Hot tip on another new book, this one a history of the early twentieth-century Prohibition movement: Daniel Okrent's Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition.

In my opinion, up to now, no one has written a particularly good, accessible history of Prohibition. As I noted in Ambitious Brew, most accounts  focus on speakeasies and gunslingers, and so completely miss the extraordinary political/lobbying group that built the 18th Amendment over a period of 25 years.

But I gather that Okrent has gotten it right. The book just came out, so presumably it's available anywhere fine-and-not-so-fine books are sold. .

I've not yet read the book (honest: I'm up to my ears in poultry trade journals...), but it sounds like a winner. So if you're looking for a good nonfiction read with which to kick off your summer, I doubt you can do better than this. (For a substantive review, see this from last Sunday's New York Times.)

As for me, I plan to read it --- ya know, just as soon as I bring my brain up out of the chicken coop. Which should be soon (I'm writing the relevant chapter and when I finish it, I plan to reward myself by resuming my regular break-neck pace of blogging.)

I should probably mention that the other Big Distraction in my life at the moment (as if writing a book weren't enough) is the remodeling project that has engulfed much of our house.

We began planning this project in April 2009 and in January 2010, the work finally began.

Yesterday the guy doing most of the work (emphasis on "most of" and "work") asked if I'd posted photos in a public forum. I had put them on Facebook, but that's easily accessible to people who aren't on FB, so I created a site at Shutterfly and posted the photos there, too.

So if you're interested, you can see them here.

The work is being done by the amazing people at Silent Rivers Design/Build. You can find out  more about them here. I can't say enough good things about this outfit. Because of everyone there, especially Tyson Leyendecker, the architect, and Christian Anderson, the carpenter, the project has been stress free. Indeed, it's been fun. I almost (but not quite) hate to see it winding to a close. (It'll take another month.)

I've been hearing about this for months, mostly via Jack McAuliffe, but now there's finally something up that everyone can enjoy: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is celebrating 30th anniversary this year.

The company kicked off the festivities a few days ago by launching a special website. There you'll find photos, videos, and information about the special beers being planned for the occasion. The site is here.

So, hey, take a break and go for a visit. (Apparently that's not a photo of Jack himself, but of his brother Tom. As Jack says, he musta been seriously fucked up when he sent that to Chico. Me, I blame his post-accident meds.)

(And by the way, he's feeling much better. Back to his old cranky, sassy self --- and looking forward to the brewing collaboration in the spring.)

UPDATE: according to Jack's siblings, yes, that's really Jack in the photo. So: either they're crazy or Jack is. My vote's on the latter. Tip o' the mug to Loyal Reader Dave for reminding me to post a notice about all of this here at the blog. And now, per Dave's instructions, it's back to work for me.

Surfacing here for a moment (okay, the fifteen minutes it will take me to type all this stuff) to alert readers to a couple of particularly interesting bits about "doing" history.

First, this essay from the Boston Globe, prompted, apparently by the recent death of Howard Zinn. (At least that's what I assume led to the piece because I can't otherwise imagine a newspaper devoting so much space/ink/money to the subject of history.)

And then this discovery today: the Spatial History Project at Stanford University. Richard White, author of the blog entry to which the link leads, is a serious voice/mind in American history. He launched his career writing about the American west. Obviously he's now thinking about history from other angles (no pun intended).

I was alerted to both of these gems by via Twitter by Sterling Fluharty (at Twitter as @sterflu). Good stuff all the way around. And now --- back to doing my own version of history.

I love this from Terry Teachout. Makes me sad and glad at the same time: Sad to nod my head in agreement; glad someone as smart as he wrote it. So: if you've a mind, go read, ponder, etc.

I had fun with the first round, so here ya go: more bite-sized text to edit. Click on the link and you'll get a piece of text from the draft of my new manuscript. This is from what I expect will be chapter three. Thank you in advance!

Oh: to answer a question posed in the comments section of the first entry on this subject: Yes, legally, this is okay. I'm only posting small chunks of a draft, which is akin to what I'd do if I were in a writer's group and posted my draft for critique from group members. So feel free; the editing/copyright police won't come get you.

The good folks at Book Oven are among those trying to figure out what "writing" and "books" mean in the twenty-first century. (The link takes you to the site's home page; once there, you can check out their blog, twitter link, etc.)

Among their other projects, they've created a site called Bite-Size Edits, where control freaks like me can throw caution to the wind and let you, the reader, help write/edit our books.

(Yes, I am a control freak. The very idea of turning my text loose, unedited, unfinished, unpolished is unnerving. But what's life for but to learn and grow?) So you are hereby invited to join the process.

It works like this: I post some text at the Bite-Size site. The site software spits it back out in small chunks (bytes/bites. Get it?) and you have at it. So go! Have fun! Here's the link

While I was out of town, I was computerless and so had a chance to get some distance from and therefore think about how, why, and when I use a computer and about my online life. Which made me think about Twitter and reminded me just how much I enjoy and value it as a tool for writing, communicating, and learning. I was trying (without much success) to explain Twitter to various family members: that I use it was a way to follow the thoughts/ideas of a slew of smart, talented people. And then I pick up today's New York Times --- and see that David Carr has said precisely what I was trying (and failing) to say. Here's the money-quote (or one of them):

By carefully curating the people you follow, Twitter becomes an always-on data stream from really bright people in their respective fields, whose tweets are often full of links to incredibly vital, timely information.

Yep, yep, yep. Soooo. If you're not yet using Twitter, and you're on the prowl for a new year's resolution, I can think of none better than to get a Twitter account and start connecting.

So, I managed to see the Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA last Friday. One word: astonishing. Well, maybe another word: Genius. The guy is a certified creative genius. (And, as my husband said, perhaps a bit crazy as well. Which is hardly surprising.)

I'm a serious Burton fan and the exhibit only confirmed my long-held belief that he is an artist of an extremely high caliber who just happens to use film as his major medium of expression.

The exhibit is fairly small: most of it is crammed into one large room on the third floor, but if you go, don't miss the small collection of drawings and photographs located on the lower level of the museum.

My only complaints about the retrospective (and it is just that: the earliest works date from his high school years): One, the catalog is underwhelming. Nice, but nothing like a full catalog of what's on display in the show. Two, the exhibit ignores his move to London and the city's effect on his career and work.

But those are minor quibbles. If you're going to be in NYC between now and late April, do yourself a favor and see the exhibit.

One of the few blogs I check regularly (no, I'm not a snob; I'm just busy to the point of being overwhelmed) is Yours for Good Fermentables, owned and operated by Tom Cizauskas.

I've been enjoying the heck out of a series he's running right now: "Twelve Books of Christmas," a collection of books he recommends for gift-giving. Unlike most lists, his is annotated, and that alone makes it worth a trip to his blog. You can see the entries so far here.

Anyway --- damn! I made the list. For that honor --- and I do consider it an honor --- I thank him. So if you're still wondering what to get for people on your list, head on over to Tom's blog and pick up some ideas.

Over at A Good Beer Blog, Alan McLeod has rolled out the winners of this year's photo contest. The "grand prize" winner (and, ahem, loser) are here. The other winners are here and here and here. Round of applause and a cup o' cheer, please, for Alan, who gets nothing out of this except the pleasure of sharing the photos with all of us.

Man, we're having a blizzard. Serious snow. Went for a long walk earlier and enjoyed the hell out of myself. I love walking and I love walking in snow. (*1)

Speaking of which: Last year, my ten-year-old boots finally shot craps. All I wanted another pair just like them (they were Merrells) but, of course, the company no longer makes that model. (Of course. I mean, if it's a great product, why keep making it?)

So in October I started hunting for a new pair of snow/cold boots. Did an in-house test-drive of several. Kept coming across a kind made by Bogs.

Frankly, they looked so insubstantial that I kept skipping past. But after trying, and rejecting, a half dozen or so other brands of boots, and after seeing Bogs on offer from reputable companies, I decided to do a little investigating. The company claims its boots are insulated down to forty below (!) and waterproof. Truth be told, that sounded too good to be true, especially given their appearance: most winter boots are clunky, leathery, hardware-laden affairs, but these are sleek, streamlined, and minimalist.

But I found some at Zappos, and as we Z. fans know, it costs nothing to try shoes from Zappos. So I ordered a pair.

They fit. (Major deal with me: I'm 5'10" and most shoe/clothing manufacturers don't bother with tall people.) They were comfortable. I wore them a couple of times in freezing temps and my feet definitely stayed warm.

But today was the Big Test: Would my feet stay both dry and warm during an hour-long walk in seven inches of snow? YES! And because I got the tall model, my calves and ankles stayed dry, too.

So. Will they last ten years, as my last pair did? I dunno. Check back with me in, oh, four, five years.

Meanwhile, Bogs is now on my list of Things I Love, and I'm equipped for winter: My ten-year-old coat (basically this coat, but the old model) is fraying at the cuffs but otherwise up to the task. (I dread the day I have to replace it. I love the damn thing. Plus it actually comes to my knees.) (I'm thinking of trying duct tape on the cuffs.)

And last year, I finally finally finally found a serious winter-weather hat. This guy. Perfection. It's warm, water-resistant, and the brim is bigger than it looks, which means it keeps winter sun off my face. (I have CLL and am fair-skinned, to boot, so sun is not my friend.) So. The weather outside is frightful, and our, um, furnace is so delightful. But I'm ready for winter.

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*1: Walking is good for heart, body, and soul. Plus it's the most efficient way to get from Point A to Point B.

This from Scholars & Rogues via the irreplaceable Dexter: Revels! Who knew? (Not me.) I think I need it. Here's the Amazon page for the cd.

I admire Shawn Connelly: he's smart, talented, and  engaged with the world around  him. And --- he acts on his passions. What's not to like? (Some of you already know him. He's the brain behind Aleluminati and Beer Philosopher.) Naturally I was glad to see this three-part interview with him. (The link is to part one; links to parts two and three are at the bottom of the first installment.) Enjoy!

. . . who have nothing to do with each other. (Er, I mean whose Good Deeds are unrelated to one another.) (Although I doubt they know each other.)

First, if you live in the Portland, Oregon, area, you're lucky: A group of local mixologists are mixing it up ("it" in this case being beer and spirits) this coming Sunday on behalf of Schoolhouse Supplies, which provides school supplies for kids in need. Read more here at Jacob Grier's blog. Then be there, or be square.

Second shout-out (and, really, the two are not connected): chops to Carl Miller at BeerBooks.com. Besides running BeerBooks, Carl is an accomplished historian whose focus is beer. This week I learned  that his new project involves tracking down the story --- the real one --- about the Conrad-Busch-Budweiser relationship. This is a labor of love (although one that I hope will reward him in more than love) by one of the good guys.

So, go get 'em, Carl. (Frankly, better you than me wading through all those legal briefs. . . )

How's that for random acts of blogging? Well, okay, long as I'm here and long as you asked: Yes, am hard at work on the manuscript. Spent a miserable week tearing a chapter apart and trying, with not much success, to reassemble it. Every book has such a chapter: one that does not want to come together. Does. Not. But I'll get the bastard in the end. 'Cause I always do.

This by Tyler Cowan. (And now: back to work.)

From Terry Teachout's blog. This is seriously amazing. Give it a listen. (Okay, maybe it's only amazing to me because a) I'm old; and b) I'm a historian....)

This just in: Loyal Reader Dave posted a comment about this, noting that there are actually three parts to the interview. I completely missed that. When the interview ends, look at the small screens at the base of the large, main screen. You'll see links to the rest of Wallace's interview. (There's also a link to an interview with Frank Lloyd Wright, which I think is the "bubblegum for the eyes" interview.)

Tip o' the mug to Dave for this tip.

I was vaguely aware of Sam Calagione's latest foray into beer weirdness, but today Lex from Scholars & Rogues sent me  a link to this article that has more detail. In this case, Sam is working with Patrick McGovern, an archaeologist whose name is well-known to alcohol scholars.

For more on the beers the duo created, see this. The beers are available to the public, but in limited editions (translation: move quickly if you want to try one.) McGovern has a new book out that sounds fascinating. I have not read it yet, but plan to. If nothing else, I'm looking forward to finding out what's new in alcohol archaeology since I first investigated it for my book seven years ago. (*1)

Anyway, all worth reading. And thanks again to Lex at Scholars & Rogues for the tip.

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*1: (I had this screwball idea that I would open my beer book by looking back --- waaaay back --- beer's ancient history. I spent months wading through archaeological studies. In the end, I opted for a different tack with the book, but I still have the chapter I wrote. One of these days, I plan to post it as a PDF file --- once I figure out how to create an online PDF file.)

Have I ever mentioned that I am a serious fan of the sky? I am. I try to spend an hour a day watching the sky: clouds; the various shades of blue, grey, black; the stars. (Yes, slightly more pleasant in warm weather than in cold.) (And, yes, this is  why I never get anything done. But I figure it's good for my soul.) Anyway, now I know why I don't live in Hawaii: I'd really never get anything done because I'd be spending all my time staring up. Astute Reader Dexter, who's been on a roll lately, sent me a link to these photos of Hawaii (Kaaawa, to be precise) at dawn, courtesy of blogger Ian Lind.  Enjoy!

Wired story on the upcoming Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA. (Have I ever mentioned that I'm a huge Burton fan?) (From whom, ahem, I am separated by only two degrees. But sadly have never met.) Big whoo-hooo from this corner: I'll be in New York in late December, so I'll get to see it.