Alcohol : the ambiguous molecule /

Edwards has spoken and written about alcohol and other drugs for years, and this factual, thoughtful book is typical of his work. After a brief history of alcohol and its potable forms, he offers an account of public drunkenness in which he identifies several burgeonings and subsequent attempts to regulate alcohol production, distribution, and overuse. When the public-health aspects of drunkenness became evident, different levels of government intensified control efforts, the most famous of which, U.S. prohibition in the 1920s, Edwards describes without bias in a small masterpiece of analytical historiography that explodes myths many people still believe about the supposed evils of the era. He discusses the development and effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous and similar organizations and treatments, pointing out that each troubled person must be treated individually and considering alcoholism as a disease evenhandedly. In conclusion, he documents the scientific contradictions to the current sentiment that «a little alcohol is good for your heart.» All in all, he sheds rare clarifying light on a subject usually clouded by emotion. William Beatty.

Edwards, a psychiatrist, professor emeritus of addiction behavior at the University of London, editor in chief of the scientific journal Addiction, and a member of the World Health Organization Expert Advisory Panel on Alcohol and Drugs, has provided an excellent overview of the social history and ramifications of alcohol. He thoroughly explores the historical, public, cultural, religious, and medical implications of the acceptance of alcohol in most societies from ancient Egypt to the 21st century and exposes the myths and facts of alcohol use and abuse. Written for the student and general reader rather than for academics and professionals, the book gives an excellent overview of how alcohol is perceived worldwide, though the usage of British English (the author resides in London) can be a bit confusing at times. Highly recommended for high school, academic, and public libraries. Mark Bay, Cumberland Coll. Lib., Williamsburg, KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A scientist probes the nature of alcohol and the myths, sentiments, and ambiguities that surround it. Edwards (emeritus/National Addiction Centre, Univ. of London), editor-in-chief of the journal Addiction, aims to stir an informed debate about individual and public policy regarding alcohol. To that end he presents a balanced analysis of alcohol as both a drug and a social phenomenon. After a brief look at its molecular structure and chemistry, he examines various meanings it has been imbued with over time: the blood of Christ, a magical element in social rituals, an emblem of national character, etc. Edwards is especially entertaining in his chapter on the medical profession's misplaced faith in the therapeutic value of alcohol, which has been prescribed for everything from diabetes to malaria to the common cold. Following a short history of drunkenness and an examination of how intoxication is perceived and shaped by different cultures, Edwards creates fictional case histories to illustrate the complexities of the alcohol dependence syndrome. His history of Prohibition in the US effectively challenges some of the misconceptions that surround that venture and examines its relevance to society's present-day concerns about alcohol and other drugs. In his survey of the history of treatment, he scrutinizes the disease concept of alcoholism, appraises the Alcoholics Anonymous program, and presents both sides of the debate over whether alcoholics can ever be transformed into moderate drinkers. Edwards makes clear his own belief that handling alcohol well is both a societal and an individual responsibility, and that while alcohol is likely to continue to be the favorite recreational drug, less is unquestionably better. Evenhanded and informative, never pedantic or preachy.