
Order, Order!: The Rise and Fall of Political Drinking (Paperback)
Ben Wright (author)- In stock
But why did these politicians drink and what was their tipple of choice? How did drinking shape the decisions they made?
Ben Wright, political correspondent for the BBC, explores the history of alcohol within politics, from the debauched drinking practices of eighteenth-century ministers to today, often based on his own experiences supping with politicians in Westminster bars.
With exclusive interviews and in-depth research, Order, Order! uses alcohol as a lens through which to meet a remarkable cast of politicians, to understand their times and discover what drove them to drink.
A story of boozy bon viveurs - but with many casualties, too - and the complexity of the human condition and the pull of the bottle.
Publisher: Duckworth Books
ISBN: 9780715651858
Number of pages: 368
Weight: 262 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Fast-paced and witty... unputdownable.'
* The Lady *'[An] entertaining history of political drinking.'
* The Times *'A breezy, anecdote-rich and instructive survey of booze and politics.'
* The National *'[An] entertaining book... often funny, though not without sombre appraisals of many curtailed careers and damaged lives.'
* Prospect *'Well researched and breezily told, Wright's book is an enjoyable romp.'
* New Criterion *'According to a new book, Order, Order! The Rise and Fall of Political Drinking by Ben Wright which looks set to be a corker... the dourest of Scots felt obliged to pretend to be a beer drinker, but harboured a private penchant for champagne, and could knock back a glass in one great gulp.'
* Telegraph *'Alcohol has always lubricated political life... [Order, Order!] is about the British experience with examples of careers enhanced and destroyed by booze.'
* Keith Simpson MP's Summer Reading List, Total Politics *'Like being the only sober guest at an uproarious party'
* Sunday Times *'A fascinating account of politics and drink... informative and entertaining.'
-- Alistair Campbell'A thoroughly enjoyable, comprehensive book.'
-- Harry Mount * Times Literary Supplement *You may also be interested in...
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