The Gin Drinkers

New Delhi's liquid colonialism is on its way out. The old social order is crumbling. Those born into English-speaking privilege - Uma, the England-returned graduate; Madhavi, the academic, and journalist Dhruv; Shantanu, the civil servant, and his wife Anasuya; Deekay, the middle-class revolutionary; Pamela Sen, the dedicated teacher; Ikram Gilchrist, the famous author - are slowly but surely yielding ground to the subaltern. In the roil and rustle of this change, a mysterious gang of thieves is stealing old and rare books from the houses of the well-heeled. Who are these people? Where are they taking these books? And who is the mysterious Jai Prakash? What is his secret? The Gin Drinkers is a tragicomedy of manners and a true mirror to the class and caste conflicts that define modern India.

The Gin Drinker's Year is a celebration of all things gin and is packed with cocktails, food and gin-fusion recipes. With everything from 150 gin cocktails and gin-infusions, plus 30 delectable gin-spiked food recipes such as Penne alla Gin or Minty G&T Lollies, to heartfelt tributes to Snoop Dogg's 'Gin and Juice', the sozzled wit and wisdom of renowned gin soak Dorothy Parker and the rules of Gin Pong and Ten-Gin Bowling, there's an entry for every day of the year. You'll also discover fascinating snippets of gin-eral knowledge such as the history of vermouth, the Christmas gift that the beefeaters of the Tower of London are given every year, and why you most definitely should be celebrating National Gingerbread Day. So let the festivities be-gin. This is every gin lover's handbook to the best year ever. Highlights include: January - New Year's resolutions, Burns Night, Al Capone and a celeriac gin-fusion. February - Spin the Bottle, National Toast Day, Pancake Day and the Leap Day Cocktail. March - Gin Snap, White Day, St Patrick's Day, Earl Grey and some rather questionable poetry. April - Shakespeare's birthday, National Raisin Day and a Great Gatsby inspired Gin Rickey. May - Dick Bradsell's birthday, a Delft Donkey, a little opera and International Tea Day. June - Strawberry Fields, World Gin Day, Father's Day, a load of cobblers and floral foraging. July - Independence Day, genever, National Pi a Colada Day and garden games. August - Lychees, Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, World Oyster Day and Dubonnet. September - Hedgerows, Florida, International Talk Like a Pirate Day and directions to Park Lane October -International Gin & Tonic Day, the Beer Flood, spooky concoctions and Sake. November -Albert Camus, National Espresso Day and the anniversary of Casablanca. December - Humphrey Bogart's birthday, Roald Amundsen, Gin Pong and fizzy bubbles.

Here is the beloved, bestselling compendium of Kingsley Amis's wisdom on the cherished subject of drinking. Along with a series of well-tested recipes (including a cocktail called the Lucky Jim) the book includes Amis's musings on The Hangover, The Boozing Man's Diet, The Mean Sod's Guide, and (presumably as a matter of speculation) How Not to Get Drunk-all leavened with fun quizzes on the making and drinking of alcohol all over the world. Mixing practical know-how and hilarious opinionation, this is a delightful cocktail of wry humor and distilled knowledge, served by one of our great gimlet wits.

Uma, Dhruv, Madhavi The Oxford Returned Indians, Moving In A Gilded World Of Social Privilege And Jai Prakash. The Outsider With The Wrong Accent, Who Has The Mysterious Power To Change Their Destinies. A Many Layered Story That Explores The Conflicts Of Love, Ambition And Of Being A Stranger In Your Own Land. Uma, He England Returned Graduate. Academic Madhavi And Journalist Dhruv. Civil Servant Shantanu And His Wife Anusuya. Deekay, The Middle-Class Revolutionary. Pamela Sen, The Dedicated Teacher. Ikram Gilchrist, The Famous Author. Are They The Irrelevant Indians? In The New India, Do They Matter At All? The Old Social Order Is Changing. Those Born Into English-Speaking Privilege Must Yield Ground For Others. The Vernacular Man Has Only Himself, But His Belonging Gives Him A Peculiar Power. What Is Jai Prakash S Destiny? Jai Prakash Who Carries A Treasured Secret. Fat Mrs. Khurana With The Uncertain Accent Is Not What She Seems. And Why Is A Mysterious Gang Of Thieves Stealing Rare Books From The Houses Of The Well Heeled? Sam, A Visiting Englishman, Cannot Understand Uma S Fear Of Him. Many Forces Seethe In Urban India Today, And Those Who Must Participate In The Social Change Stand To Lose Themselves And Their Colonial Attitudes. But In The Process, They Could Also Gain A New World And Perhaps A More Just Peace. A Tragicomedy Of Manners, Which Holds Up The Severe Clashes Of Social Class In Modern India. Sagarika Ghose Was Born And Educated In New Delhi. She Was Awarded A Rhodes Scholarship To Oxford University In 1987 And Since 1991 Has Worked As A Journalist In New Delhi. She Is Married With Two Children. This Is Her First Novel.

“An absorbing popular history of one of history’s most popular drinks.” —Booklist Gin has been a drink of kings infused with crushed pearls and rose petals, and a drink of the poor flavored with turpentine and sulfuric acid. Born in alchemists’ stills and monastery kitchens, its earliest incarnations were juniper flavored medicines used to prevent plague, ease the pains of childbirth, and even to treat a lack of courage. In The Book of Gin, Richard Barnett traces the life of this beguiling spirit, once believed to cause a “new kind of drunkenness.” In the eighteenth century, gin-crazed debauchery (and class conflict) inspired Hogarth’s satirical masterpieces “Beer Street” and “Gin Lane.” In the nineteenth century, gin was drunk by Napoleonic War naval heroes, at lavish gin palaces, and by homesick colonials, who mixed it with their bitter anti-malarial tonics. In the early twentieth century, the illicit cocktail culture of Prohibition made gin—often dangerous bathtub gin—fashionable again. And today, with the growth of small-batch distilling, gin has once-again made a comeback. Wide-ranging, impeccably researched, and packed with illuminating stories, The Book of Gin is lively and fascinating, an indispensable history of a complex and notorious drink. “The Book of Gin is full of history that will make you grin . . . An enchanting read.” —Cooking by the Book

“Dive into the history and culture of juniper spirits in this fun and informative book . . . a must-read for marketers and gin lovers alike.” —The Spirits Business Gin is a global alcoholic drink that has polarised opinion like no other, and its history has been a roller coaster, alternating between being immensely popular and utterly unfashionable. The Weird and Wonderful Story of Gin explores the exciting, interesting, and downright curious aspects of the drink, with crime, murder, poisons, fires, dramatic accidents, artists, legends, and disasters all playing a part. These dark themes are also frequently used to promote brands and drinks. Did you know that the Filipinos are the world’s biggest gin drinkers? And even that Jack the Ripper, Al Capone, and the Krays all have their place in the history of gin? Not to mention Sir Winston Churchill, Noel Coward, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and James Bond! “Gin was the original Dutch courage and mothers’ ruin and there is drama, disaster, crime and royal patronage in its story as its fortunes lurch from being hugely popular to deeply unfashionable—and back again.” —Great British Life