Attempting to deconstruct America's joyless obsession with sobriety, The Modern Drunkard offers today's befuddled drinkers a comprehensive and instructive manual on the delights of alcohol culture, how to be a good drunk, how to drink, and how to do it well. Through articles, anecdotes, cartoons, and illustrations pulled from our long and happy history of drinking alcohol, Frank Kelly Rich campaigns to revive the lost art of tippling and taps a deep vein of boozy lore and legend through the ages, uncovering etiquette and expertise from some of history's greatest guzzlers.
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Frank Kelly Rich is the founder and editor of Modern Drunkard Magazine, the voice of the recreational drinker. Mr. Rich has spent the greater part of his life absorbing lessons and libations alike in bars the world over. He is also the author of four booze-noir action-adventure novels (Jack Strait, Bogeyman series, Gold Eagle Books) and the writer and director of the booze noir film Nixing the Twist.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
58 of 61 people found the following review helpful
By Bachelier
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Frank Kelly Rich, the insuperable genius behind Modern Drunkard Magazine, has collected and edited his timeless works in a form for their most efficient use in "The Modern Drunkard Handbook." For those unfamiliar with MDM, this is an excellent introduction. But make no mistake: magazine loyalists also will not be disappointed, for the arrangement of previous works alone is worth the price of this book, as Rich has performed a yeoman's task of assembling a full arsenal of weapons to keep us all well-oiled. Chapters include excellent advice on "how to throw the best party you'll never remember," how to "execute a proper bender," how to coax bartenders (all drunks themselves) to be on your side against bar owner's and management's interests, how to fight off teetotalling do-gooders and fight back at "America's joyless obsession with sobriety." His classic piece on "how to ace an intervention" is both laugh out loud funny and helpful at the same time.
Rich's self-written publicity flyer describes "The Modern Drunkard Handbook" in contrast: "This is no hoary collection of cocktail recipes or drinking quotes--it is a full-bore, no-holds-barred guide for drinking in the 21st Century." Rich is taking a woozy ham-fisted swipe at the equally good "The Muse in the Bottle: Great Writers on the Joy of Drinking" by Charles A. Coulombe. The books are entirely different, and equally welcome on the same shelf of unapologetic sauce hounds. For where Coulombe invokes memories of drinking in bygone eras where hunting and chivalry were in flower, covering Waugh, Twain, Irving, Belloc and Chesterton in the same collection with Beowulf, Rich invokes memories of drinking in bygone eras in which Stewardesses were deflowered covering Martin, Sinatra, and Gleason. They are all at the Great Wedding Feast at Cana in the sky now, and dickering about the merits of one past boozy era's superiority over another in combating the faux-Puritanism so prevalent now strikes me as simply the source for another jar and a fruitful discussion, not an attack.
Frank Kelly Rich has a prose style that both cuts and astounds. Indeed, at his height he is the equal of the great unsurpassed Florence King in making the literate boozehead laugh out loud. And Rich never breaks character, indeed he is the world's most persuasive sauce hound in his chapters on how to deal with an intervention and issues of drinking and health (hint: it is healthier to drink).
But as an added bonus, the illustrations are priceless. Art Deco, Arte Modern, Belle Epoche, and glorious 50's American Commercial Art are all combined in a deft hand that strikes just the right visual tone to accompany the text. Your art geek friends will love its timeless and retro-moderne look.
This is an excellent book that should have a widespread and proud audience. It is the perfect Chritmas gift for those who drink their Thanksgiving dinner. Get your copy today, and give "The Modern Drunkard Handbook" to all your friends.
Rich's self-written publicity flyer describes "The Modern Drunkard Handbook" in contrast: "This is no hoary collection of cocktail recipes or drinking quotes--it is a full-bore, no-holds-barred guide for drinking in the 21st Century." Rich is taking a woozy ham-fisted swipe at the equally good "The Muse in the Bottle: Great Writers on the Joy of Drinking" by Charles A. Coulombe. The books are entirely different, and equally welcome on the same shelf of unapologetic sauce hounds. For where Coulombe invokes memories of drinking in bygone eras where hunting and chivalry were in flower, covering Waugh, Twain, Irving, Belloc and Chesterton in the same collection with Beowulf, Rich invokes memories of drinking in bygone eras in which Stewardesses were deflowered covering Martin, Sinatra, and Gleason. They are all at the Great Wedding Feast at Cana in the sky now, and dickering about the merits of one past boozy era's superiority over another in combating the faux-Puritanism so prevalent now strikes me as simply the source for another jar and a fruitful discussion, not an attack.
Frank Kelly Rich has a prose style that both cuts and astounds. Indeed, at his height he is the equal of the great unsurpassed Florence King in making the literate boozehead laugh out loud. And Rich never breaks character, indeed he is the world's most persuasive sauce hound in his chapters on how to deal with an intervention and issues of drinking and health (hint: it is healthier to drink).
But as an added bonus, the illustrations are priceless. Art Deco, Arte Modern, Belle Epoche, and glorious 50's American Commercial Art are all combined in a deft hand that strikes just the right visual tone to accompany the text. Your art geek friends will love its timeless and retro-moderne look.
This is an excellent book that should have a widespread and proud audience. It is the perfect Chritmas gift for those who drink their Thanksgiving dinner. Get your copy today, and give "The Modern Drunkard Handbook" to all your friends.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This masterpiece has an important subtext: Your time is your own. In an era filled with workaholic boss-kissers toiling 24/7 so some corporation's stock can increase a quarter of a point, it's important for us all to remember that the point of hard work, achievement, fame, and fortune, is the enjoyment of life. Rich's message is the same as the recommendations of the most popular self-help gurus of our era-- be present in the current moment, behave in ways that are consistent with your true values, and all else will fall into place. If alcohol helps you reach these goals, then pursue it with unabashed abandon. Don't harm others and keep the harm to yourself to a minimum, and your joy will increase. The humor improves at blood alcohol concentrations above .04, but the writing is crisp and engaging even for the sober.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This wondrous book is, in part, a collection of material written by Rich over the years for the Modern Drunkard Magazine, which he publishes and edits.
It's more than simply a compilation, however. The material has been grouped and ordered in such a way that once you've swallowed the lot in one long session (which you undoubtably will!) the purpose of your life will be far clearer; to spend it gloriously pie-eyed.
Frank Kelly Rich writes beautifully and with utter conviction in his cause. Mucus-snortingly hilarious it might be, but it's also a serious manifesto that the author preaches with unswerving dedication and bar thumping passion.
First, you owe it to yourself to buy this book. Second, you owe it to your friends to get them one for Christmas, or any time for that matter. Third, and most importantly, you owe it to any miserable prohibitionist kill-joy you might know. The Modern Drunkard is good enough to convince even them to join the good fight.
Rise up, boozehead!
It's more than simply a compilation, however. The material has been grouped and ordered in such a way that once you've swallowed the lot in one long session (which you undoubtably will!) the purpose of your life will be far clearer; to spend it gloriously pie-eyed.
Frank Kelly Rich writes beautifully and with utter conviction in his cause. Mucus-snortingly hilarious it might be, but it's also a serious manifesto that the author preaches with unswerving dedication and bar thumping passion.
First, you owe it to yourself to buy this book. Second, you owe it to your friends to get them one for Christmas, or any time for that matter. Third, and most importantly, you owe it to any miserable prohibitionist kill-joy you might know. The Modern Drunkard is good enough to convince even them to join the good fight.
Rise up, boozehead!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must for any boozehound.
Educational and intoxicating. This book is going to be the one thing that I buy all of my friends for Christmas next year.
Published 4 months ago by Clay
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny nonsense!
Let's face it, Mr Rich is no Hemingway! This a funny collection of booze stories and photos - I liked it.
Published 5 months ago by D. Cummings
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Eloquent Sot
Forget for a moment the topic of Frank Kelly Rich's writing. There are those of us who find delight in temulence, but we are outnumbered by the scolding of the puritans who have... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Keith Otis Edwards
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious
This book is full of funny situations and is illustrated with pictures from the 50's that have alcohol consumption themed inscriptions. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Super Mario!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Read
The person that made this book has got the drinker's mentality down exact. This is a good book to read to get new ideas for partys and to also gain some bar medals of acheivement. Read more
Published 18 months ago by David Cowley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just as expected. I love it.
An informative enabler, The Modern Drunkard will render your inebriation-laden conscience clear and your chuckle box unhinged. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Maxx Haste
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must have book for the drinker in your life!
This is a great little book! Just reading the first few pages will have you laughing and before you know it you have read the whole book. Read more
Published on January 10, 2011 by Kelsey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Shopping Experience
I bought The Modern Drunkard from Amazon.com, it showed up within 3 or 4 days and was in perfect condition.
What more could you ask for. Read more
What more could you ask for. Read more
Published on December 6, 2010 by Steven S. Poe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Entertaining
A very entertaining book for those who enjoy to drink, or enjoy the company of those who drink. Very well paced and a very amusing read.
Published on September 21, 2010 by reddevil2064
2.0 out of 5 stars
Ehhhh.. I've had better
I love these drinking "how to" books but this one was kinda boring, long, and was used language that was based in like the 1940's. Read more
Published on September 13, 2010 by Valleygirl
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