The subject of drink received a great deal of attention from early modern Europeans. Preachers, physicians, authorities, artists and travellers all addressed it from a range of different perspectives. At the same time, inns, taverns and alehouses served as multifunctional centres in towns and villages throughout Europe. This combination resulted in a wealth of sources, both institutional and cultural, which are only now beginning to be explored. This anthology features new research on public houses in England, Russia and the German lands. In a series of general, thematic and regional studies, contributors engage with broader debates in early modern history, shedding light on such key issues as consumption, travel and communication, state building, confessional identity, fiscal practice, gender and household relations, and the use of public spaces. The result is a volume that should appeal to anybody with an interest in early modern cultural history.

They used to be heroes . . . and it was all downhill from there. The Starbreakers were your classic teenage heroes. Using their combined powers and skills, they were the most successful group of glintchasers in Corsar. But that all changed the day the city of Relgen died. The group went their separate ways, placing the blame on each other. Brass carried on as a solo act. Snow found work as a notorious assassin. Church became a town’s spiritual leader. Angel was the owner of a bar and inn. And after overcoming his own guilt, Phoenix started a new life as a family man. Seven years after their falling out, a hefty bounty is placed on their heads. Phoenix tries to reunite the Starbreakers before everything they have left is taken from them. But a lot can change in seven years. And if mending old wounds was easy, they would have done it a long time ago.

Chicago newspaperman Rick Kogan plunks down at a barstool at the Billy Goat Tavern and tells the tales of the city landmark, which became a haven for newspaper reporters, policemen, politicians, and anyone else drawn to the hospitality and showmanship of hardworking William “Billy Goat” Sianis and his often antic, uniquely comforting establishment. The story begins in the summer of 1934, when a baby goat fell off a truck and limped into a tavern owned by Greek immigrant William Sianis, and a Chicago icon was born. Later, when he and one of his goats were barred from entering Wrigley Field during the 1945 World Series, the Cubs’ eventual loss to Detroit fueled a legend as enduring as their fans’ “Wait ’til next year” mantra. Kogan writes about some of the regulars, visitors, employees, and luminaries found at the tavern, including columnist Mike Royko and the young stars who immortalized the tavern in the Saturday Night Live "Olympia Diner" skit—John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Don Novello—and discusses Sam Sianis, Billy's nephew and the current owner. Let the Goat In! In the summer of 1934, a baby goat fell off a truck, limped into a tavern owned by Greek immigrant William Sianis, and a Chicago icon was born. The Billy Goat Inn became a haven for newspaper reporters, policemen, politicians, and anyone else drawn to the hospitality and showmanship of hardworking "Billy Goat" Sianis and his often antic, uniquely comforting establishment. But did Billy jinx the Cubs? When he and one of his goats were barred from entering Wrigley Field during the 1945 World Series, the Cubs' eventual loss to Detroit fueled a legend as enduring as their fans' "Wait 'til next year" mantra. Today there are seven Billy Goat Taverns, including one in Washington, D.C., and Billy's nephew, Sam Sianis--a celebrity in his own right--oversees what Illinois Senator Dick Durbin called "a national institution." Rick Kogan's affectionate tale plunks you down at a barstool next to some of the Billy Goat's regulars, visitors, employees, and such luminaries as columnist Mike Royko, and those young stars--John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Don Novello--who immortalized Sam and the tavern in the Saturday Night Live Olympia Diner ("Cheezborger, Cheezborger! No fries . . . chips!") skits. "I remember . . . I miss . . .," someone will say, and names and faces begin to float through the tavern air. . . In these echoes Kogan lets you see and hear why taverns remain essential social focal points and lets you understand what makes a Chicago original.

Information, Power. Respect. Xelnath of the Gnarled Root--a tavern owner, information broker, healer, and guildmaster of the Blackwind Company--has found a place, far better than the forest from which he came in the magical metropolis and city-state of Lladad in the Magiian Empire. When a simple act of kindness draws the ire of a troubled assassin, his love-stricken Archmage father and an army of magically constructed golems, Xel must scheme with vipers of the high court, mingle with royalty at the castle, blackmail drug dealers in the slums, and fight assassins and mercenaries in the streets. He needs to lean on the support of his motley crew of a dark elf assassin, a dragon pirate, a high elf royal, and a talking dog artificer to keep him from his own inner demons and doubts. Perfect for fans of World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls, Brandon Sanderson, Michael J. Sullivan, Nicholas Eames, and Scott Lynch. Genre: Epic Fantasy/High Fantasy/Swords and Sorcery Market: New Adult to Adult

With over thirty thousand occupations currently in existence, workers today face a bewildering array of careers from which to choose, and upon which to center their lives. But there is more at stake than just a paycheck. For too long, work has driven a wedge between families, dividing husband from wife, father from son, mother from daughter, and family from home. Building something that will last requires a radically different approach than is common or encouraged today. In Durable Trades, Groves uncovers family-centered professions that have endured the worst upheavals in history--including the Industrial Revolution--and continue to thrive today. Through careful research and thoughtful commentary, Groves offers another way forward to those looking for a more durable future.

The first visual and narrative account of the American Revolution told through tales about the Colonial-era inns, taverns, and alcoholic beverages that shaped it, Taverns of the American Revolution is equal parts history, trivia, coffee-table book, and travel guide. A Complete Guide to the Spirits of 1776 In 1737, Benjamin Franklin published “The Drinker’s Dictionary,” a compendium of more than two hundred expressions for drinking and drunkenness, such as “oil’d,” “fuzl’d,” and “half way to Concord.” Nearly forty years later, the same barrooms that fostered these terms over bowls of rum punch helped sow the seeds of revolution. Taverns of the American Revolution presents the boozing and schmoozing that went on in some of America’s most historic watering holes, revealing the crucial role these public houses played as meeting places for George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and their fellow Founding Fathers in the struggle for independence. More than a retelling of the Revolutionary War, this unique volume takes readers on a tour of more than twenty surviving colonial taverns; features period artwork, maps, and cocktail recipes; and is filled with trivia and anecdotes about the drinking habits of colonial Americans. From history buffs and those interested in colonial architecture and art to tavern goers, beer aficionados, trivia lovers, and those keen on hitting a few historic pubs on their road trip through the original thirteen colonies, this one-of-a-kind compendium is the ultimate guide to the taverns that helped spark a revolution. Includes: -Commentary on more than twenty surviving colonial taverns Period artwork, maps, and documents -A detailed time line of the events leading up to, during, and immediately after the American Revolution -Six colonial cocktail recipes -A comprehensive index of more than one hundred fifty surviving colonial taverns -An abundance of little-known facts and anecdotes that will have you owning your next pub quiz trivia night