Alcoholica Esoterica: A Collection of Useful and Useless Information As It Relates to the History an

Finally, there's a book that's almost as much fun as having a couple of drinks. Alcoholica Esoterica presents the history and culture of booze as told by a writer with a knack for distilling all the boring bits into the most interesting facts and hilarious tales. It's almost like pulling up a stool next to the smartest and funniest guy in the bar. Divided into chapters covering the basic booze groups--including beer, wine, Champagne, whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, and tequila--Alcoholica Esoterica charts the origin and rise of each alcohol's particular charms and influence. Other sections chronicle "Great Moments in Hic-story," "Great Country Drinking Songs," "10 Odd Laws," and "Mt. Lushmore, Parts I-V." Additionally, famous quotes on the joys and sorrows of liquor offer useful shots of advice and intoxicating whimsy.

Did you know...

• that the word bar is short for barrier? Yes, that's right--to keep the customers from getting at all the booze.

• that Winston Churchill's mother supposedly invented the Manhattan?

• that the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock because the sailors on the Mayflower were running low on beer and were tired of sharing?

• that you have a higher chance of being killed by a flying Champagne cork than by a poisonous spider?

• that the Code of Hammurabi mandated that brewers of low-quality beer be drowned in it?

• that beer was so popular with medieval priests and monks that in the thirteenth century they stopped baptizing babies with holy water and started using beer?