I won't be rating this because I read this for a history class but it's a good, pretty short non-fiction about primarily the science of alcohol, with a bit of history thrown in there too. It's written by a Wired journalist and he's definitely writing for a general audience. This is definitely a good book for people interested in alcohol and I don't drink, so I definitely missed some stuff when it came to taste and sensation and things on that front. There were still parts I enjoyed but I would mostly recommend this to people who do drink, at least every once in a while, and have some curiosity about what is actually happening with the alcohol they're drinking.

Perfect book to read over the holidays. it will remain downloaded as a reference for some time. I loved his easy style. ( )

Very interesting. Enough science without being inaccessible. Most interesting thing is that in studies with rats they find that we don't actually like ethanol. Spirits, like brown drinks, are all about the extra flavours. It's like we have bad tasting food with incredible sauce.
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Proof is a well researched book on the history of alcohol as well as its science. It turns out that there are still a lot of chemical mysteries in terms of how various spirits get their tastes, as well as where something as recent in human history as bourbon came from Bourbon County, Kentucky or Bourbon Street, New Orleans.

Fascinating, and sometimes funny, the book is well paced and a joy to read (or listen to, which is what I did). ( )

Just... not the best book written. Great start but, man, "editing" is a good thing and not every book has to be long. Some cool facts and interesting tidbits about booze but really a struggle to read after the first chapters. ( )