Liquid Pleasures: A Social History of Drinks in Modern Britain [Paperback]

Proffessor John Burnett (Author), John Burnett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 1999

Drinking has always meant much more than satisfying the thirst. Drinking can be a necessity, a comfort, an indulgence or a social activity.
Liquid Pleasures is an engrossing study of the social history of drinks in Britain from the late seventeenth century to the present. From the first cup of tea at breakfast to mid-morning coffee, to an eveining beer and a 'night-cap', John Burnett discusses individual drinks and drinking patterns which have varied not least with personal taste but also with age, gender, region and class. He shows how different ages have viewed the same drink as either demon poison or medicine.
John Burnett traces the history of what has been drunk in Britain from the 'hot beverage revolution' of the late seventeenth century - connecting drinks and related substances such as sugar to empire - right up to the 'cold drinks revolution' of the late twentieth century, examining the factors which have determined these major changes in our dietary habits.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The judges greatly admired the depth of research in this book of social history; it will be a mine of useful source material for anyone working in this field. It also contains a useful bibliography, with further copious source material cited in the notes. Despite its factual density, it's also a very good read, as full of colourful anecdote as it is of historical scholarship. The judges felt it would be a great shame if this book was confined to the shelves of academic bookshops and university libraries; the subject matter, the depth of research and the lively treatment of that research deserves a wider audience.' - Andrew Jefford Andre Simon Award judging panel

'This is a thorough, thoughtful, judiciously argued and infectiously readable study which fully maintains the high standards which Burnett set in his pervious works on food and housing' the History Association review

'This concise, well-organised and well-documented book makes a most useful contribution to the history of consumption Like most good social history it contains an important element of economic and business history Indeed the key to the success of the book is that it places consumption in the broadest possible context.' - Contemporary British History

'What Burnett has done very effectively is compress a lot of detail about the broad parameters of change into an entertaining and provoking book which raises important questions about the nature of significance of drinks in, and for, modern Britain.' - Business History

'The kind of book which, no pun intended, literally lifts the spirits of an academic book reviewer. It is both readable and entertaining.' - Medical History

About the Author

John Burnett is Emeritus Professor of History at Brunel University. His many books include Idle Hands (1994), Useful Toil (1994) and A Social History of Housing (1986).

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (August 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415131820
• ISBN-13: 978-0415131827
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #877,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fun read, full of facts and figures., October 23, 2000

By 

Kenneth Albala "kalbala" (stockton, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Liquid Pleasures: A Social History of Drinks in Modern Britain (Paperback)

This is really a fun read, covering British drinking habits, alchoholic and otherwise. It purports to cover several centuries but is really mostly about the late 18th century to the early 20th. My only major gripe is that it is based entirely on secondary sources -other people's work. So as a survey it is very useful, but really doesn't contribute anything new to the scholarship. It is also clearly written by a social scientist -lots of tables and figures, and even the text decribes trends quantitatively. For the qualitative-minded, we are rarely given more than anecdotes about why culturally shifts in national preferences occured. These tend to be obscured by heaps of evidence drawn from new laws, import duties, and marketing schemes. All in all, pleasant reading, but patience with numbers is required.