A gift for anyone who loves good liquor and high-proof prose: a collection of hilarious and deeply informed writings about drink from one of the all-time authorities. Kingsley Amis was one of the great masters of comic prose, and no subject was dearer to him than the art and practice of imbibing. This new volume brings together the best of his three out-of-print works on the subject. Along with a series of well-tested recipes (including a cocktail called the Lucky Jim) the book includes Amis's musings on The Hangover, The Boozing Man's Diet, What to Drink with What, and (presumably as a matter of speculation) How Not to Get Drunk--all leavened with fun quizzes on the making and drinking of alcohol all over the world. Mixing practical know-how and hilarious opinionation, this is a delightful cocktail of wry humor and distilled knowledge, served by one of our great gimlet wits.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Kingsley Amis never disappoints:
In a strange sort of way, Kingsley Amis does for drink what Anthony Bourdain does for food: with enormous humor and joy in life, both authors just say "go for it." It is probably no coincidence that they both loathe vegetarians, especially vegans. I am not particularly sure that Amis is utterly scientific on the topic of drink (who is?), but he is utterly funny. And, for my two cents, he is funniest when he returns (again and again) to "The Wine Problem." As he mutters in his curmudgeonly way, there is... more info
The Perfect Companion:
A collection of essays that entertain, enlighten, and enhance the enjoyment of imbibing. There are some real hits here, especially Amis' advice on how not to get drunk. The reflections about wine are not at first very clear to American readers, since our appellations are different from those in Amis' native Britain, but once you get into the book, it becomes clearer. An included glossary, placed at the front, proves helpful here. The quiz section is tiresome, and kind of a waste of space, but if you... more info
Drinking as an Englishman Should:
I was delighted with Amis's book on drink,the effects of drink and the types of drink;his underdstudied wit combined with practical alchohol knowledge made for an enjoyable and useful read. Would highly recommend.
Back in print at last!:
It's great to see Amis's finest work, _On Drink_, back in print at last. I had a second-hand copy but it was worth buying this to get the other two books included in the volume. The volume is attractively printed and bound and unabridged, and is a great gift too. My only (minor) complaint is that the Amis's own texts (as opposed to the additional front matter) have been edited according to American punctuation conventions. This work is literary enough that the author's details should have been... more info
