Recipes for cocktails based on literary titles or connections ( )

A hilarious collection of literary-themed cocktail recipes and party appetizers. The names and thoughtful ingredients are so much fun! I love the way each drink is explained and in some there are even multiple options. For example, The Turn of the Screwdriver comes with an option two possible drinks, one if you think she's sane, the nother if you think she's nuts. So far The Midsummer Night's Beam recipe, a refreshing mint and bourbon drink, is my favorite! ( )

This book has an excellent introductory section that talks about all the tools, spirits, mix-ins, and terms used throughout. The end of the book has a complementary imperial to metric conversion chart, as well as a some very tongue-in-cheek (definitely rhetorical, rather that sincerely suggested) drinking games.

I also very much appreciate that the book includes non-alcoholic beverages and snack recipes, however, I feel they could’ve easily been paired with adult literature. Although all the paired literature is excellent, I would much prefer reading “Chocolat” by Naomi Harris or “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel than “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” while drinking the Chocolate Fake-tini, and “Bread Alone” by Judi Hendricks or “Comfort Food” by Kate Jacobs than “Alice in Wonderland” while eating the paired grilled sandwich.

The monstrosity books/series such as “Remembrance of Things Past,” “Atlas Shrugged,” “Gone with the Wind,” the ENTIRE “Sherlock Holmes” series, and others just seem a bit ambitious for the average reader to slog through. Could you imagine drinking the same cocktail for the 9 months it would take to get through all seven of the 600 page volumes of “Remembrance of Things Past?” Oof!!

Minor critiques aside, if you look at this book as NOT a read-&-drink-a-long, then it’s delightfully humorous and filled with traditional cocktails with a literary inspired twist. I look forward to trying them out! ( )

Worth it if only for the puns! ( )

Plenty of punny cocktails to impress your guests with, especially if said guests are a bunch of bookish nerds.

What made this especially helpful for me personally however, are formulas for metric conversions included at the end. All of my favorite recipes use imperial measurements, and I always feel a vague sense of panic, when I see ounces and Fahrenheits. It’s a matter of seconds to pull up necessary formulas online, but I find a handy table more pleasing.

The inclusion of nonalcoholic beverages and a couple of easy recipes for a quick bite are also a plus. ( )