The Comic Book Story of Beer: The World’s Favorite Beverage From 7000 B.C. to Today’s Craft Brewing Revolution
by Jonathan Hennessy and Mike Smith, with art by Aaron McConnell [641.23 Hen]
Right off the bat, let me say that I don’t actually drink beer. However, seeing this book on the library’s “New Books” display, it caught my eye and intrigued me enough to check it out. I’d enjoyed reading the section on “beer” in A History of the World in Six Glasses a few years ago, but even since that book’s publication in 2006, there’s been an explosion in the craft beer brewing business. The Comic Book Story of Beer is a terrific look at the entire history of beer brewing, from ancient times to today. Told in a “graphic novel” format, bookended by a twentysomething who goes shopping for a non-typical beer and finds himself overwhelmed by all the options, the authors squeeze in a lot of truly fascinating facts and figures about brewing. You’ll find lessons in chemistry, economics, world history, commerce, war, religion, politics and social history, all as they relate to the changes in how beer is created.
Even if I never actually develop a taste for beer, I enjoyed this detailed history of its contributions to the world. I would recommend this to anyone who’s interested in “microhistories” or who’s enjoyed a tall, foamy one and wondered about where it came from! I’d grade it with a higher score, but the art, at times, doesn’t live up to the quality of the text. But, overall, still a fun and educational read!
[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try A History of the World in Six Glasses.] [ official Comic Book Story of Beer web site ]
Have you read this? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?
by Jonathan Hennessy and Mike Smith, with art by Aaron McConnell [641.23 Hen]
Right off the bat, let me say that I don’t actually drink beer. However, seeing this book on the library’s “New Books” display, it caught my eye and intrigued me enough to check it out. I’d enjoyed reading the section on “beer” in A History of the World in Six Glasses a few years ago, but even since that book’s publication in 2006, there’s been an explosion in the craft beer brewing business. The Comic Book Story of Beer is a terrific look at the entire history of beer brewing, from ancient times to today. Told in a “graphic novel” format, bookended by a twentysomething who goes shopping for a non-typical beer and finds himself overwhelmed by all the options, the authors squeeze in a lot of truly fascinating facts and figures about brewing. You’ll find lessons in chemistry, economics, world history, commerce, war, religion, politics and social history, all as they relate to the changes in how beer is created.
Even if I never actually develop a taste for beer, I enjoyed this detailed history of its contributions to the world. I would recommend this to anyone who’s interested in “microhistories” or who’s enjoyed a tall, foamy one and wondered about where it came from! I’d grade it with a higher score, but the art, at times, doesn’t live up to the quality of the text. But, overall, still a fun and educational read!
[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try A History of the World in Six Glasses.] [ official Comic Book Story of Beer web site ]
Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library
Bennett Martin Public Library
New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!
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