সাম্রাজ্যের গতিপথ—একটা ভালো ব্র্যান্ডি মানেই আরও বেশি উপনিবেশ।
এমনকি সমাজবিজ্ঞানীর চোখেও যেটা সমাজভিত্তিক উত্তরণ বা অধঃপতন, সেটাও এই বইতে এসেছে রসালো ভঙ্গিতে। বিশেষ করে নারীর মদ্যপান ঘিরে দ্বন্দ্ব, রাজনৈতিক মদ্যনীতি, অথবা শ্রমিক শ্রেণির 'সস্তা মদে আত্মবিস্মৃতি'র সংস্কৃতি—সব কিছুই এসেছে অত্যন্ত তথ্যসমৃদ্ধ অথচ প্রাণবন্তভাবে।
এই জায়গাটায় এসে তারাপদ রায়ের “আমি কোনো রিস্ক নিই না” পড়লে মনে হয়, এই মাতাল পুরাণ আসলে একটা বৃহত্তর মানব ইতিহাসের ক্যারিকেচার। গ্যাটলি দেখাচ্ছেন মদের সঙ্গে রাষ্ট্রবিজ্ঞান, অর্থনীতি, এমনকি যুদ্ধও কীভাবে ওতপ্রোতভাবে জড়িত। আর তারাপদ রায় সেই একই ইতিহাসকে নামিয়ে আনছেন একটা মধ্যবিত্ত বাঙালি সংসারে—যেখানে নেতাজির ছবি, সিঙ্ক, আলু আর গিন্নির আলপিনপরা জিজ্ঞাসা একটা ছোটখাটো লাতিন আমেরিকান বিপ্লবের মতোই নাটকীয়।
দুই ক্ষেত্রেই মদ মানুষের স্বরূপ উন্মোচনের চাবিকাঠি। গ্যাটলি একে দেখাচ্ছেন রেনেসাঁর আলোয়, রায় দেখাচ্ছেন রান্নাঘরের টিউবলাইটে।
গ্যাটলির লেখার মধ্যে যেটা খুব আনন্দের, সেটা হলো ভারী বিষয়কে হালকা ককটেলের মতো উপস্থাপন। ভাষা সহজ, কিন্তু তথ্যে টইটম্বুর। আপনি যদি কখনো ভেবেও থাকেন, "মদের ইতিহাস দিয়ে আমি কী করবো?", তাহলেও এই বইয়ের প্রথম দুই অধ্যায় পড়ার পর আপনার মন পাল্টে যাবে।
তিনি কার্ল মার্ক্সকে যেমন টেনে আনেন, তেমনই বলেন, “No empire ever thrived without a favorite drink.” এমনতর ছোট ছোট one-liner দিয়ে তিনি প্রতিটি অধ্যায়কে রসঘন করে তোলেন।
গ্যাটলির Drink এবং তারাপদ রায়ের মাতাল—দু’জনই একে অপরের ব্যাকরণ বুঝে ফেলেছেন, যদিও শতাব্দী আর ভাষার দূরত্ব বিস্তর। একজন দেখাচ্ছেন সভ্যতা কীভাবে গ্লাসে উঠে এসেছে, আর একজন দেখাচ্ছেন, কীভাবে গ্লাস থেকে সভ্যতা মাঝেমাঝে নামিয়ে ফেলতে হয়, গিন্নির রান্না শেষ হওয়ার আগেই।
এই বইটি মদ্যপানে উৎসাহ জোগায় না, বরং বোঝায়, কেন এই তরল বস্তুটি এত যুগ ধরে মানুষের রক্তে, ঘামে, ইতিহাসে মিশে আছে।
এটা একটা সাংস্কৃতিক ইতিহাস, এক চুমুকে শেষ করা যায় না। আবার পকেটে নিয়ে বারবার পড়তে হয় না। শুধু একটাই জিনিস দরকার: একটা খোলা মন আর একটু ঠান্ডা মাথা।
অলমতি বিস্তরেণ।
June 15, 2025
Writing a cultural history of the world is a huge undertaking and since alcohol is consumed all over the world, a cultural history of alcohol is basically a history of the world. With such an ambitious goal, Iain Gately sets out to cover drink in its various forms around the world and across time!
The subject matter is astoundingly rich and delves into other beverages apart from alcohol - tea and coffee when the history becomes too intertwined. It also briefly speaks about the other vices of humanity such as tobacco, opium and LSD and marijuana to make sense of alcohol's central place in the human civilization.
The treatment of the subject is thorough and scholarly without being drab and boring. Every now and then, we dive deep into the story of a region, dynasty, religion or person who made a particularly important impact on the history of how we consume alcohol. The story begins with prehistoric drinking cultures and how drink eventually became the marker of the beginning of civilization because it meant that we were producing enough grain to let it ferment into alcoholic drinks. What follows is a swift tale of how the drink shapes society and how society in turn tries to control this vice.
While there is enough ground covered in the book, it still reads more like a Eurocentric book with a look at the colonies such as the Americas and the Australias. But hardly much outside of this world is explored. Japan is mentioned a little and Hongkong too, but beyond that the explorations of drinking cultures in Asia and almost the entirety of Africa are not taken up at all.
The book travels all the way up to the 2000s, but the focus remains on the Euro-US-Aus and that was quite disappointing. The rum of the Caribbean, the mezcal of the central Americas and the rice wine of China was discussed but nothing about the drinking habits of the peoples who made them was talked about.
I suppose the goal of the book was far too ambitious to be true or maybe there are few resources about the other cultures to refer to and learn about their drinking cultures.
However, the part of history that the book does cover, it does quite well and for that it can be recommended to anyone who wants an introduction to the history of this incredible liquid.
The subject matter is astoundingly rich and delves into other beverages apart from alcohol - tea and coffee when the history becomes too intertwined. It also briefly speaks about the other vices of humanity such as tobacco, opium and LSD and marijuana to make sense of alcohol's central place in the human civilization.
The treatment of the subject is thorough and scholarly without being drab and boring. Every now and then, we dive deep into the story of a region, dynasty, religion or person who made a particularly important impact on the history of how we consume alcohol. The story begins with prehistoric drinking cultures and how drink eventually became the marker of the beginning of civilization because it meant that we were producing enough grain to let it ferment into alcoholic drinks. What follows is a swift tale of how the drink shapes society and how society in turn tries to control this vice.
While there is enough ground covered in the book, it still reads more like a Eurocentric book with a look at the colonies such as the Americas and the Australias. But hardly much outside of this world is explored. Japan is mentioned a little and Hongkong too, but beyond that the explorations of drinking cultures in Asia and almost the entirety of Africa are not taken up at all.
The book travels all the way up to the 2000s, but the focus remains on the Euro-US-Aus and that was quite disappointing. The rum of the Caribbean, the mezcal of the central Americas and the rice wine of China was discussed but nothing about the drinking habits of the peoples who made them was talked about.
I suppose the goal of the book was far too ambitious to be true or maybe there are few resources about the other cultures to refer to and learn about their drinking cultures.
However, the part of history that the book does cover, it does quite well and for that it can be recommended to anyone who wants an introduction to the history of this incredible liquid.
October 22, 2024
Incredibly disappointing. Go read anything else.
I've read a few books on this history of alcohol, or of beverages, and this one might be the worst of the lot. Mostly a cultural history of alcohol in ENGLAND and her past colonies (with the rare sojurn into France, the rarer journey into Germany), it almost wholly ignores large portions of the world. After discussing drinking in the Roman Republic/Empire, it more or less ignores Italy. Ignores Spain. Never gets much into Eastern Europe, ignores Africa almost entirely and Asia mostly. While there are some interesting stories told, there is no unifying or underlying theme that has been gotten at (there ARE better works that really do try to say something - I'm reading an ARC about the history of beer that is MUCH MUCH better). Possibly worst of all, this book falls into the traps of lazy research, repeating as "fact" items that have been largely found to be falsehoods, overexagerations and the like (ie, Grant, during the Civil War, was not an alcoholic and that has been a slander told about him by his enemies for over a century now...or how Pasteur was like a lightning bolt, instead of being just the person people decided to believe...whereas others had been saying the same things as him for years).
Just a waste of time.
I've read a few books on this history of alcohol, or of beverages, and this one might be the worst of the lot. Mostly a cultural history of alcohol in ENGLAND and her past colonies (with the rare sojurn into France, the rarer journey into Germany), it almost wholly ignores large portions of the world. After discussing drinking in the Roman Republic/Empire, it more or less ignores Italy. Ignores Spain. Never gets much into Eastern Europe, ignores Africa almost entirely and Asia mostly. While there are some interesting stories told, there is no unifying or underlying theme that has been gotten at (there ARE better works that really do try to say something - I'm reading an ARC about the history of beer that is MUCH MUCH better). Possibly worst of all, this book falls into the traps of lazy research, repeating as "fact" items that have been largely found to be falsehoods, overexagerations and the like (ie, Grant, during the Civil War, was not an alcoholic and that has been a slander told about him by his enemies for over a century now...or how Pasteur was like a lightning bolt, instead of being just the person people decided to believe...whereas others had been saying the same things as him for years).
Just a waste of time.
December 24, 2020
This is a fun read, giving an impressive overview of the impact of alcohol on western culture. It boasts an impressive summary of the interconnected topics of alcohol in culture, science, history and society.
So, why only a three star rating? The book focuses - to its detriment - almost exclusively on the alcohol culture in the west. Granted, in the synopsis, it does specify alcohol's impact on Western culture. However, I'd love to get more information on how alcohol has shaped the entirety of human civilization, whereas this only briefly touches on alcohol traditions outside of Europe and the United States.
Another reason it doesn't rate higher - it has a handful of factual inaccuracies, which admittedly makes me question a lot of other pieces of information found within its pages.
Finally, the author quotes Tucker Max. Just. Oof.
Overall, I would recommend taking the time to read this, because there is some great information in here. Just take it all with a very large pinch of salt.
So, why only a three star rating? The book focuses - to its detriment - almost exclusively on the alcohol culture in the west. Granted, in the synopsis, it does specify alcohol's impact on Western culture. However, I'd love to get more information on how alcohol has shaped the entirety of human civilization, whereas this only briefly touches on alcohol traditions outside of Europe and the United States.
Another reason it doesn't rate higher - it has a handful of factual inaccuracies, which admittedly makes me question a lot of other pieces of information found within its pages.
Finally, the author quotes Tucker Max. Just. Oof.
Overall, I would recommend taking the time to read this, because there is some great information in here. Just take it all with a very large pinch of salt.
February 4, 2023
Entertaining and informative. Gately has packed these pages with bits of bar trivia, and epic tales from the early days of human history, up to the mid-Oughts. He did lose a bit of the narrative force once the US came on the scene. Prior to that, he would follow Western history pretty broadly, moving through the Rome, the Islamic Golden Age, and the Reformation with grace. Once the New World was discovered, his focus was blatantly on the United States alone. Not necessarily bad, but unexpected. This section of the book seemed overblown, as you basically follow the founding of the US, and then are briefly transported around the world, but only once the late 1800s have hit. The final hundred or so pages redeemed this less than stellar middle, and Gately raises his glass to drinkers around the world, united in enjoyment of one of our oldest sources of leisure. Cheers, Iain.
May 18, 2024
This was an interesting read at first, but I found myself losing interest midway through. The book progresses linearly through (mainly western) history describing the ways in which alcohol was present, evolving, or otherwise impacting humanity at the time. This starts off quite interesting, and I was fascinated to see the extent to which early agriculture and alcohol went hand in hand.
As the book went on, it started to seem more like an abbreviated world history text written by someone who really wanted a drink. In an attempt to establish alcohols ubiquity, the book becomes a bit of a retreading of many major historical events, but with “he also opened a winery” tacked on every now and then.
Overall I enjoyed the more interesting anecdotes and tales, especially in ancient times, but the later half would have been a more enjoyable read if it were trimmed down substantially.
As the book went on, it started to seem more like an abbreviated world history text written by someone who really wanted a drink. In an attempt to establish alcohols ubiquity, the book becomes a bit of a retreading of many major historical events, but with “he also opened a winery” tacked on every now and then.
Overall I enjoyed the more interesting anecdotes and tales, especially in ancient times, but the later half would have been a more enjoyable read if it were trimmed down substantially.
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January 28, 2022
This one is a bit exhausting to read. It gives you what you expect: a history of alcohol use throughout the ages. While there are nuggets of interesting information sprinkled throughout the story is usually the same. People in one way or another discover or gain access to a substance containing alcohol. They drink themselves to death on it and create sub groups of drunkards based on their preferred way to imbibe.
I think it's much too long for its own good. Maybe if it were broken into a series focusing on specific groups I could more easily digest it but I couldn't finish this one
I think it's much too long for its own good. Maybe if it were broken into a series focusing on specific groups I could more easily digest it but I couldn't finish this one
June 28, 2022
Certainly the main criticism of this book is that it's euro-centric. I was hoping this book would go in depth on some of the obscure and worldly drinking cultures and how they evolved. Instead its scope is rather limited and it gets boring throughout parts of it. The book shines when it talks about how different kinds of drinks (palm wine, sake, beer vs wine, American cider) interacted with the cultures that favored them. But I had a hard time getting through the 150 year history of the American and English temperance movements that get outlined in full.
October 13, 2022
This book should've been titled "Drink: A Euro-American Cultural History of Alcohol". China and Japan are the only Eastern countries discussed, and only after the 19th century (condensed into one chapter); I still know nothing about the origins of alcohol consumption in those ancient cultures. Korean soju never even made an appearance.
Nevertheless, this book was so much fun to read. I loved every chapter, and I really respect how much research was poured into it. I highly recommend it, with the caveat that it is a Western cultural history.
Nevertheless, this book was so much fun to read. I loved every chapter, and I really respect how much research was poured into it. I highly recommend it, with the caveat that it is a Western cultural history.
August 18, 2019
A very well and researched tome on the history of drinking, mainly focussed for the western audience, it does cover the ancient period up to the modern day and really gives an insight into how prevalent drinking is in many cultures. I did enjoy this and ended up having a few drinks while reading it, I think that gives it an extra dimension. There could be more done on the more neglected drinking cultures of Africa and other places but that will most likely be in a book by itself.
June 10, 2024
Scope of books rarely strays outside of Western Europe and the US, making this not particularly global in scale. Author lacked any interesting nuance about any temperance movement, going as far as calling one group introducing the teaching to children that underage consumption of alcohol causing stunting of growth as being “fanatical” and that alcohol could do that as being “untrue”. Relatively easy read, not really in depth.
October 7, 2020
To like this book, I think you need to love alcohol. As someone who barely drinks these days, I found this book's tone a bit... off-putting. Although it addresses dependency and programs like AA (including criticisms of these approaches), the book was overall a very positive picture of alcohol. If you write a book this in depth about it, I suppose you must love it too.
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March 25, 2022An interesting book to read, I recommend it, if anyone is interested in alcohol as much as I am and wants to become a part of such stories, I suggest a site https://liquorlicenseauctioneers.com/... for buying a license for alcohol. After purchasing this license you will be able to buy and resell alcohol, open your own bars, and maybe start your own businesses. So try it out
July 3, 2022
Gately’s “Drink,” in its exhaustive dissection of the complete history of alcohol, sometimes goes down like an overdry white wine and in other parts like a smooth barrel-aged whiskey. Particularly interesting are the multiple intersections of alcohol and religion—from Osiris to Bacchus to Christ—and the constantly shifting laws around alcohol (and how wrong they often are).
April 13, 2020
I wasn't expecting much from such a seemingly trivial subject and was pleasantly surprised. It flows smoothly, is refreshing and I savoured it till the last drop. I liked the continuity of the narrative, connecting the world across thousands of years.
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