An edition of A history of vodka (1992)

A history of vodka

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Last edited by MARC Bot
July 21, 2024 | History
An edition of A history of vodka (1992)

A history of vodka

  • 1 Want to read

Savoured by peasants and Tsars, condemned by clerics and the architects of perestroika - vodka has been the joy and the scourge of the Russian nation for centuries. But what are the origins of the Russians' favourite drink? Did vodka emerge as an authentic national discovery from the brewing-shops or the monasteries of medieval Russia, or was the secret of its preparation imported from elsewhere? When was it that people first experienced vodka's now famed property of 'knocking drinkers off their feet'?

With formidable scholarship and considerable dry wit, William Pokhlebkin, one of Russia's best-known historians sets out on the detective trail. His aim: to reveal the strange truth about his country's most famous tipple. The result is a triumph of historical deduction.

As he uncovers the social, economic and technological background to the emergence of vodka, and indeed tells us how and with what the spirit should be drunk, the author creates an unconventional but true-to-life portrait of the society and social psychology that gave birth to today's Russia.

He argues that those who have controlled the vodka stills have controlled the destiny of Russia - first the Boyars, then the Tsars, and in this century the Bolsheviks. In Pokhlebkin's view Gorbachev unwisely attempted to suppress vodka, allowing the Mafia to seize control of its production and distribution. Perestroika was thus doomed. Pokhlebkin believes that both prohibitionism and drunkenness are scourges which encourage one another.

He insists that vodka itself doesn't make people drunk, only irresponsible and uncultured ways of consuming it. A History of Vodka is the work not only of a fine scholar but of a passionate advocate of the virtues of vodka and a stern critic of those who have misused it.

Publish Date
Publisher
Verso
Language
English
Pages
222

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Previews available in: English

Edition Availability
Cover of: A history of vodka
A history of vodka
1992, Verso
in English

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Book Details


Edition Notes

Includes bibliographical references (p. 210-222).

Published in
London, New York

Classifications

Dewey Decimal Class
663/.5
Library of Congress
TP607.V6 P6513 1992, TP607.V6P6513 1992

The Physical Object

Pagination
xvi, 222 p. ;
Number of pages
222

ID Numbers

Open Library
OL1473181M
Internet Archive
historyofvodka00pokh
ISBN 10
0860913597, 0860916006
LCCN
93136585
OCLC/WorldCat
28183139
Library Thing
2137858
Goodreads
5638568

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July 21, 2024 Edited by MARC Bot import existing book
September 17, 2022 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
July 17, 2022 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
April 28, 2010 Edited by Open Library Bot Linked existing covers to the work.
December 9, 2009 Created by WorkBot add works page