Customer Reviews

Absinthe: History in a Bottle

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Conrad's unique and fascinating book, reprinted with slightly different covers in the last year or so (evidently in response to new interest in absinthe), is actually a panorama of cultural cross-currents -- history, art, literature, etc. -- from a colorful place and time (France and nearby countries in late 19th and early 20th centuries) -- with absinthe as the thread that glues it all together. Conrad, by the way, followed this up with his entertaining, rather more light-hearted 1995 book on the history and culture of the Martini, well timed for that cocktail's vigorous comeback in recent years.

I first heard about absinthe from my parents, who were trained in fine arts (and were among bohemian circles in Berkeley, California, my home town, in the 1950s and 1960s). They mentioned the intense Impressionist painters and others who drank it. The defining ingredient is Artemisia absinthium, a common decorative and medicinal herb since ancient times and one of a group of similar plants known as wormwoods or mugworts. I've tasted modern commercial absinthes in the last 20 years from two countries, as well as an extract of the A. absinthium plant, which has a lingering, wretchedly bitter taste not soon forgotten. The anise and other sweet spices that flavor absinthe liquor are there to make it palatable. The stuff has a considerable mystique, due in part to the colorful figures who drank so much of it, as Conrad details with gusto. It is said to be psychoactive in its own right; maybe or maybe not, but it unquestionably has a lot of alcohol, and that was the psychoactivity I noticed when I tried it. Of course, I didn't take the 10 or 20 shots a day for ten years that Conrad's 19th-century bohemians did, so I can't say I've had the full experience. In any event the main principle, thujone, is also prominent in sage, and the wormwood plants are used in flavoring vermouths, according to Conrad and other sources. The true absinthe liquor was an early casualty of the Prohibition movement and remains illegal in many countries on (disputed) health grounds.

The following may interest readers curious about absinthe. While there is a minor industry in importing allegedly genuine absinthe into the US, at high prices, from countries where it can be legally manufactured, about the beginning of 2000 specialty importers began bringing into the US a fully legal French product called Versinthe (from the Liquoristerie de Provence, whose Web site includes English documentation). According to the manufacturer's literature and to one of the importers I spoke to directly, this product contains just the limit of A. absinthium permitted by law in France and the US, but also contains supplemental extracts of closely related mugworts of genus Artemisia, with similar chemical makeup but not covered by the very specific absinthe prohibition. In any event the flavor resembles those of classic absinthes much more than do any of the numerous substitutes such as Muse Vert. The product is sweetened, unlike classic absinthe where the ritual of pouring water over a sugar cube on a slotted spoon was part of the mystique.

I have been a fan of this book ever since it first came out in 1988. No amazon.com then, so I was forced to order it at the local Walden books. I have since given it as a gift several times and all my friends love it,too. Not just a history of the "green fairy," but a sociological history of 19th century France. Every page in this glossily produced, gorgeous book has either an old photograph, advertisement for absinthe or reproduction of art from the artists who were fans of absinthe. Really an art book, it is for anyone interested in art and history.

Remarkably similar in content and appearance to "L'absinthe : histoire de la fee verte" by Marie-Claude Delahaye, who runs the Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise, north of Paris. She recalls providing Mr. Conrad with much of the artwork and other content, and was a bit miffed at her modest credit in the bibliography.

Her book is a much more detailed history, but it's in French and hard to find, so this is a quality English guide to a legendary vice. If you get to Paris, though, go see the museum for more.

the english-language reference on absinthe and it's history...considering it was written over 10 years ago, it is just getting real notice...also, some errors and updating need to be done, but the best to be found in english...fun and easy to read, nice collection of photos...

since absinthe is the new and trendy thing in the world of commercial creativity, there has been a total upheaval of interest in the chosen poison of some of our great artists of the nineteenth century. this book is an effective read - rather than pages and pages of text, it's filled with advertisements and art inspired by the alcohol. definitely a worthwhile read - if not for the history of a truly intriguing 'socially acceptable' drug, for the propoganda that resulted from the 'good or bad?' debate at the time.

Generally a good history of a journalistic rather than scholarly kind. Unlike other books on this topic it sticks to absinthe rather than getting side-tracked into details of artists and writers not relevant to their absinthe consumption. Covers the history of wormwood, the technology of production and the present day use of absinthe. Recommended if you have an interest in 19th century French art or absinthe itself.

Barnaby Conrad III, Absinthe: History in a Bottle (Chronicle, 1988)

I'm not sure what I was expecting from Absinthe: History in a Bottle, but I wasn't expecting what I got. What I got is pretty good, if shallow, but a lot of the text deficiency is made up with copious illustration.

Conrad traces the history of absinthe in rather impressionist fashion, focusing more on notable absinthe users and manufacturers than the drink itself. A good portion of the work (probably two-thirds of it, perhaps even more) centers on the years surrounding its prohibition in various countries, with scant time given to the many years since. Paradoxically, it's those last few pages, where Conrad relates his attempt to track down a bottle of the stuff in Europe in the late eighties, that are the book's best pages, personal and compelling. The rest is decent, but could have been done better. ***

A very readable history on the mysterious green liquor, this book portrays a historical account of the rise and fall of mainstream Absinthe. Wonderfully illustrated with posters, liquor ads, labels, photographs, drawings, and paintings influenced by the Green Fairy around the turn of the century. It also gives insight into its ultimate demise. Slightly disappointing, there is not a lot of information on the discovery of Wormwood and the effects of consumption of the notorious plant.

When I had my first glass of absinthe maybe two years ago, I ordered this gorgeous book. It's a time travel showing the history of absinthe through the life of artists who drank it. To my knowledge, it's the best english language book on the subject. Fully illustrated. Unfortunately it's a paper back.

I was assigned this book in a course I took on "France at the Turn of the Century", and I have referred to it many times since. It not only explains the chemistry and physiological aspects of absinthe, but it gives one of the best overviews of the times and how this "green fairy" defined those times. The posters, the reproductions of famous absinthe-related paintings, everything about the book is wonderful. A friend smuggled a bottle of absinthe out of Europe not too long ago, and a few of us had a giggly, sensuous time reading poetry and combing through "History in a Bottle"...I highly (forgive the pun) recommend the experience! But read this book with or without the...um...atmosphere!