A review by artemishi
Midcentury Cocktails: History, Lore, and Recipes from America's Atomic Age by Cecelia Tichi

informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

Credibility/Research: 7, the book feels trustworthy, though it doesn't cite many references beyond publications it quotes from. It certainly comes across as thorough, and I suppose the cocktail recipes themselves came from direct sources, but it would've been nice to have that confirmed for the sake of understanding the 1960s palate for alcohol (which seems to trend toward sweet orange liqueurs as mixers). 

Authenticity/Uniqueness: 8, presenting history alongside the boozey beverages consumed during that era is not a wholly unique concept, but this is the first time I've encountered one aimed fully at the midcentury years (not a specialty niche of them, like tiki culture or Madison Ave culture). It also included the lives and cocktails of not just white men, but Black communities and women as well, and pointed out the differences between them. 

Writing: 7, it took me a bit of time to get into the writing, which is organized in a way I couldn't decipher (grouped appropriately by subculture, though). There's a bit of tense switching and I didn't care for the method of numbering the ingredients (instead of using bullet points). But the cocktail making methods were clear, and the information was presented seemingly without bias. 

Personal Impact: 6, this provided what I was curious about- an idea of what people were drinking in the atomic age, beyond scotch and gimlets. There were a handful of recipes I'll likely try, and I learned a few things about the history of an era that doesn't much call to me. But overall, this is unlikely to stay with me for any particular reason. 

Intrigue: 5, I kept reading to finish it, but also forgot I was reading it several times. It's a good thing this is a short book! I expect part of the disconnect is that each chapter is fairly self-contained, so the through-line to keep interest is the cocktails themselves, and unlike tiki-era cocktails (a few of which appear here), most of these historic recipes sound arbitrary and for the aim of getting tipsy rather than a gastronomic enjoyment. 

Logic/Informativeness: 8, there's clearly a lot of information about major events, players, subcultures, and ambitions of the years from the end of WWII to 1970 in America. Some was known, some was new to me, but it was more information than filler. 

Enjoyment: 7, a lot of the book just didn't capture my attention, but it is also a pretty niche concept and executed well. My biggest takeaway is both wondering whether many people in the country actually lived the life purported by advertising and tell-alls that are our primary sources (the author does point out the blue collar folks at the time drank beer more than cocktails). Also wondering how anyone actually had a job or a social life or a liver, with the expectation of drinking that much (surely there must've been an age bracket which soundly ignored the pressure to drink every night and all weekend to stave off anxiety?)