Ultra Violet is an artist, but not the one who hung out with Warhol at the Factory. She is also the only library staff member who was a Shakespearean research scholar and a member of the Meat Cutters' Union in the same year.
You don't have to be a gardener or a drinker (although it wouldn't hurt) to appreciate this witty, fascinating account of the history of plants as they have been used to make alcohol. Amy Stewart has a conversational tone as she shares her enthusiasm for the seemingly endless diversity of the plant world and the equally boundless innovation of humans to make intoxicating beverages from said plants.
This beautiful edition has quick, engaging anecdotes for those of us with a short attention span, and it has gardening tips for cultivating many of the plants included. Stewart also includes many of her own recipes as well of those of people she has met from all over the globe. Some of the recipes are classics, and some are very edgy.
So if you want to explore the correct method for "dancing with the green fairy" or you just want a great non-fiction read, check out The Drunken Botanist.
