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A Short History of Drunkenness

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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.

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Critic reviews

My favourite book of this and possibly any other Christmas is Mark Forsyth's A Short History of Drunkenness (Marcus Berkmann)
Forsyth's jokes are snappy and well delivered. Unlike most comical writers he never falls into the trap of confusing long-windedness with irony (Craig Brown)
Haha! . . . Highly suitable for Xmas! (Margaret Atwood)
This entertaining study of drunkenness makes for a racy sprint through human history (Christopher Hart)
A brisk and brilliant romp through our hiccoughing history, drenched with wit. Bloody marvellous from first sip to last burp (Jason Hazeley, co-author of the Ladybird series (including 'The Ladybird Book of the Quiet Night In' and 'The Ladybird Book of the Hangover')
Reading like a TED talk delivered by a stand-up comedian, this made me laugh out loud more than my first ever night out on absinthe. As essential as a hip flask or a pack of pork scratchings for any true connoisseur of booze. A Short History of Drunkenness is this year's Châteauneuf-du-Pape of Christmas books, no less. Bloody entertaining. (Emlyn Rees, author of 'The Very Hungover Caterpillar' and 'We're Going on a Bar Hunt')
Sometimes you see a book title that simply gladdens the heart. Everyone I showed this book to either smiled broadly or laughed out loud . . . This is a book of some brilliance - probably best consumed with a restorative glass of something by your side. (Marcus Berkmann)
As Mark Forsyth brilliantly shows, civilisation is built on booze. Egypt (beer), Greece and Rome (wine) depended on alcohol to create their mighty works. Where man drinks, he prospers, and vice versa. A toast to this spirits-fuelled spirits-lifter. Staggering! (Harry Mount, editor of The Oldie)
I thought I knew quite a bit about drinking but A Short History of Drunkenness made me look at inebriation anew. Each chapter amazed, challenged and stimulated me so much that I needed a stiff drink at the end of it. (Henry Jeffreys, author of Empire of Booze)
With a great eye for a story and a counterintuitive argument, Mark Forsyth has enormous fun breezing through 10,000 years of alcoholic history in a little more than 250 pages. (Henry Jeffreys)
All stars
Most relevant
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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