Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages / Edition 1

by Patrick E. McGovern

Overview

In a lively gastronomical tour around the world and through the millennia, Uncorking the Past tells the compelling story of humanity's ingenious, intoxicating search for booze. Following a tantalizing trail of archaeological, chemical, artistic, and textual clues, Patrick E. McGovern, the leading authority on ancient alcoholic beverages, brings us up to date on what we now know about the creation and history of alcohol, and the role of alcohol in society across cultures. Along the way, he integrates studies in food and sociology to explore a provocative hypothesis about the integral role that spirits have played in human evolution. We discover, for example, that the cereal staples of the modern world were probably domesticated in agrarian societies for their potential in fermenting large quantities of alcoholic beverages. These include the delectable rice wines of China and Japan, the corn beers of the Americas, and the millet and sorghum drinks of Africa. Humans also learned how to make mead from honey and wine from exotic fruits of all kinds: even from the sweet pulp of the cacao (chocolate) fruit in the New World. The perfect drink, it turns out-whether it be mind-altering, medicinal, a religious symbol, liquid courage, or artistic inspiration-has not only been a profound force in history, but may be fundamental to the human condition itself. This coffee table book will sate the curiosity of any armchair historian interested in the long history of food and wine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520267985
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	10/30/2009
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	348
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Patrick E. McGovern is Scientific Director of the Biomolecular Archaeology Laboratory for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages, and Health at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. His books include Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture, the 2004 Grand Prize winner in History, Literature, and Fine Arts, Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin. McGovern's research on the origins of alcoholic beverages has been featured in Time, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Nature, and elsewhere.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Preface

1. Homo Imbibens: I Drink, Therefore I Am
2. Along the Banks of the Yellow River
3. The Near Eastern Challenge
4. Following the Silk Road
5. European Bogs, Grogs, Burials, and Binges
6. Sailing the Wine-Dark Mediterranean
7. The Sweet, the Bitter, and the Aromatic in the New World
8. Africa Serves Up Its Meads, Wines, and Beers
9. Alcoholic Beverages: Whence and Whither?

Select Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"McGovern's delving, detailed in this fascinating book, leaves little doubt that humans are born drinkers."—New Scientist

"(A) magnificent study, skillfully written and well illustrated."—Choice

"Takes his reader on a world tour, examining the archeological record for alcohol use across continents and cultures."—Nature

"Highly informative and challenging."—California Grapevine

"A remarkable book, both erudite and entertaining."—Gastronomica

Editorial Reviews

(A) magnificent study, skillfully written and well illustrated.

Choice

"A remarkable book, both erudite and entertaining.

Gastronomica

McGovern's delving, detailed in this fascinating book, leaves little doubt that humans are born drinkers.

New Scientist

In this engaging book, Patrick McGovern gives us a world tour of the origins of alcoholic beverages.

Law Society Journal - John Gava

Highly informative and challenging.

California Grapevine

Takes his reader on a world tour, examining the archeological record for alcohol use across continents and cultures.

Nature

Takes his reader on a world tour, examining the archeological record for alcohol use across continents and cultures.

Nature Lib

“McGovern's delving, detailed in this fascinating book, leaves little doubt that humans are born drinkers.

New Scientist