I won this book from Goodreads so I'm sorry to say I didn't care for it. The original copyright is 1948. It seems like it would fit right in on Mad Men but it was hard to enjoy in 2010. ( )

A wonderful homage to the cocktail hour, martinis, and whiskey. A little dated, but still delightful! ( )

This is a series of four essays by the noted historian about cocktails and the cocktail hour. For DeVoto, the Martini and whiskey (bourbon and rye) are the pinnacle of American achievement, and the Martini and whiskey slug are the only two cocktails. (He'll allow you to make an Old Fashioned for a demanding guest, but no Manhattans; and don't get him started on rum.)

It's very much a product of its time, and I don't agree with any of his assertions (I happen to enjoy Manhattans and Scotch), but the writing is so amusing that I can't help but love the book. I'm pretty sure I could find a great quote on just about every page. It's a slim volume that shouldn't take more than an hour or two to read. A must-have for readers of good food writing. ( )

Delightful book. Even though he insults rum right and left, as well as many other drinks, DeVoto makes you feel like one of the chosen by sharing his view of the cocktail hour.

I've won a copy of this book on First Reads and it sounds highly entertaining. ( )

I picked this up on vacation because it looked amusing. And there were a few hilarious lines but most of it was sexist or boring or both. DeVoto believed in only one cocktail, the gin martini, and everything else is anathema. There, now you needn't read it. ( )