Washoe County Library System

From beer to Coca-Cola, the six drinks that have helped shape human history.

Throughout human history, certain drinks have done much more than just quench thirst. As Tom Standage relates with authority and charm, six of them have had a surprisingly pervasive influence on the course of history, becoming the defining drink during a pivotal historical period.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the

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"A sober hedonist's guide to living a decadent, wild, and soulful life--alcohol-free. In a culture where sipping "rosé all day" is seen as the epitome of relaxation, "grabbing a drink" the only way to network; and meeting at a bar the quintessential "first date," many of us are left wondering if drinking alcohol really is the only way to cultivate joy and connection in life. Jardine Libaire and Amanda Eyre Ward wanted to live spontaneous and luxurious...

"A life-changing guide for going alcohol-free, manifesting success, and planting the seeds for an extraordinary life. As sober personal development coach Amanda Kuda can attest, you don't need to have a drinking problem for alcohol to be holding you back.Like a lot of successful young professionals, her life was a carousel of opportunities to drink that ultimately left her feeling unfulfilled in her spirit, relationships, and career. She didn't hit...

"Mamrie Hart is a drinking star with a YouTube problem. As host of the bawdy cult hit You Deserve a Drink, Hart has been entertaining viewers with her signature concoction of tasty libations and raunchy puns since 2011. Finally, Hart has compiled her best drinking stories--and worst hangovers--into one hilarious volume. From the spring break where she and her girlfriends avoided tan lines by staying at an all-male gay nudist resort, to the bachelorette...

Now complete with daily prompts to reflect on each day of a month-long, alcohol-free plan, the author of This Naked Mind helps readers challenge their thinking, find clarity, and form new habits. Changing your habits can be hard without the right tools. This is especially true for alcohol because habits are, by definition, subconscious thought processes. Through her methodical research of the latest neuroscience and her own journey, Annie Grace has...

"The intertwined histories of booze and medicine, from internationally-renowned cocktail expert Camper English. Alcohol and medicine have an inextricably intertwined history, with innovations in each altering the path of the other. The story stretches back to the ancient world, when beer and wine were used to provide nutrition, hydration, and act as solvents for healing botanicals. Over time, alchemists distilled elixirs designed to cure all diseases,...

A candid memoir recounts London's bout with alcohol, from his first drink and first hangover at age five, and stresses the important role of the saloon in cultivating alcoholism in young men.

The youngest brother of author Frank McCourt describes his flight from his native Ireland in pursuit of his literary siblings, struggles with alcoholism, and efforts to raise a daughter with health challenges.