Classic Cocktails A Modern Shake, Mark Kingwell
A literary guide to classic mixed drinks, riffing on their place in culture, art, film, and literature. Instructions included.
For over a decade Mark Kingwell has been one of Canada’s wisest and wittiest commentators on everything from political philosophy to The Simpsons. When he turns his lively mind to the gentlemanly subject of cocktails, he not only mixes the perfect drink, but also tells us where it fits into a wider literary and social world. Loosened perhaps by a few samples of his recipes, it’s a joy to follow this elegant writer wherever he may lead us through the spirit world. Kingwell introduces us to all the Collins siblings: Tom, whom we may already know, John, Pedro, Ivan, Mike, Jack, and even Brandy — all the while regaling us with snippets from Raymond Chandler, Walt Whitman, All About Eve, and Casablanca. It’s like sitting in the city’s swankiest bar with your most erudite friend and your favourite drink.
Review Quotes
“Perhaps our best example of an engaged civic intellectual.”
- John Bentley Mays, Globe and Mail
“Mark Kingwell proves a delightful companion down the ethical byways of contemporary life, with proper attention to ancient precedents and modern temptations.”
- Todd Gitlin
“A deep thinker and fine writer.”
- National Post
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Straight Up or On the Rocks, William Grimes
This slim volume offers a charming and urbane history of what could arguably be one of America's greatest contributions to world culture.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
