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A Short History of Drunkenness

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A Short History of Drunkenness

By: Mark Forsyth
Narrated by: Richard Hughes
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of A Short History of Drunkenness by Mark Forsyth, read by Sh*tfaced Shakespeare's Richard Hughes.

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.

A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind's love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to Prohibition, 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 Romans got rat-arsed, 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.

©2017 Mark Forsyth (P)2017 Penguin Audio Americas Europe Food & Wine Great Britain United States Wine & Beverages Funny Witty Feel-Good England

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Another good one by Mark forsythe. I really enjoyed it. A short history of drunkness is well paced and well read.

A great read all round

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I listened to this and learned lots and laughed out loud.

I picked this for the topic not realising I'd read - and loved - other books by the same author. those are on grammar and words and have the same light touch. Thoroughly recommend them and this if you enjoy a lightness of touch and fine writing

Most entertaining nonfiction book I've listened to

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This audiobook is sheer, laugh-out-loud joy! Brilliant narrator, amusingly written and full of fascinating insights.

The Most Delightful Audiobook I've Read In Ages

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Great book. All of Mark Forsyth's books are well researched and entertaining. I wish the rest of them were on audible.

Entertaining and well researched

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Packed with interesting snippets and tied together wonderfully with humour and style.

Can’t recommend enough

Fantastic. Great light read full of facts and humour

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