A Short History Of Drunkenness

by Mark Forsyth

As Forsyth skilfully reveals, ever since apes descended from the trees and discovered the intoxication brought by fermented rotten fruit, man has been tied to, and is regularly torn apart by, the demon drink.

The verbose Forsyth uses charm and wit to breathe life into the booze-soaked sexual rites of the Ancient Egyptians and the sozzled symposiums that inspired great thinkers like Socrates. Lesser-known historical figures like the Mughal emperor Babur are drawn in living colour, while Forsyth dispels some of the myths surrounding medieval merry-making and even Jesus’s position on water versus wine.