Ten Drinks That Changed the World

Walk into any bar, in almost any part of the world, and there, on the back shelf you're likely to see Baijiu, Cognac, Vodka, Scotch Shochu, Tequila, Bourbon, Rum, Gin and Absinthe. These drinks helped shape our culture; inspired authors and painters, brought both anarchy and harmony and even, in some cases, induced mass hysteria. In Ten Drinks That Changed the World, bartender, poet and writer Seki Lynch tells the stories behind the spirits. Tracing the origins of each drink, he dissects the ingredients and locates the first makers, exploring how perceptions and consumption levels have ebbed and flowed through the centuries. Cocktail recipes, lists of artisan makers and insights from the great, good and notorious drinkers of history help complete the resume for each drink. London artist Tom Maryniak has created original illustrations of each drink for the book.

Seki Lynch - it's like saying 'hi' with a 'k' - is a performance poet, writer and bar manager. Originally from Leeds, he lives in London where he graduated with a BA in Creative Writing and English Literature from the University of Westminster. Since first intoxicated by drinks history after a Hemingway daiquiri, he's served pisco sours in Peru and designed serious cocktails with silly names for several UK establishments. He has performed numerous times at the Pint of Science and Curious Arts festivals at varying degrees of inebriation. His writing and poetry has appeared in Root and Bone and the International Times, and he was shortlisted for the Grindstone Literary Poetry prize in 2018.