Book description
Italy has grappa, Russia has vodka, Jamaica has rum. Around the world, certain drinks-especially those of the intoxicating kind-are synonymous with their peoples and cultures. For Mexico, this drink is tequila. For many, tequila can conjure up scenes of body shots on Cancun bars and coolly garnished margaritas on sandy…
Why read it?
2 authors picked ¡Tequila! Distilling the Spirit of Mexico as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
With clear and engaging prose, Gaytan reveals the power dynamics that shaped tequila’s trajectory in Mexico and abroad.
She traces tequila’s meteoric rise past other agave-derived drinks like pulque and mezcal. I really appreciate how she approaches her study as a sociologist but does not eschew history in her analysis. Although ancient Mayas were among the first to produce and consume tequila, its association with modernity can be attributed, in part, to modern marketers disassociating tequila from indigenous inebriation.
Even as she firmly grounds tequila in lo Mexicano or being Mexican, Gaytan also explores tequila’s influence and popularity in the…
From David's list on alcohol in Latin America and the Caribbean.
One of the great pleasures of researching the history of alcohol in Mexico was learning how much more to tequila there was – both in taste and in history – than shot glasses, salt and lime. This book gives a fascinating account of participant observation in tequila distillery tours, tasting events, and a five-month Tequila Studies diploma program at the University of Guadalajara, alongside analysis of tequila’s representation in newspapers, novels, popular songs, and films. The illustrations Gaytán has included to demonstrate tequila’s role in the construction of Mexicanness – images of tequila bottles, labels, and other promotional materials, stills…
From Deborah's list on the history of food in Latin America.
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On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band they rob from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive…
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