First published as a hardback last year and now released this autumn as a paperback, this volume is a collection of the three books that Kingsley Amis wrote on drink: On drink, Everyday drinking and How's your glass. The three titles were written between 1971 and 1984. In his introduction Christopher Hitchens notes:
'On the sometimes-penitential consequences of generosity, do by all means consult the brilliant chapter on the physical and metaphysical hangover*. It is a piece of selfless research, undertaken by a pioneer. It can save much avoidable pain and, to my certain knowledge, has done so. Thanks to Zachary Leader's excellent biography, the world now knows what Kingsley's innumerable friends had come to realise, which is that booze got him in the end, and robbed him of his wit and charm as well as his health.'
* Pages 79-89
Extract from how to deal with the physical hangover:
'2. If your wife or other partner is beside you, and (of course) is willing, perform the sexual act as vigorously as you can. The exercise will do you good, and – on the assumption that you enjoy sex – you feel toned up emotionally, thus delivering a hit-and-run raid on your metaphysical hangover (M.H.) before you formally declare war on it.
Warnings. (i) If you are in bed with somebody you should not be in bed with, and have in the least degree a bad conscience about this, abstain. Guilt and shame are prominent constituents of the M.H. and will certainly be sharpened by indulgence on such an occasion.
(ii) For the same generic reason, do not take the matter into your own hands if you awake by yourself.'
Everyday Drinking – the distilled Kingsley Amis, Bloomsbury, £7.99, 302 pages.
(More to add once I have read my review copy.)
'On the sometimes-penitential consequences of generosity, do by all means consult the brilliant chapter on the physical and metaphysical hangover*. It is a piece of selfless research, undertaken by a pioneer. It can save much avoidable pain and, to my certain knowledge, has done so. Thanks to Zachary Leader's excellent biography, the world now knows what Kingsley's innumerable friends had come to realise, which is that booze got him in the end, and robbed him of his wit and charm as well as his health.'
* Pages 79-89
Extract from how to deal with the physical hangover:
'2. If your wife or other partner is beside you, and (of course) is willing, perform the sexual act as vigorously as you can. The exercise will do you good, and – on the assumption that you enjoy sex – you feel toned up emotionally, thus delivering a hit-and-run raid on your metaphysical hangover (M.H.) before you formally declare war on it.
Warnings. (i) If you are in bed with somebody you should not be in bed with, and have in the least degree a bad conscience about this, abstain. Guilt and shame are prominent constituents of the M.H. and will certainly be sharpened by indulgence on such an occasion.
(ii) For the same generic reason, do not take the matter into your own hands if you awake by yourself.'
Everyday Drinking – the distilled Kingsley Amis, Bloomsbury, £7.99, 302 pages.
(More to add once I have read my review copy.)
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