Books

Quickie review: Mike Gerrard, Behind Bars: Whiskey heists, Beer Bandits, and Fake Million-Dollar Wines

Moonshiners, thieves, con men, and more!

Apr 29 •

Fergus Bordewich, The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government

A video review of a splendid book about the men who got out government up and running.

Apr 16 •

Spring, sweet spring, is here

Plus: A new podcast on a sex club... Good books... How NBA basketball is changing... and Something special from Sweden

Mar 29 •

Did you hear the one about the Russian Jew from Minnesota who walked into a Chicago bar to sell the owner Swedish booze?

Only in America!

Jan 3 •

Some books that are worth your time

Start your year off with a good read!

Dec 31, 2024 •

Author interview: Malört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit

Why do people drink something that's been described as tasting like "cheap vodka swirled in a junk drawer... with rubber bands, a few pennies, and a…

Oct 3, 2024 •

So, what exactly is a French 75 cocktail?

"Fixing a date for the first French 75 is like fixing a date for the first lover’s kiss"

Sep 20, 2024 •

"Upon opening the can one is greeted with a forbidding stench." Or, why I no longer bother to post nasty reviews

Plus news on new drinks, new eateries, and a book that teaches you to make callaloo and saltfish fritters

Aug 10, 2024 •

Hurricane season is here

Plus two books that make fine summer reads

Jul 16, 2024 •

Good Living in Gomorrah on the Potomac

Some people do find happiness in Washington, DC

Jul 10, 2024 •

The Whiskey Rebellion: A Distilled History of an American Crisis

High-handed policymaking sparked populist rage that rattled our young republic.

Jun 10, 2024 •

The Faculty Lounge: A Cocktail Guide for Academics

A book that elicits memories of my first graduate school sherry hour.

Jun 1, 2024 •

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