Of All the Gin Joints: Stumbling through Hollywood History

by Mark Bailey, Edward Hemingway

True tales of celebrity hi-jinks are served up with an equal measure of Hollywood scandal and movie history, and a frothy mix of forty cocktail recipes and beautiful illustrations.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Media Tie In, Pop Culture, Food and Drink, Film

324 pages, Hardcover

First published May 6, 2014

Reviews

[Joseph DiFrancesco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this romp through Hollywood's players of yesteryear. The stories, anecdotes, quotes and drink recipes - a few I plan on trying - keep the book flowing nicely. I did, however, expect more stories coming from actual barkeeps and waitresses themselves regarding the outlandish, and sometimes absurd behavior of film's king and queens of the era. Much of the tales were broad strokes ripped right from tabloids of the day. Moreover the book ends abruptly, as if a diary whose author died in his sleep. It would have been nice if the author had chosen to wax philosophically in an afterward. Perhaps examining the irony of how so many incredibly talented people, whose occupation was to expertly represent humanity, morality and society, can themselves be so lost, empty and behave so, so poorly in all walks of life.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read full of trivia and gossip about Hollywood movie stars and their legendary exploits in pursuit of oblivion at the bottom of a bottle. I was in a bit of a reading rut, so this was kind of perfect. I’m not quite sure how the movie stars were sorted into the four categories - Silent Era, Studio Era, Postwar, and 1960s/New Hollywood - particularly the last two which have a lot of overlap. The book ends with Natalie Wood, making me wonder why the authors didn’t continue into more recent movie stardom. Is it more to do with nostalgia (every person with a bio here is deceased), avoiding litigation, or has the increasing access of the public to celebrity culture eliminated much of the allure that Old Hollywood possessed?

[Quinn Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sprightly light trip through the overtaxed liver of Hollywood. If you like Hollywood history, drinks recipes, celebrity gossip or just a cheerful itemizing of public urination, you'll enjoy this book. My suggestion? Pick up a couple of extra copies before the holidays; this is the sort of thing to give to that person you forgot you were exchanging presents with. Unless, of course, they're sober; this book could induce a bender in a Mormon. Thanks to Vromans bookstore for letting me read it.

[Tom Donaghey · Rating 4 out of 5]

OF ALL THE GIN JOINTS is that frothy mixture one might expect of a book that combines alcohol, movie stars, famous nightclubs and hotels, some movie trivia and tales told out of school.
Written by Mark Bailey and with amusing illustrations by Edward Hemingway, this book collects stories and recipes you may have read about before, but serves them up in four distinct groupings by era. They are the Silent Era, the Studio Era, the Postwar Era and the 1960’s to include New Hollywood, although it is only new if you’ve just woken from a coma out of 1979. Every actor profiled is deceased so I assume the 1979 cutoff is to stop lawsuits from occurring.
No matter. The material is fun and handled with a light touch, the gory details are tamer than what you might find in the supermarket tabloids, and the whole things seems more of a guidebook than anything else.
The illustrations, which accompany every section be it about an actor, a hotel or bar, or the actor’s favorite drink, are caricatures that look as if drawn looking through beer glasses. They are fun and go well with the stories you are reading.
I recommend this book for anyone looking to take a trip to Hollywood to search out the haunts of the stars or if you just have a thirst for something a little different.
I received an advanced reading copy of the book and I hope the little errors will be corrected soon. After all, we all know it was Hardy, not Laurel, who said the line about the fine mess. Perhaps the writer had sampled one too many cocktails.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of All the Gin Joints ... is an often hilarious, sometimes scandalous look at some of Hollywood's biggest stars and their drinking habits. One of the most fun stories is Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor inventing the chocolate martini. Although most of the stories are funny, I'm not saying they are not tragic in a way, as well. Movie studio executives and directors either looked the other way or even condoned the stars' drinking and drug use as long as their performances were good.

The book also includes little pieces on Hollywood mainstays like the Chateau Marmont, the Brown Derby and the Bel Air Hotel. You'll even find out how Beverly Hills got to be Beverly Hills.

And, you'll find recipes not only for the chocolate martini but some of the stars' other drinks of choice.

Of All the Gin Joints ... is a quick, fun and thoroughly entertaining book. I'll be talking with the author and illustrator next week, and am really looking forward to it. You'll be able to find the interview at Anne's Book Club.

[Emanuel Ramos · Rating 3 out of 5]

The theme here: Movie stars love to drink. And drink.

It's a formulaic read that tires toward the end. The author touches on a whole host of celebrities, without getting too in-depth about them. And then, there are some chapters on old Hollywood landmarks. And THEN, for some unexplained reason, the author throws in drink recipes. I don't get it.

The first two sections are fascinating, though, to see how messed up these people were. And then, it fades.

[Pop Bop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here At The Musso & Frank Grill

I am not physically sitting in a booth at Musso & Frank's as I write this. I am, however, there in my head, which is what counts anyway.

This is a perfect book if you can travel inside your head. There is no Hollywood Hotel anymore; the Coconut Grove is now the footprint of a high school auditorium. But, with the aid of this book they exist again.

Books like this have to navigate a very narrow line. Too much information can squeeze the life out the story. Too little info leaves you with just a pretty postcard book. Too much sex drifts us into "Hollywood Babylon" territory; too little oomph starts to leach away the bad-boy/dirty-girl tingle.

The author has made a number of wise choices in deciding how to walk that line. The book is divided into eras, (the silent era, the studio era and so on). Within that division there are 2 to 4 page "chapters" featuring a particular actor or actress. A well known and then a perhaps less well known story about the actor is related. These tie into bits about their friends, pals and acquaintances, so you get more of a group snapshot. Sidebars, usually featuring historical or architectural bits, fill in around the drinking and partying stories.

Tone is almost everything once you have selected your stories and factoids, and again the author has chosen wisely. There is a consistent narrative voice; the book reads like a documentary with an indulgent, cheerful and non-judgmental voiceover that reflects a real affection and feeling for these people and this place. It is not a phoney cheerful upbeat sales pitch, not mindless celebrity worship, and not mean celebrity trashing. These actors and actresses were real people with real lives and appetites; they were also the cultural icons of their times and remain powerful symbols even today. This book acknowledges both their humanity and their celebrity, and embraces both.

I don't think you would want to sit down and read this book at one sitting. It's too rich. This is for browsing. It is the book equivalent of sitting down and having a few drinks with some interesting, witty friends who tell great stories. How neat is that.

Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

[Barbara Bryant · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this two stars because it is an inconsequential book, not because there is anything inherently wrong with it. I grabbed it coming over the desk at the library where I work because the stories of the stars seemed like a fun way to have a long session with Hollywood gossip without having to go to my hair salon to get People magazine.

The book devotes a brief chapter to each of the chosen stars, directors or whatever, then ends with perhaps an additional anecdote and a story about a selected watering hole and a recipe for a drink of the period. It was kind of fun and interesting at first, but I was quite depressed by the end of the book and slogged a bit to finish it. The stories were told in a fun way, but how fun can stories be when they involve constant drunkenness, throwing up, drug-taking, infidelity, perversions and early death?

The book begins in the silent era and travels through to people like Cary Grant, Liza Minelli, Natalie Wood--it never quite reaches modern times. The stories of the famous restaurants and bars of the time were quite interesting and mentioned many places I had heard of but never really knew anything about. The drinks recipes were also quite interesting, as some were created by the stars or the restaurants as a specialty. Quite a few of the restaurants and hotels are still around in some form.

Still, there is nothing glamorous about this book. The tales are sad and awful and don't make you wish you were a star. The relating of the on-and-off "romance" of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was one of the worst experiences of the book, though Liz comes off as at least a strong person in her way, who made a lot of friends and kept her own counsel. I had recently read the two-part memoirs of Angelica Huston, which were more discreet, but which also depressed me. I think I will not be star-gazing any more for a while.

I should add there is an excellent bibliography and a handy index for those wishing to delve more into these wild Hollywood exploits.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what I think about this book. There are short 2-4 page "chapters" on different actors, stories about various Hollywood hangouts, both closed and current, and 40 cocktail recipes. After reading the book, I don't want to try any of them. I might have overloaded by reading them in quick succession. I think it was supposed to make me nostalgic for the golden days of Hollywood but instead it just made me sad. So much wasted time and talent is chronicled here. I think movie buffs will probably enjoy it, or people who like their Hollywood stories with a touch of schadenfreude. It is well-written and I liked reading the background stories about some of the famous Hollywood restaurants and hotels. Probably for liability reasons, they only wrote about dead actors, but that was a touch macabre. The drawings were nice. Making them all slightly askew was a nice touch. Everyone had Tallulah Bankhead eyes, even the men.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of All the Gin Joints is a trip through Hollywood history featuring some of the more illustrious drinkers from its past. For each star there is a brief description of their escapades, accompanied by a cool caricature and often a drink recipe. Just as interesting for me was the history of some of Hollywood's famous spots such as the Polo Lounge and Chateau Marmont. Meant to be consumed in small sips, this will be a hit with Hollywood and trivia buffs.

Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for this advance reading copy for review.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book depressing. Once you've seen and lived with alcoholism up close, it kind of loses the quirky charm the authors seem to be trying for in this book full of whiskey/tequila/gin-soaked anecdotes. Some of the stories are clearly apocryphal (which, to be fair, the authors do admit), and none of them made me laugh - they just seemed sad. I did, however, enjoy the drinks recipes (I was particularly intrigued by Pimm's Cup and Orange wine), and the historical tidbits about such famous venues as the Troubadour, Mocambo, Chasen's and the Formosa Cafe.

[John Lyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pretty amazed by the alleged quantities of alcohol so many movie people consumed and how they apparently overcame alcoholic obstacles most of the time during filming. I don't understand why some people think this book is so funny, yes, it has its moments, but overall it's kind of sad and pathetic.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just reiterates everything we already know about Hollywood: it's full of a bunch of crazy, drunk and drugged-up people. A quick read, I enjoyed reading about the places far more than the people.

[Marck Rimorin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of anecdotes, quotes, backstories, and snippets of Hollywood history framed against cocktails.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Hollywood people did crazy things and they could really put away the alcohol! Richard Burton could three bottles of vodka plus in a day! There are worse than him! Nice, good easy read.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely fascinating. Anyone who is a fan of Hollywood, particularly the Golden Age should enjoy this.

The one thing I particularly thought reading about the excesses of seemingly every major movie star of every decade, is that it is an utter miracle that so many fantastic movies could possibly have been made, given that virtually every single star was hammered the vast majority of the time they spent making movies. I'm not sure if the past stars had a higher capacity to handle their booze or what, but these stars made famous - and great - films despite their incredible excesses and we still have the movies to prove it.

The authors do a great job of telling the stories of the boozing, screwing, fighting and just general bad behavior with humor and a tongue-in-cheek approach that almost celebrates the antics of all these stars.

I have to say I found all of it highly entertaining. The stories are legendary and as crazy as they are interesting. From Hitchcock's recipe for the perfect martini: "Five parts gin and a quick glance at the vermouth bottle", to W.C. Fields who "would only confess to being drunk one time - from the Spanish-American war to the New Deal". There's a story about Humphrey Bogart and two stuffed pandas in a bar that ended up with Bogie in front of a judge on assault charges, and one about Richard Burton drunkenly tripping onstage and almost landing in the lap of a woman in the front row. Honestly this book is chock-a-block full of "wow, did that really happen?!" stories about every star you've ever heard of.

This is certainly a cautionary tale about booze, drugs and bad behavior but as long as you just read about it, it's a whole lot of fun and entertainment!

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the actors, actresses, screenwriters and others who were famous in Hollywood for their drinking. It covers from the silent era(1895 - 1920) to the 1960's and the new Hollywood. There are stories about the people but also about the places they went to. Plus the book gives directions on how to make some of the drinks. I found the silent era to be the most interesting because I didn't know as much about the people involved. The book was an easy read.

[Allen Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/cock...

So it turns out that over the years, a lot of Hollywood’s most famous faces have been known to enjoy a drink or three.

Shocking, I know. But while some tales of movie star debauchery have filtered down into the public consciousness over the years, it might surprise you to discover just how many of these stories there are – stories you may never have heard.

(Here’s a hint: there are a LOT.)

Writer Mark Bailey and illustrator Edward Hemingway have teamed up to bring readers “Of All the Gin Joints: Stumbling through Hollywood History”. The book offers a booze-soaked look back at some of the most famous names in film history, relating the tales of their drunken exploits and the recipes for a few of their favorite cocktails along the way.

The book is broken down into four sections, each looking at a different cinematic era. Part One is “The Silent Era,” covering the years from 1895-1929. Part Two is “The Studio Era” – 1929-1945. “Postwar Era” is Part Three, ranging from 1945-1960. And finally, Part Four is dubbed “1960s & New Hollywood,” marking the years from 1960 until 1979.

Depending on how well-versed you are in Tinseltown’s lore, there may be a few names that are unfamiliar. More than a few, really – particularly from the early days – but that will hardly detract from your enjoyment of “All the Gin Joints.” It’s all about the debauchery – and believe me, many of the stars in the Hollywood constellation were no strangers to the wonders (and failings) of alcohol.

Pick a name from your favorite classic film and they’ll likely make an appearance here, accompanied by a brief biographical sketch, an anecdote related to their love of drink and – if they have one – a recipe for their favorite cocktail. The book also features brief descriptions of classic Hollywood watering holes – some that are long gone, others that are still hopping today.

Seriously – so many names. Silent film giants such as Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle and Myrna Loy. Brilliant writers with uneven Hollywood tenures – Raymond Chandler and William Faulkner and F. Scott Fitzgerald. And of course, the biggest of the big, the transcendent superstars – Humphrey Bogart and Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles all make appearances. The most notable figures in film’s illustrious history are here.

And boy oh boy, could they ever drink.

“Of All the Gin Joints” offers readers a chance to learn just how alcohol fueled their favorite movies were. Legendary levels of consumption led to behaviors (both on- and off-set) that border on the unbelievable. Stuffed pandas and drunken water-skiing and champagne bathtub seductions – these are the sorts of stories we’re talking about.

There’s no disputing that these chapters are entertaining, but “Of All the Gin Joints” suffers slightly due to the sheer volume of men and women included. At times, it feels as though the book is built on a foundation of quantity rather than quality. That isn’t to say that the individual pieces aren’t engaging – they almost always are – but some readers might find themselves wishing for a bit more when it comes to the bigger names. An extra story or two drawn from the exploits of the bigger stars would be welcome; some of the lesser lights could conceivably have been sacrificed in order to make that happen. In the grand scheme of things, however, that’s a minor criticism; even the unfamiliar names offer some fascinating and funny anecdotes.

By their powers combined, Bailey and Hemingway have produced an entertaining and aesthetically pleasing work. For anyone who’s interested in peeling back the curtain on their matinee idols, “Of All the Gin Joints” has a lot to offer. Fans of Hollywood history and cocktail enthusiasts would do well to belly up to the bar and tip this one back.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like reading gossip about famous people ... and that's why I was attracted to this book. It's stories about actors, directors, writers, etc. and their drinking habits.

It's divided into four parts:

The Silent Era (1898-1929) - Fatty Arbuckle, John Barrymore, Clara Bow, Marion Davies, W.C. Fields, Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel, Mary Pickford and more

The Studio Era - Tallulah Bankhead, John Carradine, Joan Crawford, Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable and more

Postwar Era (1946-60) - Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Jackie Gleason, Cary Grant, William Holden, Robert Mitchum and more

1960s & New Hollywood (1960-79) - Richard Burton, Sammy Davis Jr., Dennis Hopper, Rock Hudson, Dean Martin, Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood and more


Here are some of the stories:

Humphrey Bogart got himself arrested for protecting his drinking buddies, who happened to be a pair of stuffed pandas

Ava Gardner would water-ski to the set of Night of the Iguana holding a towline in one hand and a cocktail in the other

Barely legal Natalie Wood said Dennis Hopper could seduce her if he provided a bathtub full of champagne (apparently it burned her sensitive parts, though)

Bing Crosby’s ill-mannered antics earned him the nickname “Binge Crosby”

Mary Pickford stashed liquor in hydrogen peroxide bottles during Prohibition


In addition to the stories, there is history of the places these celebrities drank in such as the Brown Derby, the Hollywood Athletic Club, Mocambo, Musso & Frank Grill (open), Whisky a Go Go (open), Trader Vic's (open) and Chateau Marmont (open).

If the star had a favourite cocktail, the recipe is included such as Mimosas, Half and Half, Orange Blossom, Martini, Prairie Oyster, Tom Collins, Zombie, etc.

Films with crazy booze-soaked stories like Apocalypse Now, From Here to Eternity and The Misfits, are featured.

Also included are some quotes ... here are some I found funny:

"Looks like it's going to get drunk out tonight." Charles Butterworth, character actor (1899-1946)

"Hell, I used to take two-week lunch hours." Spencer Tracy, actor (1900-67)

"I'm no alcoholic; I'm a drunkard. There's a difference. A drunkard doesn't like to go to meetings." Jackie Gleason, actor (1916-87)

"Tequila makes your head hurt. Not from your hangover. From falling over and hitting your head." John Wayne, actor (1907-79)

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they are going to feel all day." Frank Sinatra, singer and actor (1915-98)


I enjoyed this book. I liked the writing style ... the stories were short and snappy and focused. At times, the author was sarcastic, which I enjoyed. As a head's up, there is swearing.

It was a crazy look at the lives of these celebrities ... it's amazing the amount of liquor they consumed, what they did and what they got away with. It seemed like everyone was drinking with everyone and they were all sleeping with each other. It would be interesting to see how much (if anything) has changed with celebrities today.

I'd heard of most of the celebrities in the book but I was still often driven to Google them to get more information about them.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/09...

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book because I am a huge fan of the Golden Era of Hollywood. I love movies made during that time. Which isn't to say I don't like other movies, I just have a preference for the classic black-and-whites.

Now this book was different: it took me longer to read than others because every so often I would find myself curious - not about the anecdotes involved, for I believe everything Mr. Bailey has written, having heard some of the stories previously. But because being a huge classic film fan, I found myself referring to the glorious Internet occasionally to find out other facts about certain stars (such as Rita Hayworth's ex-husband Dick Haymes. When he was referred to as "Mr. Evil," I naturally wanted to know why.) And, of course, that led to looking at facts about his other ex-wives, etc., etc...

Back to the book: I knew the stars drank, I just didn't realize so much. Who travels with a suitcase full of liquor, for Heaven's sake? Included in the stories are the mean drunks, the happy drunks, and the totally oblivious drunks - those who can't remember anything from the night before. Many of the stories are humorous, others are downright sad. But when Hollywood was young, liquor was the choice stimulant, although it has transitioned from booze to drugs, I think (not that one is any better than the other, mind you).

I have learned a little about the personal habits of many of the stars, and noted that in quite a few cases they died young, probably due to their habits, which is unfortunate. But in the end, this is indeed an interesting book and recommended for anyone who is interested - like myself - in old Hollywood and the stars that made it what it is today.

I received a free copy in return for an honest review, but this in no way influenced it.

[Douglas Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a massively cool collection of 70 anecdotes about renowned Hollywooders with 40 cocktail recipes to accompany their assorted debaucheries. Presented roughly chronologically, four distinct film eras are covered. The Silent era (1895–1929) has dudes like John Barrymore lit to the gills; the Studio age (1929–1945) sees Raymond Chandler et al. face down in disgusting liquids; the Postwar period (1945–1960) has Bogart and his buds badly hammered; and the “New Hollywood” epoch (1960–1979) features Richard Burton and Co. blitzed into liver-damaged shakes. There are wild anecdotes about Orson Welles drunkenly flinging lit sterno cans at John Houseman; Buster Keaton waking up drunk and married in Ensenada, Mexico; and William Holden (convicted of vehicular manslaughter in 1966, by the way), who “routinely took two shots of whiskey before a scene.” William Faulkner hired a male nurse to carry “…a bottle in a black doctor’s satchel” and “…ration out drinks of whiskey” through which he spewed out classics like The Big Sleep and To Have and Have Not. Though womenfolk are here too, the manecdotes are more hardcore. To be fair, countering Liz Taylor’s rather mild drinkage of chocolate martinis with Rock Hudson on location for Giant, readers do get Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra (then married to Nancy) getting blind drunk, speeding in Frank’s convertible to Indio, CA, and shooting up the town with pistols. Throughout, the book is shot with historical tidbits about famous places and drinks as well as Edward Hemingway’s illustrations, which strike a great balance between caricature and noir-cool.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to have an odd dichotomy between the physical presentation of the book and it's actual content. The book is cheerful and attractively packaged, with engaging art and clever illustrations promising to make you feel like you are at the best dinner party in the world (so says the blurb on the front cover). And on the inside, the actual content of the book, is full of depressing stories of people destroying themselves with drugs and alcohol. I wasn't expecting a light and fluffy book, any time you have a book full of stories of people embarrassing themselves regularly due to drinking, even if you laugh you know there is a tragedy in the background, I just didn't expect there to be so MUCH tragedy, right from the first story.

That aside the anecdotes themselves are very well written and feel researched and as genuine as a collection of stories from Hollywood can be. I truly learned some new history, some of which I kind of wish I hadn't though that is always part of the risk you accept when you read up on favorite entertainers or history.
I really appreciated the format of the book, there is a separate section for each era of Hollywood, the silent era, the studio era, the postwar era and 1960's & new Hollywood, I found it gave some added context to the stories when you can place them in the time they happened rather then randomly or just alphabetically and each story was only a few pages long at most. Enough to get the story across but short enough to keep the stories flowing.

My issues with the dissonance between the presentation and the content aside, this is a well written, informative, engaging and attractively packaged book that often times shows just how dark the lives of those who entertain us can be.

[Deanna Lynn Sletten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang on lovers of old and new Hollywood, it's going to be a bumpy ride! As well as some stumbling, passing out, and even law-breaking. But mostly, you are going to laugh out loud at the crazy antics of your favorite Hollywood icons. Love them or hate them, the Hollywood bunch sure know how to have fun, and in Of All the Gin Joints: Stumbling through Hollywood History, you get to hear about some of their most memorable drunken times. Bogie and his pandas, Sinatra and his toupee, how directors loved to drive their actors crazy and how actors loved driving the studios insane. It's all here. Stories of the stars and their favorite beverages as well as their hangouts.

As a lover of old Hollywood, I couldn't wait to dive into this book telling stories of celebrities from the silent era on up. Some stories I had heard before from reading biographies of celebrities, and others I had not. Many made me laugh out loud. From its inception and throughout the 40s, 50s and even 60s, Hollywood was a wild place, (still is) and the stars seemed like children no one could tame. Drunk children. But you can't help but laugh at some of the stunts they pulled. The author also tells stores from the sets of top movies as well as all the famous hangouts, old and new. And to top it off, recipes of some of the celebrities favorite drinks are included.

I really enjoyed this book. It was amusing and entertaining. I'd recommend it to anyone who has a passion for fun stories from Hollywood.

(I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Algonquin Books in exchange for my honest review.)

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part history, part recipe book, this trek through the drinking habits of the Hollywood elite will leave you thirsty. Mark Bailey's book is divided be eras, starting with silent film stars in 1895 and running through 1979. The book really focuses on individuals, Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, Clara Bow and John Barrymore are just a few of the stars to grace the pages of this book. Each celebrity has a short bio, followed by a story that is, more often than not, a drunken tale of debauchery. The book also highlights recipes and details the old haunts of old Hollywood. Edward Hemingway's great illustrations are sprinkled throughout the book, making the actors long-dead pop off the page, and the drinks drip on to your bar napkin.

I really enjoyed the glimpse into Old Hollywood. Peeking being the curtain and seeing who was drinking, sleeping and working with who will definitely change the way I watch old films. The cocktail recipes are drool-worthy and the history of Hollywood drinking holes is definitely worth making a road trip for.

I have to say that after a few profiles all the drinking does feel a bit overwhelming. The substance abuse that we all see splashed across tabloids sometimes makes for amusing stories, but does have consequences that are pretty deadly.

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was about to begin this review by saying this is the perfect coffee-table book but then... coffee has very little to do with it. Better to say it's the ideal toilet book: two- or three-page chapters on Hollywood legends and their drinking in particular and debauchery in general. Speaking as someone whom nature has, perforce, made abstemious, I read the exploits of the people here with something like wonder: how can the human system cope with such vast amounts of alcohol? I, certainly, cannot. One or two pints and it's the sick pit for me.

On a more general point, just what is the connection between excess and creativity? For some, they seem entwined - although how much this is learned reinforcement and how much necessary spark I wonder. Writing, acting: it's like diving, head first into the deep blue. Scary stuff, and not so surprising that some might resort to a snifter or two. But, done once, it easily becomes a habit, and a dangerous one. To make, to create, is to enter into God's province and his plan: it entails, it demands sacrifice, whether one knows it or not. And the sacrifice will be made, whether one knows it or not.

Otherwise, just enjoy the gossip about the famously beautiful (and a few writers too).

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about Hollywood and the stars. Some of the short stories are laugh out fun and others are very sad as they depict the downward spirals of the actors, writers, and directors. The book describes Hollywood during prohibition and the lengths they went to drink. The seamy side of the movie industry and the stories of the actors portrayed in the book might be eye openers to those who have read very little about Hollywood. Although I have read about some of these people there were many that were truly surprising. I liked the layout of the book starting with the silent era through the late 70's. The recipes included and description of the restaurants and places the stars would frequent are fun reads. The author also provides some details of the movies (you will not be able to see these movies without thinking about this book) being filmed at a time these actors, writers and directors were more interested in living life on their own terms.

I received this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

[Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book supplies some good description of Hollywood's drinks and drinking holes during its Golden Age, but what it is, deliciously, is a gossip book with small anecdotes about the drunks of Hollywood. Since none of the subjects from Bogart to Nathalie Wood are living, no living person is hurt with these stories. Typical of the stories is one that includes a 17 year-old Nathalie Wood, a 20 year-old Dennis Hopper and their not much younger director all of whom decide when fairly sober to have an "orgy." But Wood wants it to be perfect, so she wants to bathe like Jean Harlow in champagne. Accordingly, cases of the stuff are acquired, Wood strips as Hopper and his mate fill the tub, preparatory to the ensuing games, and then the one glitch. As she slides into the tub, Wood begins to scream that her vagina is on fire! So ends the orgy. The rest of the book is just as funny and revealing. It's sad, but fairly predictable that the denizens of Hollywood seldom last past sixty, but what a town!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining well researched history of celebrities behaving badly in Hollywood from the silent era to roughly the 70's. Entertaining but like the alcohol that is the focus of this book it needs to be taken in short sips. By the time I got to John Carradine I felt like I had a hangover. Truly depressing stuff. But now I want to try a Pimm's Cup, they sound really good and were apparently a favorite of John Barrymore so how dangerous could they be? Actually, the fact that when his "second wife broke every bottle in their house, he drank all her perfume" makes me wonder how much of a true conneseur he really was, but the drink still sounds good. I also agree with a fellow reviewer re: I would have enjoyed hearing some more perspective/eyewitness accounts from the people who truly see it all...the bartenders!

[Rikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good title. Reminiscent of the evolution of Hollywood where the one common factor in the lives of the stars, the has beens and the wannabes seems to have been booze. We all love a bit of gossip, or there would be no paparazzi pursuing the celebrities to feed us the juicy details of their wicked ways, and this book is a compendium of the mostly sordid stories of the power of the moguls in the film industry, and how lives were sullied by the wealth and fame that accompanied stardom. Enriched by anecdotes of who did what, with whom, where they did it and the recipes of the cocktails they drank on their way to oblivion. Some of the tales are well known, but there are plenty of previously unknown stories to satisfy any voyeur.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read! I didn't favour the snippets about the establishments as much as I liked the bits about the people and their scandals. Very entertaining stories of wild drunkenness. I also appreciated that it included an extensive bibliography, so that I know when I tell everyone I know that Charlie Chaplin accidentally dyed his man-parts red with iodine (to prevent VD during his various orgies) that I can be confident I am stating a well sourced fact. The cocktail recipes were a good addition. Lots of unique/hard to find ingredients, but a couple of easy to make drinks. The only thing missing would be an index dedicated to the cocktails, perhaps listed by drink ingredient as well as name. Recommended to fans of scandal and a good drink!