Alcohol Explained is the definitive, ground-breaking guide to alcohol and alcohol addiction. It explains how alcohol affects human beings on a chemical, physiological and psychological level, from our first drinks right up to chronic alcoholism. Despite being entirely scientific and factual in nature the book is presented in an accessible and easily understandable format.For those with an alcohol problem it will explain why they have a problem and what they can do about it. For those who are unsure whether they have a problem or not it provides them with firm guidance. For those who have someone close to them who has an alcohol problem it will help them to understand what that person is going through, how they ended up where they are, and what they can do to help them. However this is not just a book for people with links to problem drinking, it is compulsive reading for anyone who has ever, or will ever, drink an alcoholic drink. How many people have inadvertently drunk too much on occasion? Virtually every drinker on the planet has done that! But how many people have actually stopped to think why? There is in fact a logical, scientific explanation for this phenomenon, it is fully and simply explained in this book.Even for those who have never imbibed alcohol this book provides a fascinating insight into addiction generally and, more specifically, into a substance that has pervaded our society to such a great extent that it is now an integral part of our culture.

Scientific research has clearly established that drinking in moderation has many health benefits, including maintaining a healthy heart. Yet, many people do not know that drinking red wine protects the heart more than white wine, while beer, margaritas, and hard liquor are less effective in providing such protection. And while alcoholism is a serious problem requiring medical and psychological treatment, for those who are not addicted, drinking alcohol is not necessarily a bad habit. The problem is to distinguish between drinking sensibly and drinking insensibly. Dasgupta clearly outlines what constitutes healthy drinking and its attendant health benefits, offers advice on how to drink responsibly, and provides insight into just how alcohol works on the brain and the body. After reading this book, readers will enjoy their next drink with a fuller and safer understanding of why they're enjoying it.

A spirited look at the history of alcohol, from the dawn of civilization to the modern day Alcohol is a fundamental part of Western culture. We have been drinking as long as we have been human, and for better or worse, alcohol has shaped our civilization. Drink investigates the history of this Jekyll and Hyde of fluids, tracing mankind's love/hate relationship with alcohol from ancient Egypt to the present day. Drink further documents the contribution of alcohol to the birth and growth of the United States, taking in the War of Independence, the Pennsylvania Whiskey revolt, the slave trade, and the failed experiment of national Prohibition. Finally, it provides a history of the world's most famous drinks-and the world's most famous drinkers. Packed with trivia and colorful characters, Drink amounts to an intoxicating history of the world.

Alcohol: Social Drinking in Cultural Context critically examines alcohol use across cultures and through time. This short text is a framework for students to self-consciously examine their beliefs about and use of alcohol, and a companion text for teaching the primary concepts of anthropology to first-or second year college students.

Alcohol is a killerâ€"1 of every 13 deaths in the United States is alcohol-related. In addition, 5 percent of the population consumes 50 percent of the alcohol. The authors take a close look at the problem in a "classy little study," as The Washington Post called this book. The Library Journal states, "...[T]his is one book that addresses solutions....And it's enjoyably readable....This is an excellent review for anyone in the alcoholism prevention business, and good background reading for the interested layperson." The Washington Post agrees: the book "...likely will wind up on the bookshelves of counselors, politicians, judges, medical professionals, and law enforcement officials throughout the country."

"Preface by Alan Marlatt, introduction by Patt Denning."--Cover.

Alcohol use is complex and multifaceted. Our understanding must be also. Alcohol use, both problematic and not, can be understood at many levels – from basic biological systems through to global public health interventions. To provide the multi-level perspective needed to address this complexity, the Handbook of Alcohol Use draws together an eclectic set of authors, including both researchers and practitioners, to examine the causes, processes and effects of alcohol consumption. Specifically, this book approaches the topic from biological, individual cognition, small group/systems, and domestic/global population perspectives. Each examines alcohol use differently and each offers its own ways to combat problematic behavior. While these alternative viewpoints are sometimes construed as incompatible or antagonistic, the current volume also explores how they can be complimentary.In summary, the Handbook of Alcohol Use brings together an international group of experts to explore how alcohol use can be understood from various perspectives and how these conceptualizations relate. In doing so, it allows us to understand alcohol consumption, and our responses to it, more from an account which spans ‘from synapse to society’. Explores alcohol use from individual through to societal levels Synthesizes these varied levels of analysis on alcohol use Draws on an international team of experts including researchers and alcohol treatment practitioners Makes clear the implications of research for practice (and vice versa)