The Martini: An Illustrated History of an American Classic

By Barnaby Conrad III

A chilled, crystal glass; the purest gin; a touch of dry vermouth--vigorously shaken, not stirred--and a plump, green olive. The martini was and still is more than just a cocktail. Originally mixed in the nineteenth century, it became an American icon in the twentieth, and the favorite drink of such luminaries as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Jack London, and Ernest Hemingway. Bernard De Voto called the martini "the supreme American gift to world culture," while H. L. Mencken declared it "the only American invention as perfect as a sonnet." The first book of its kind to explore the drink's wide appeal, this volume serves up a fabulous cocktail of martini-inspired art, cartoons, collectibles, advertisements, and film stills that reveal how deeply this classic has permeated every aspect of American culture, from literature and film to politics and high society. Complete with bartending lore, traditional martini recipes, literary excerpts, memorable scenes from James Bond movies, and more, The Martini offers a toast to this intoxicating symbol of the American dream.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811807177
• ISBN13: 9780811807173
• Release Date: April 1995
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 132 Pages
• Weight: 1.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 9.1" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

Read it and sip

This book is the perfect complement to martini hour. It's filled with interesting historical tidbits, quotes, and photos of famous martini drinkers and the beverage in question. It's a great gift for any martini fan.

WELL DONE!

This book is great--it has history, humor, and lots of glamorous pictures, and manages to keep the cheese factor very low. A great gift for the drinkers in your life!

The quintissential American cocktail, in all it's glory.

This beautiful "coffee table" style book is dedicated to that most beautiful and perfect of cocktails, the inestimable martini.Conrad's informative text, colorful anecdotes, and lavish illustrations make this book a wonderful addition to the great miracle it celebrates.Mix yourself a martini, (two olives, shaken -- not stirred) relax in an easy chair, and enjoy this book!

A stirring book--even though I prefer my martinis shaken.

In this PC-infested world, it is refreshing to find an author with not only the audacity but also the innate talent to immortalize one of the greatest contributions to humanity ever devised--the martini. Every serious savorer of that pure clear elixir should read this book, not only for the historical background of the martini, but to reassure himself that his is a noble cause--to prepare the perfect martini.

A fabulously urbane tome, written with wit and a twist!

This literary homage to the silver bullet is a striking, artfully rendered production. Many images from the modernism gallery in San Francisco complement the clarity of the text. Cultural references are numerous and well chosen, including elements from the silver screen and politics. Altogether a pleasure to read and view!