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PATRÍCIA MOLNÁROVÁ
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To drink or not to drink? Evaluation of the topic of alcohol in selected contemporary literature

Abstract: The issue of alcohol is extremely broad and has been appearing more frequently as a topic in non-fiction literature in recent years. The aim of this text is to examine the chosen topic through three selected titles – A Brief History of Drunkenness, In Praise of Alcohol, and Alcohol as a Cultural and Historical Phenomenon. Although these are different genres (popular historical literature by Slovak and foreign authors and a collective monography by the Historical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences), they have one thing in common. They view alcohol as a phenomenon that has accompanied humans throughout history. They do not interpret it primarily as a problem. On the contrary, they emphasize its origins, where it came from, and its use in the past. The use of alcohol has often been positive throughout history – in medicine, cosmetics, food, and everyday life. Problems associated with excessive consumption appeared later. My intention is to evaluate selected publications in a broader context – scientific, historical, cultural, and linguistic.

Keywords: alcohol, history, society, book review.