Showing results for "Alcohol" in World

Whether as wine, beer, or spirits, alcohol has had a constant and often controversial role in social life. In his innovative book on the attitudes toward and consumption of alcohol, Rod Phillips surveys a 9,000-year cultural and economic history, uncovering the tensions between alcoholic drinks as healthy staples of daily diets and as objects of social, political, and religious anxiety.

Alcohol: How Booze Built the World is a deep dive into the liquid that shaped civilization—and occasionally ruined your weekend. From ancient mead and divine wine to frat party keg stands and $300 celebrity tequilas, this book uncorks the full story of alcohol: what it is, how it works, and why humans keep coming back for another round. It’s not an intervention. It’s a mirror. Whether you drink nightly, socially, occasionally, or not at all, Alcohol is a clear-eyed, unfiltered look at the world’s favorite substance—and the rituals, memories, mistakes, and meanings we’ve poured into it.

Russia is famous for its vodka, and its culture of extreme intoxication. But just as vodka is central to the lives of many Russians, it is also central to understanding Russian history and politics. In Vodka Politics, Mark Lawrence Schrad argues that debilitating societal alcoholism is not hard-wired into Russians' genetic code, but rather their autocratic political system, which has long wielded vodka as a tool of statecraft. Through a series of historical investigations stretching from Ivan the Terrible through Vladimir Putin, Vodka Politics presents the secret history of the Russian state itself.

This series on alcohol explores its historical, scientific, and societal dimensions. The first part delves into the origins and history of alcohol, highlighting its role in ancient civilizations, cultural rituals, and its evolution over time. The second part examines the science of alcohol, its effects on the body and brain, and the balance between its benefits and risks. The final part discusses alcohol's impact on modern society, including cultural trends, public policy, economics, and mental health, while reflecting on its future in a rapidly changing world.

Le rôle de l'alcool dans la vie en société, que ce soit sous forme de vin, de bière ou de spiritueux, fut constant et souvent controversé. Rod Phillips jette dans cet ouvrage un regard original sur les mœurs et les mentalités en matière de consommation d'alcool. Il embrasse neuf mille ans d'histoire économique et culturelle et lève le voile sur les tensions qui existèrent entre les produits sains des régimes alimentaires quotidiens et les objets d'inquiétude sociale, politique et religieuse que sont les boissons alcooliques.