Drunk

This is an engaging but serious exploration of the role of alcohol in human history. Slingerland’s main argument is that alcohol encourages both community and creativity.

In particular, it can encourage trust if people are more likely to say what they truly believe when intoxicated. I am skeptical of a strong link to creativity, but many other arguments in the book persuaded me. Slingerland makes a good case that alcohol was a/the key reason that humans developed agriculture.

Importantly, Slingerland recognizes that the earliest beers and wines were not as strong as today; he treats alcoholism as a modern scourge.

If intoxication has so many negative outcomes, why do all human cultures practice it? In Drunk, historian Edward Slingerland puts forward a radical as well as fascinating hypothesis. He argues that far from being an evolutionary accident, the human penchant for alcohol (and other intoxicants) has played—and continues to play—important roles in human societies: it helps alleviate stress, boost creativity and innovation, and promote trust, bonding, and cooperation. Best read while mildly intoxicated.