A Brief History of Vice: How Bad Behavior Built Civilization

A Brief History of Vice: How Bad Behavior Built Civilization

"Mixing science, humor, and grossly irresponsible self-experimentation, Evans paints a vivid picture of how bad habits built the world we know and love."<br />—David Wong, author of <i>John Dies at the End</i><br /><br /><b>History has never been more fun—or more intoxicating.</b><br /><br /> Guns, germs, and steel might have transformed us from hunter-gatherers into modern man, but booze, sex, trash talk, and tripping built our civilization. <i>Cracked</i> editor Robert Evans brings his signature dogged research and lively insight to uncover the many and magnificent ways vice has influenced history, from the prostitute-turned-empress who scored a major victory for women’s rights to the beer that helped create—and destroy—South America's first empire. And Evans goes deeper than simply writing about ancient debauchery; he recreates some of history's most enjoyable (and most painful) vices and includes guides so you can follow along at home. You’ll learn how to:<br /> • Trip like a Greek philosopher.<br /> • Rave like your Stone Age ancestors.<br /> • Get drunk like a Sumerian.<br /> • Smoke a nose pipe like a pre–Columbian Native American.<br /><br />A celebration of the brave, drunken pioneers who built our civilization one seemingly bad decision at a time, <i>A Brief History of Vice</i> explores a side of the past that mainstream history books prefer to hide.<br /><br /><br /><i>From the Trade Paperback edition.</i>