Unholy Brew - Alcohol in Indian History and Religions

About the author

James McHugh studies the history and religions of early India, working with texts in Sanskrit and related languages. He completed his Ph.D. at Harvard University in 2008, and is now Associate Professor at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. His book Sandalwood and Carrion: Smell in Indian Religion and Culture explored the significance of odors, perfumes, and aromatics in India.

Summary

The first book on alcohol in pre-modern India, An Unholy Brew: Alcohol in Indian History and Religions uses a wide range of sources from the Vedas to the Kamasutra to explore intoxicating drinks and styles of drinking, as well as sophisticated rationales for abstinence found in South Asia from the earliest Sanskrit written records through the second millennium CE.

Additional text

This is a thoughtfully written book by an author who is passionate about his topic and has given a good deal of consideration about how to communicate his knowledge and ideas. It is carefully organized and well referenced. Specialist and general readers alike will derive a good deal of pleasure from spending time with it. McHugh's book is a welcome addition to the growing literature on the history of food and drink in Asia. It is also a valuable contribution to the study of the religions of South Asia, as it sheds light on an important yet neglected aspect of religious doctrine and practice.

Product details

• Authors: James McHugh, James (Associate Professor Mchugh, McHugh James
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 09.11.2021
• EAN: 9780199375936
• ISBN: 978-0-19-937593-6
• No. of pages: 416
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology of Religion, HISTORY / Asia / General, RELIGION / Buddhism / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, RELIGION / Hinduism / General, Buddhism, Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography, Hinduism, Social and cultural anthropology, Asian History