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And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails
And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails | Wayne Curtis
10 posts | 3 read | 12 to read
One spirit, Ten cocktails, and Four Centuries of American History "And a Bottle of Rum" tells the raucously entertaining story of America as seen through the bottom of a drinking glass. With a chapter for each of ten cocktails from the grog sailors drank on the high seas in the 1700s to the mojitos of modern club hoppers Wayne Curtis reveals that the homely spirit once distilled from the industrial waste of the exploding sugar trade has managed to infiltrate every stratum of New World society. Curtis takes us from the taverns of the American colonies, where rum delivered both a cheap wallop and cash for the Revolution, to the plundering pirate ships off the coast of Central America, to the watering holes of pre-Castro Cuba, and to the kitsch-laden tiki bars of 1950s America. Here are sugar barons and their armies conquering the Caribbean, Paul Revere stopping for a nip during his famous ride, Prohibitionists marching against demon rum, Hemingway fattening his liver with Havana daiquiris, and today s bartenders reviving old favorites like Planter s Punch. In an age of microbrewed beer and single-malt whiskeys, rum once the swill of the common man has found its way into the tasting rooms of the most discriminating drinkers. Awash with local color and wry humor, "And a Bottle of Rum" is an affectionate toast to this most American of liquors, a chameleon spirit that has been constantly reinvented over the centuries by tavern keepers, bootleggers, lounge lizards, and marketing gurus. Complete with cocktail recipes for would-be epicurean time-travelers, this is history at its most intoxicating. "From the Hardcover edition.""
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wanderinglynn
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Panpan

This book has a lot of (often repetitive & overlapping) history to fill in the time period when the cocktail was in fashion. A better read is A History of the World in 6 Glasses, which worked better to show the influence of six specific beverages on Western history and society.

The most helpful chapters are the last 2: A Thumbnail Guide to Rum & When It‘s Cocktail Time. Overall, disappointing. But at least it‘s off my shelf!

Book 4 for #20in4

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wanderinglynn
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My building has a bookcase to share books. Our own little free library. I took a couple down and found these two.

TheBookgeekFrau What a great building you live in! 1y
5feet.of.fury Oooh great finds! I love NPH! 1y
90 likes2 comments
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CrowCAH
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#BeverageOnTheCover #BoundTogetherJune

Another challenging prompt, but I found one!
Drink, anyone?

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚🍹 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🍹📚🙌🏻 4y
47 likes2 comments
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totalshrew

I'm enjoying this book so far. Does it count as looking for spoilers that I skipped to the back to pass on the recipes to friends who drink more than I do?
I love the idea of going through the history of the alcohol and the history of the people drinking the alcohol at the same time.

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ElectricKatyLand
Pickpick

Breezy, interesting read about the role of rum in US (and a little bit of the Caribbean) culture during the past 400 years or so.

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Tjackson
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Schools and offices are closed because of snow, so I get to spend the day reading. I have plenty of books to keep me happy. I will spend a little time with this one before switching it up to a different one later today.

11 likes1 stack add
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Tjackson
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Finished reading 4 books and currently reading 3 more books, but decided to start reading this one. I needed something not so serious. Cheers!

8 likes1 stack add
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DGRachel
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I don't have #booksandbooze, but how about a book about booze? 😉 From my #TBR and totally the fault of @CrowCAH

#backtoreading

Daisey Every time I see this title it reminds me of another book about beverages and history. I think I need to add this one to the TBR. 7y
DGRachel @Daisey That one looks fascinating, too! Stacked! 7y
CrowCAH lol you're welcome! But it would appear the rum is gone 😉 7y
DGRachel @CrowCAH The rum is always gone. Why is the rum gone? 😭😂 7y
65 likes1 stack add4 comments
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DGRachel
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#booksandrumwhyisitgone Probably because I drank it. Put me on a barrier island with a bottle of rum and I turn into Captain Jack Sparrow. (Oh the spring break memories I should have...) This book looks fascinating and I think I need to add it to my #tbr.
#pirateslife #whatawaytolive

mabell Haha awesome blurb 😂 7y
CrowCAH I agree, does sound interesting!!! Sadly, the rum is gone 😢 (edited) 7y
dsfisher Sometimes one should keep her mouth shut. But hey it was spring break. Just grateful you made it back. 7y
74 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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silverlocusts
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Costco has books of rum. What a time to be alive.

Cooincidentally, I have this book on my TBR and I need to get to it soon. Paired with copious amounts of rum, right?

#lushesoflitsy #litsytikibar

Bookish_B Awesome! 8y
BeththeBookDragon Not in Pennsylvania, they don't 😑 8y
silverlocusts @bethfriedman906 sometimes I do forget that I live in the land of plentiful booze and wine (California,) where even drug stores carry liquor. 😰 8y
BeththeBookDragon I will never get tired of buying wine at Walmart when I'm out of state! PA girl, born and bred... we get our kicks how we can! 8y
BeththeBookDragon By the way, I'd love a book of rum! 8y
20 likes1 stack add5 comments