Best Australian Drinking Stories
The story of Australia's almost-250-year love affair with alcohol told with yarns, verse, anecdotes, and surprising historical narratives


"It seemed like a good idea . . . at the time." —the lament of many a morning after

Rum, beer, scotch, wine, beer, and more beer. For nearly 250 years, Australian history has been punctuated with stories of booze and boozing. From Cook's voyages and the First Fleet to the Rum Rebellion, the mutiny of the 99th Regiment, the soldiers' riot of 1916, six o'clock closing and beyond, we've been a nation that likes a drink.

With the eye of the master storyteller that he is, Jim Haynes has collected the best yarns, verses, stories, and anecdotes of our boozy history. He uncovers the good and the bad of our national character and its relationship with grog. He celebrates the social gift of alcohol and riotous moments of mateship and camaraderie, but he also offers salutary tales of its consequences—the hangovers, the suffering, the recriminations, and the grave occasions subverted by drink.

Amusing, wry, tragic, and surprising, Best Australian Drinking Stories asks you to grab a glass of your favorite beverage, get comfy and enjoy this fascinating collection of stories about Australia's love affair with booze.
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Best Australian Drinking Stories
The story of Australia's almost-250-year love affair with alcohol told with yarns, verse, anecdotes, and surprising historical narratives


"It seemed like a good idea . . . at the time." —the lament of many a morning after

Rum, beer, scotch, wine, beer, and more beer. For nearly 250 years, Australian history has been punctuated with stories of booze and boozing. From Cook's voyages and the First Fleet to the Rum Rebellion, the mutiny of the 99th Regiment, the soldiers' riot of 1916, six o'clock closing and beyond, we've been a nation that likes a drink.

With the eye of the master storyteller that he is, Jim Haynes has collected the best yarns, verses, stories, and anecdotes of our boozy history. He uncovers the good and the bad of our national character and its relationship with grog. He celebrates the social gift of alcohol and riotous moments of mateship and camaraderie, but he also offers salutary tales of its consequences—the hangovers, the suffering, the recriminations, and the grave occasions subverted by drink.

Amusing, wry, tragic, and surprising, Best Australian Drinking Stories asks you to grab a glass of your favorite beverage, get comfy and enjoy this fascinating collection of stories about Australia's love affair with booze.
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Best Australian Drinking Stories

Best Australian Drinking Stories

by Jim Haynes
Best Australian Drinking Stories

Best Australian Drinking Stories

by Jim Haynes

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Overview

The story of Australia's almost-250-year love affair with alcohol told with yarns, verse, anecdotes, and surprising historical narratives


"It seemed like a good idea . . . at the time." —the lament of many a morning after

Rum, beer, scotch, wine, beer, and more beer. For nearly 250 years, Australian history has been punctuated with stories of booze and boozing. From Cook's voyages and the First Fleet to the Rum Rebellion, the mutiny of the 99th Regiment, the soldiers' riot of 1916, six o'clock closing and beyond, we've been a nation that likes a drink.

With the eye of the master storyteller that he is, Jim Haynes has collected the best yarns, verses, stories, and anecdotes of our boozy history. He uncovers the good and the bad of our national character and its relationship with grog. He celebrates the social gift of alcohol and riotous moments of mateship and camaraderie, but he also offers salutary tales of its consequences—the hangovers, the suffering, the recriminations, and the grave occasions subverted by drink.

Amusing, wry, tragic, and surprising, Best Australian Drinking Stories asks you to grab a glass of your favorite beverage, get comfy and enjoy this fascinating collection of stories about Australia's love affair with booze.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781760632908
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: 06/01/2019
Pages: 304
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jim Haynes has traveled far and wide to meet and interview the people whose stories make up this book. From his days as part of the Slim Dusty touring show, Jim has been aware of the special nature of the trucking industry in both rural and urban Australia. Before becoming a professional entertainer, songwriter, verse writer, and singer in 1988, Jim Haynes taught writing, literature, history, and drama in schools and universities from outback NSW to Britain. While teaching he gained two masters' degrees in literature, from New England University and the University of Wales. Jim Haynes is the author of many Great Australian titles including books on Railways, Aviation, and Horse Racing. He is one of Australia's most successful and prolific Australiana authors.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

A Toast to Temperance Anonymous xvii

Section 1 A National Pastime

The Alcoholics' Creed Anonymous 3

The Alcoholic History of Australia Jim Haynes 5

I Allus Has Wan at Eleven Anonymous 23

One Hundred Stubbies Kenneth Cook 25

The Fellow from Sydney Anonymous 35

The Man Who Stole Nine Chooks… Jim Haynes 37

Sweeney Henry Lawson 42

A Letter to The Bulletin Henry Lawson 45

The Promise E.G. Murphy ('Dryblower') 47

Anzac Night in the Gardens Lennie Lower 49

Lifespan Anonymous 51

The 99th Regiment Are Revolting Jim Haynes 53

You Can't Take It with You Anonymous 59

Mr Sloove's Speech Lennie Lower 61

The Convicts' Rum Song Anonymous 66

Section 2 Under the Influence

When Is a Man Drunk? Anonymous 69

Snakes and Alcohol Kenneth Cook 71

Drunks 'Syd Swagman 81

The Valentine's Day Mutiny Jim Haynes 83

Lines on Ale Edgar Allan Poe 109

There's a Patron Saint of Drunks Jim Haynes 111

Tim Dooley Thomas E. Spencer 118

The Final Meeting of the Book Club Jacqueline Kent 121

Over the Wine Victor Daley ('Creeve Roe') 126

The Lobster and the Lioness Ernest O'Ferrall 129

'Doogan' C.J. Dennis ('Den') 139

The Evening before Leaving Home 'Steele Rudd' 143

Wonderful Love Anonymous 147

The Mixture as Never Before Lennie Lower 149

Her Dying Wish Anonymous 152

Section 3 Pubs

The Drinkers' Hymn Anonymous 155

Aussie Pubs Jim Haynes 157

The Local Pub Wilbur G. Howcroft 164

A Bush Publican's Lament Henry Lawson 165

The Publican at the Pearly Gate Anonymous 169

Six O'clock Madness Jim Haynes 171

The Overflow Anonymous 182

Where the Cooler Bars Grow Lennie Lower 183

The Shanty by the Way Traditional/E.J. Overbury 187

Charlie's Story Jim Haynes 189

The Glass on the Bar Henry Lawson 194

The Six O'clock Swells Frank Daniel 197

The Precious Word C.J. Dennis ('Den) 205

The Day the Pub Didn't Burn Down Jim Haynes 207

The Old 'White Horse C.J. Dennis ('Den') 216

Section 4 Hangovers

The Morning After Col Wilson ('Blue the Shearer') 221

The Drunken Kangaroo Kenneth Cook 223

Trouble Brewing Claude Morris 230

Champagne after the Races Lennie Lower 233

My Wife David Nicholson 236

My First Literary Lunch "The Sandman 237

Moderation Victor Daley ('Creeve Roe') 242

Thin Ice Russell Hannah/Jim Haynes 243

McCarthy's Brew George Essex Evans 246

Court Day at Billy Billy Anonymous (The Bulletin, 1896) 249

A Rum Complaint Claude Morris 251

A Journalists Funeral Anonymous (The Bulletin, 1889) 253

The Pints That I've Refused E.G. Murphy ('Dryblower') 257

Drinks with a Kick in Them Lennie Lower 259

Bluey Brink Anonymous 261

How Sexy Rex Cleared the Bar Jim Haynes 263

A Song of Light John Barr 268

Acknowledgements 270

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