The Cocktail

Joseph Lanza
Picador USA, 1995

The Cocktail is a clever homage to that favorite and distinctly American concoction the cocktail.

Joseph Lanza playfully examines the influence of spirits on the American psyche, and traces the history of the cocktail from its reputed inception in the late 18th century, to the glamorization of drinking and cocktail culture spawned by prohibition in the 30's, to Sinatra's Rat Pack and Hollywood's infatuation with cocktails in the 50's, right up through the rise of the girl drink in the 80's, and finally the 90's resurrection of the martini.

Amusing and well written, this book is as refreshing as a vodka martini, and thick with the magic of cocktail time. If history is any indication, Lanza assures us, the cocktail will be around for a long time to come.