The Story Of Britain as Told Through its Pub Signs
A Book About Pub Names opens with an introduction entitled A Brief History of Pubs which in some ways is the most pleasurable part of the book. In it Saunders gives a portrait in broad strokes of the cultural, political, religious and technological events in Britain that affected the way and to whom beer was sold through history. While this is presented because it is a necessary footing upon which to build the book it has the added benefit of being great fun to read. The overview fashion of these 13 pages gives one a clear sense of the evolution of beer brewing and selling as a result of the innumerable pressures and influences working on it and how, in turn, that evolution exerts its own influence upon society.The first chapter establishes the nature of the Pub Names which is essentially that of a dictionary of pub signs of Britain. The signs are presented in alphabetic order – Adam & Eve, Albion, Alma, etc. - with each entry recounting as much as can be said about the particular pub sign. One soon learns that as much speculation and myth as fact is wrapped up in the history of these signs. In some cases the iconographies of the signs are so old that certain establishment of their meanings is impossible while others clearly denote a particular event, person or meaning.
More Than a Dictionary of Pub Signs
The dictionary-like aspect of Pub Names can make reading it straight through a challenge. Indeed, it is as a reference book where Pub Signs finds its proper purpose. However reading it cover to cover or even idly browsing its pages is more entertaining than most reference books by the colorful nature of its subject matter. Additionally Saunders interrupts the alphabetic plodding with chapters that discuss and expand upon specific, relevant themes with titles such as Drinking Vessels and Measures, Working in Pubs and Drinking Expressions.Recommended
I would heartily recommend this ebook to anyone with an interest in beer history and breweriana. The stories of the signs as well as a plenitude of very nice pictures of many of them are endlessly fascinated. The only complaint to be found is that the Britishness of some of the references can seem somewhat obtuse to non-native readers. But with plenty of linked sources this American reader was able to make sense of most of them.Learn more about A Book About Pub Names.
