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

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.

Reviews

"McGovern's delving, detailed in this fascinating book, leaves little doubt that humans are born drinkers." New Scientist 20091213 "(A) magnificent study, skillfully written and well illustrated." Choice 20120401 "Takes his reader on a world tour, examining the archeological record for alcohol use across continents and cultures." Nature 20091029 "Highly informative and challenging." California Grapevine 20100701 "In this engaging book, Patrick McGovern gives us a world tour of the origins of alcoholic beverages." -- John Gava Law Society Journal 20111101 "A remarkable book, both erudite and entertaining." Gastronomica 20120101