Book Launch: Who's Under the Influence? Spilling the History of Alcohol

Join Jimmy Neal to launch Who’s Under the Influence?—an entertainment forward history of how alcohol shaped culture, religion and the world. Alcohol’s history is a cocktail of stories about mankind—incessantly shaking up traditions, mixing definitions, straining symbols of devotion, and pouring them into new vessels to match the tastes of the day. It’s often refreshing, sometimes sweet, and occasionally bitter. Although change is the only constant, spirited origins linger—hidden in every glass, diluted, and sometimes hard to swallow. Who’s Under the Influence? is an entertaining, fast-paced and often irreverent remix of booze’s true impact on the world. Join author Jimmy Neal for the launch of Who’s Under the Influence? Spilling the History of Alcohol — an entertaining, fast-paced and often irreverent exploration of one of humanity’s oldest obsessions, and the extraordinary role it has played in shaping civilisation. But this is more than a book launch. It’s an opportunity to hear the story behind the book: The event also brings the story back to Common Garage, where Jimmy has been building an independent community space around shared experiences, local businesses and new ideas. The launch will double as a fundraiser for the Garage, giving the community an opportunity to support its ongoing development while celebrating a book years in the making. Jimmy will share insights into his journey the research, ideas and inspiration behind the book, alongside a selection of short readings that bring some of its most intriguing stories to life; what sparked the idea, the rabbit holes that followed, and the discoveries that challenge long-held assumptions about alcohol and its place in human history. Come along, hear the story behind the story, discover a different side of alcohol’s history, and help support the future of Common Garage.