I’m part of an online book club that’s an offshoot of some online cocktail classes I take. As such, while not all of our book picks are related to booze (we recently read Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, for example), a lot of them are. I was pretty happy when Proof by Adam Rogers was chosen, because it’s been floating around on our bookshelves for so long, I can’t remember where or how we got it. Not only would I not need to buy a book or worry about library hold times, I’d be able to knock another title off of my Physical TBR Challenge!
However, because it is part of that challenge, now I have to review it, which is a shame, because this book was resoundingly MEH, and I really didn’t want to review two boring books in a row (see my review of Lustful Appetites, the other boring book).
A big problem with Proof is that it’s over 10 years old. While some parts of science don’t change (how fermentation and distillation work, for instance), there’s a certain amount of stuff that feels dated, in terms of the author discussing new developments in alcohol science that seem to have gone nowhere, and some questions that were unanswered at the time which may have either since been answered, or at least explored in greater depth.
The other problem is that Rogers is just not that compelling of an author. And I know it’s not just me; only three people who attended our book club meeting had finished the book, when we’d had about two months. This was a group of booze-loving folks primed to enjoy this work; we had people reading audio, print, and ebook. I think everyone at least tried to read it. But most got bored and distracted, and while some intended to finish it, they didn’t feel motivated enough to get it done in time for the club meeting.
This book would have been so much more entertaining in the hands of an author like Mary Roach. And while it’s not the same angle on the topic, Amy Stewarts’ The Drunken Botanist is a way more engaging read. This wasn’t the worst or most boring booze-related non-fiction book I’ve ever read (that dubious honor goes to The Absinthe Forger), but it was a bit of a snooze.
Long story short, I don’t really recommend this book. I’m honestly not sure if there are any better books out there about this specific topic — the science of how alcohol is made and why it tastes the way it does, and its effects on our body, all in one book — but there are a number of books that take on aspects of the topic in a more interesting and entertaining way.
CWs and TWs: Obviously discusses alcohol and drinking, and discussion of scientific and medical experiments including on animals. There was also just a whiff of racism and misogyny in how Rogers writes, such as at one point when he compares the ammonia smell in a mouse lab to a Chinese restaurant, and when he questions whether a Jewish woman actually invented the alembic still.
Source and Format: I have no idea how long this paperback has been on our shelves, but I’m pretty sure it pre-dates my taking up cocktails as a hobby in late 2019. Did I buy it for my spouse? Did somebody else buy it for us? Did it move with us from Arizona? My spouse couldn’t even remember if they had read it or not, which isn’t surprising, since it’s pretty forgettable.
Reading Challenge Prompts
Nook & Cranny (Card 2): Let’s Get Spiritual. Here is my promise to you: every time this prompt is on a card, I will read a book about alcohol rather than ghosts or spirituality. I actually had a book called Agave Spirits picked out for this prompt, but Proof is about the science of spirits, so it fits, too.
Physical TBR Challenge. As mentioned, I’ve had this book for a long time, so it counts for this challenge. Because this is a pop sci book, I wanted to donate to a science-related charity, so I asked my (very science-y) spouse for their opinion and they suggested Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Goodness knows that in this political climate, scientific institutes need all the help they can get. Also, while I’m finally posting this on April 23, I did finish this book at the end of March, so I did correctly predict I would be halfway through this challenge one-quarter of the way through the year.
Reading Challenge Progress
Nook & Cranny (Card 1): 8 of 25, no bingos.
Nook & Cranny (Card 2): 11 of 25, 1 bingo.
Book Riot: 10 of 25.
Physical TBR: 6 of 12.
World of Whimm: 11 of 24, no bingos.
1 thought on “Book Review: Proof by Adam Rogers”