Best Australian Drinking Stories

The story of Australia's almost-250-year love affair with alcohol told with yarns, verse, anecdotes, and surprising historical narratives

"It seemed like a good idea . . . at the time." —the lament of many a morning after

Rum, beer, scotch, wine, beer, and more beer. For nearly 250 years, Australian history has been punctuated with stories of booze and boozing. From Cook's voyages and the First Fleet to the Rum Rebellion, the mutiny of the 99th Regiment, the soldiers' riot of 1916, six o'clock closing and beyond, we've been a nation that likes a drink.

With the eye of the master storyteller that he is, Jim Haynes has collected the best yarns, verses, stories, and anecdotes of our boozy history. He uncovers the good and the bad of our national character and its relationship with grog. He celebrates the social gift of alcohol and riotous moments of mateship and camaraderie, but he also offers salutary tales of its consequences—the hangovers, the suffering, the recriminations, and the grave occasions subverted by drink.

Amusing, wry, tragic, and surprising, Best Australian Drinking Stories asks you to grab a glass of your favorite beverage, get comfy and enjoy this fascinating collection of stories about Australia's love affair with booze.

Jim Haynes has traveled far and wide to meet and interview the people whose stories make up this book. From his days as part of the Slim Dusty touring show, Jim has been aware of the special nature of the trucking industry in both rural and urban Australia. Before becoming a professional entertainer, songwriter, verse writer, and singer in 1988, Jim Haynes taught writing, literature, history, and drama in schools and universities from outback NSW to Britain. While teaching he gained two masters' degrees in literature, from New England University and the University of Wales. Jim Haynes is the author of many Great Australian titles including books on Railways, Aviation, and Horse Racing. He is one of Australia's most successful and prolific Australiana authors.