Drunks: An American History
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.49 (845 Votes) |
| Asin | : | B072Q31JH5 |
| Format Type | : | |
| Number of Pages | : | 560 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-10-08 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
"A good, short history with some faults" according to Dame Droiture. So far, this is proving to be a very interesting book about a topic I was only somewhat familiar with. I am an Americanist by training, so I was well aware of how much Americans drank before the 20th century -- but apart from studying the occasional "temperance novel" that often accompanied various Revivalist and temperance movements in the 19th century, I was mostly in the dark about how alcoholism was treated -- if at all -- in the days before and shortly after its "discovery" as a disease (rather than a moral failure).Things I like about the book are its overall readability, its linear chronology, and a weighty inclusion of origi. Bottoms Up I was surprised to read about how early some Americans regarded alcoholism as a disease that could be treated and, if the patient was motivated, cured. Certainly this was not a majority opinion, and a general puritan vs. sinner attitude prevailed for much of time before Alcoholics Anonymous, and even now. Drunks: An American History is a short, well-written book that shows how alcoholism has been a part of American life since the settlers arrived (but not before -- the effects of alcohol on previously sober Native Americans was devastating) and how people dealt with the problem. Prohibition, contrary to some histories, was a despera. A nice but not exhaustive history of alcohol This isn't the most definitive history of alcoholism in the United States, but it's a pretty good effort from Christopher Finan. Starting with the poignant story of President John Adam's alcoholic son who died at age 30, the author takes us through the early colonial days and beyond.The stories of Handsome Lake, an Iroquois leader who fought hard against drinking, and John H. W. Hawkins are two of the most moving in the book for me.Almost half of the book is devoted to A.A. and its origins, which some readers may or may not enjoy. I personally wish it would've been a bit shorter than that. The only caveat I'd have about DRUNKS is th
Bob Smith, the two drunks who helped each other stay sober and then created AA, which survived its tumultuous early years and has made it possible for millions of men and women to quit drinking. Finan also tells the dramatic story of Bill Wilson and Dr. He introduces us to the first of a colorful cast of characters, a remarkable Iroquois leader named Handsome Lake, who dedicated his life to helping his people renounce hard liquor. Christopher Finan recounts the nation's history with alcohol and its search for sobriety, which began among Native Americans in the colonial period, when liquor was used to cheat them of their property. We have finally come to understand alcoholism as a treatable illness rather than a moral failure. Today's advocates can draw inspiration from the victories of sober drunks throughout American history. Today, millions of Americans are struggling with alcoholism, but millions are also in long-term recovery. This is narrative history at its best: entertaining and authoritative, an important portrait of one of America's great liberation movements.. And we meet Carrie Nation, the wife of an alcoholic who destroyed bars with an ax in her anger over what alcohol had done to her family, as well as the idealistic and energetic Washingtonians, reformed drunks who le