A deep dive into the evolutionary science behind why humans love to get drunk, and how alcohol and other intoxicants catalyzed and shaped civilization.

Alcohol is tightly woven into the fabric of our lives. We use it to bond with friends and coworkers, and it's a fixture at weddings, funerals, religious ceremonies, and just about every other social event imaginable. And this is true in spite of the fact that it's really bad for us. Considering alcohol's downsides -- hangovers, reckless behavior, addiction, accidents, death -- our continued enthusiasm for it is surprising.

Prevailing scientific theories hold that our taste for intoxication is an evolutionary accident. But a closer look reveals that these accounts can't be right. In Drunk, Edward Slingerland offers an alternative evolutionary history of our relationship with alcohol, arguing that its individual and social benefits have outweighed its costs, that civilization as we know it could never have developed without alcohol, and that intoxication continues to play a crucial role in the modern world.

Packed with fascinating case studies, engaging science, and practical takeaways for individuals and communities, Drunk is a captivating and long overdue investigation into humanity's oldest indulgence.