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We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Our current theme is song inspirations, where we were given a random song from a random genre and had to pick a book based on the song. For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!
Book: “Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol” by Mallory O’Meara
Publishing Info: Hanover Square Press, October 2021
Where Did I Get This Book: Kate owns it.
Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound
Song Inspiration: “Oh! Whiskey” by Jimi Goodwin
Book Description: Strawberry daiquiris. Skinny martinis. Vodka sodas with lime. These are the cocktails that come in sleek-stemmed glasses, bright colors and fruity flavors—these are the Girly Drinks.
From the earliest days of civilization, alcohol has been at the center of social rituals and cultures worldwide. But when exactly did drinking become a gendered act? And why have bars long been considered “places for men” when, without women, they might not even exist?
With whip-smart insight and boundless curiosity, Girly Drinks unveils an entire untold history of the female distillers, drinkers and brewers who have played a vital role in the creation and consumption of alcohol, from ancient Sumerian beer goddess Ninkasi to iconic 1920s bartender Ada Coleman. Filling a crucial gap in culinary history, O’Meara dismantles the long-standing patriarchal traditions at the heart of these very drinking cultures, in the hope that readers everywhere can look to each celebrated woman in this book—and proudly have what she’s having.
Kate’s Thoughts
This wasn’t the first time I have read “Girly Drinks” by Mallory O’Meara. As someone who loved “The Lady from the Black Lagoon”, and who does enjoy alcoholic beverages in moderation, I received this book for my birthday shortly after it came out and then read it shortly after that. So when our book club compatriot was having a hard time trying to think of a title that would go along with the song “Oh! Whiskey” and was talking about that at our monthly meeting, I suggested this book because I thought it would be a good fit. And I was right! Not only did it fit the theme, it provided us with lively discussion about patriarchy, misogyny, and women fighting against both (as well as provided us with a fun night of sampling some out of the book beverages we don’t usually indulge in at book club!).
Mallory O’Meara does a great job of laying out the history of women and the alcohol industry, the contributions that many have made since ancient times, and the way that misogynistic and sexists societies have tried to stifle women from partaking, creating, and making a living off of alcohol, deriding their industrious or just recreational indulgences as sinful, improper, and dangerous. Moving from ancient Egypt and Babylon through the Middle Ages all the way up through the 21st Century, she has great research, a well done narrative, and a creative hook that ties women’s parts in alcohol all together (and how men have tried to keep women out through shame and sometimes violence). Chapters are framed around individuals or groups who had influence that is still seen today, whether it’s alewives who revolutionized beer (but whose power in the industry led to persecution with their symbols of pointed hats, brooms, and cats to ward off mice from the grains becoming those of a stereotypical witch), the Widow Cliquot who basically created champagne as we know it, or even Cora Irene “Sunny” Sund, who made the tiki bar The Beachcomber an empire that influenced cocktail culture post WWII. She also explores less known stories of non-Western women, like Japanese women who worked in sake, or South African women who fought literal decades for official recognition as brewers. It’s deeply fascinating, at times rage inducing, but always empowering as O’Meara bolsters women to recognize and acknowledge their power and influence.
“Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol” is a very entertaining and insightful read. We had a really fun time with this one! Order that cosmopolitan, ladies. And don’t let anyone shame you for it.
Kate’s Rating 8: An informative, cheeky, and interesting history about women, the alcohol industry, and fighting against misogyny and the patriarchy.
Book Club Questions
- If you enjoy drinking alcoholic beverages, what kinds of drinks do you like? Did this book give you any insight into your favorites? If not, do you like any mocktails as they have become more popular?
- O’Meara talks about women being shut out of drinking and socializing in taverns and bars and therefore having to make their own drinks and trying to socialize at home. Do you find yourself enjoying going out to bars more, or do you like spending time with friends and family at home? Again, this does not have to include alcohol.
- This book has many women in history who have interesting lives and backgrounds. Were there any that you owuld like to learn more about, or who you could see yourself hanging out with in a fantasy situation?
- What were your thoughts on the structure of the book and the different highlights in each chapter? Did any stand out to you?
- Were there any surprises in this book as it traces the influences of women on the history of alcohol?
Reader’s Advisory
“Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol” is included on the Goodreads lists “Feminist Interest 2021”, and “[ATY 2022]: Food and Drink”.
Next Book Club Book: “The Wee Free Men” by Terry Pratchett
The Library Ladies 