As un-British as it may be to mention two of my books in two messages sent on the same day, let alone praise them, I do not think that anyone would disagree that the standard book on the history of drink in Britain is now my "Drink: a social history," just published in paperback by Pimlico in London for twelve pounds and fifty pence. ISBN 0-7126-6500-5. (This differs from the hardback only in containing a new preface with a rant about drink-driving and alcopops. The hardback was published by Bantam Press in 1995 under a slightly different title, "Drink: an informal social history," ISBN 0-593-03510-0.) As I mentioned in my other message, the American version of this book, which is completely different, will be published in March next year by Carroll & Graf under the title "Drink: a social history of America". Price twenty-five dollars. ISBN 0-7867-0559-0.