Girly Drinks

 Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O'Meara, 384 pages.

This book is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin, with an emphasis on world history. O'Meara traces the history of women producing, marketing, and drinking alcohol from the dawn of civilization in ancient Mesopotamia to trendy New York bartenders in the present day. Furthermore, she doesn't only concern herself with the standard "western civilization" path covered in many world history classes. This book goes to every continent except Antarctica, and returns to many places multiple times. This is both a good and a bad thing. The book is organized pretty much chronologically, which is great for placing things in a world context, but often jarring when a story in France is interrupted by a ten page unrelated interlude in Africa, before returning to France again. 

That being said Girly Drinks is extremely readable. My only other complaint is that O'Meara is guilty of one of the classic blunders of feminist books, where she feels the need to point out how feminist the book is every few pages instead of just showing us. Aside from this minor quibble, it is very obvious that the author runs a podcast, and her casual intimate style makes this book very approachable and fun.

Molly

Molly by Blake Butler (2023) 316 pages

I confess that I didn't know about the writer Blake Butler, who has published 9 full-length books, until I heard a bit of controversy over whether he should have "told all" in his memoir about his late wife, Molly Brodak, who took her own life in 2020. 

Molly was a college teacher and a poet who had been published widely, and may have been best known for her memoir "Bandit," in which she went into the effects her father‒a bank robber‒had on his family. Molly was a perfectionist in both writing and baking, but never seemed to trust that she was good enough or worthy enough. Blake has a strong work ethic, too, and is a devoted son to his parents, but he admits to having a temper and to drinking to a blackout state regularly.

Blake lets us into his relationship with Molly, starting on the day she kills herself, and then details how they met and gives the often-bumpy, but not fully chronological trajectory of their 10-year relationship, as well as the time after she has died, when he finds out things about Molly that he never would have suspected. Blake's writing is engaging, in spite of the difficult topic. Sections are separated by lots of white space, which makes it more readable. He quotes Molly's work frequently, and includes many photos.

 

The People We Hate at the Wedding

The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder (2017) 324 pages

Paul and Alice are siblings whose older half-sister, Eloise (who lives in England) is going to get married. Dysfunctional relationships abound in this novel, partly because Eloise's father is quite wealthy, and she has had advantages that her half-siblings have not. Additionally, Paul and his mother are estranged because Paul thinks she disrespected his father after his death by removing all signs of his existence. Paul, who's a social worker, is also struggling with his job, working for an unorthodox researcher. Paul's pompous partner, Mark, seems interested in adding a third party to their relationship, which is another stressor for Paul. Alice has her own issues, being in a relationship with her married boss, plus having a lot of emotional baggage from a previous relationship. Their mother, Donna, has her own somewhat bleak world.

By the time we finally meet the bride, we're already at page 164 and worn out from watching the antics of the others, ready for a more stable person! Eloise might be more stable, and perhaps means well, but watch out!

The story is a strange mingling of the comical and the sad. Do the hilarious bits make up for the painful ones? You'll have to be the judge.

The Drunken Botanist

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart, 381 pages

In this botanical encyclopedia, Stewart discusses the many plants that are malted, distilled, pressed, fermented, and otherwise manipulated to make the intoxicating alcoholic beverages of the world. In doing so, she offers brief histories of each plant, explains how it's manipulated and imbibed, details where and how the plant grows (with tips on how to grow your own, if you so choose), and provides cocktail recipes.

While it probably isn't meant to be read straight through, I did so (well, I listened to the audiobook, but you get the point), and spent my drives home prepping my palate for the next mixed drink I'd try from Stewart's book. This had something for everyone, from the casual tippler to the seasoned bartender to the thirsty librarian. I loved it.