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the_sassy_bookworm 's review for:
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Book Review: The Comic Book History of the Cocktail: Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying On by David Wondrich, Dean Kotz (illustrator)
Rating: 4 Stars
I picked up The Comic Book History of the Cocktail by David Wondrich mostly on a whim — I’m a sucker for anything that mixes history with a good drink — and came away pleasantly buzzed. This isn’t a straight-laced academic tome or a glossy cocktail manual; it’s a lively, illustrated romp through the long, often ridiculous story of how humans started mixing booze and calling it civilization.
Wondrich, who’s basically cocktail royalty at this point, teams up with artist Dean Kotz to tell the tale in graphic-novel form. The book takes you from ancient wassails and spiced wine concoctions through the booze-fueled Age of Exploration, the raucous 19th-century American drinking scene, and on to the modern cocktail revival that put craft bars back on the map. Along the way you meet colorful characters and forgotten episodes that made me laugh, shake my head, and occasionally reach for a pen to jot down the next drink I want to try. Interspersed with the storytelling are a generous number of recipes — both authentic historical mixes and a few modern “secret weapons” — so the history is something you can actually taste.
Kotz’s illustrations give the book a big part of its charm. The art is detailed, energetic, and frequently hilarious; it adds a contemporary edge that keeps the narrative brisk and entertaining. The combination of Wondrich’s deep knowledge and Kotz’s visual storytelling makes complicated or obscure bits of cocktail lore surprisingly accessible. It’s the kind of book you can flip through for a quick anecdote or sit down with for a full read while nursing whatever you’re mixing at the time.
For who this is for: history buffs who like a drink, cocktail nerds who appreciate origin stories, or anyone looking for a conversation-starting coffee-table book. It’s casual and fun enough for social browsing but also grounded in real research, so it won’t annoy the more serious readers either.
My main gripe, and the reason I’m nudging this to four stars rather than five, is practical: the text is tiny. On the copy I read the lettering was quite small and a little taxing to read for long stretches. I’d hope the physical edition is a touch easier on the eyes, but if you struggle with small type, that’s something to keep in mind.
All told, The Comic Book History of the Cocktail is a witty, well-researched, and visually engaging look at five centuries of mixing drinks. It won’t replace your bartending bible, but it will make you smarter about why your favorite classic cocktails exist — and it might just inspire you to make one. Raise a glass to Wondrich and Kotz: this is a spirited, entertaining read.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Rating: 4 Stars
I picked up The Comic Book History of the Cocktail by David Wondrich mostly on a whim — I’m a sucker for anything that mixes history with a good drink — and came away pleasantly buzzed. This isn’t a straight-laced academic tome or a glossy cocktail manual; it’s a lively, illustrated romp through the long, often ridiculous story of how humans started mixing booze and calling it civilization.
Wondrich, who’s basically cocktail royalty at this point, teams up with artist Dean Kotz to tell the tale in graphic-novel form. The book takes you from ancient wassails and spiced wine concoctions through the booze-fueled Age of Exploration, the raucous 19th-century American drinking scene, and on to the modern cocktail revival that put craft bars back on the map. Along the way you meet colorful characters and forgotten episodes that made me laugh, shake my head, and occasionally reach for a pen to jot down the next drink I want to try. Interspersed with the storytelling are a generous number of recipes — both authentic historical mixes and a few modern “secret weapons” — so the history is something you can actually taste.
Kotz’s illustrations give the book a big part of its charm. The art is detailed, energetic, and frequently hilarious; it adds a contemporary edge that keeps the narrative brisk and entertaining. The combination of Wondrich’s deep knowledge and Kotz’s visual storytelling makes complicated or obscure bits of cocktail lore surprisingly accessible. It’s the kind of book you can flip through for a quick anecdote or sit down with for a full read while nursing whatever you’re mixing at the time.
For who this is for: history buffs who like a drink, cocktail nerds who appreciate origin stories, or anyone looking for a conversation-starting coffee-table book. It’s casual and fun enough for social browsing but also grounded in real research, so it won’t annoy the more serious readers either.
My main gripe, and the reason I’m nudging this to four stars rather than five, is practical: the text is tiny. On the copy I read the lettering was quite small and a little taxing to read for long stretches. I’d hope the physical edition is a touch easier on the eyes, but if you struggle with small type, that’s something to keep in mind.
All told, The Comic Book History of the Cocktail is a witty, well-researched, and visually engaging look at five centuries of mixing drinks. It won’t replace your bartending bible, but it will make you smarter about why your favorite classic cocktails exist — and it might just inspire you to make one. Raise a glass to Wondrich and Kotz: this is a spirited, entertaining read.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️