The history of our species would have turned out completely differently if not for a lucky genetic mutation that allowed our bodies to break down alcohol. Since then, a person has not parted with a bottle - for thousands of years, drinking has given people joy and comfort, helped talk with the gods and create culture. “A Brief History of Drunkenness” is the story of Homo sapiens’ long-standing love affair with alcohol. In every era - from the Stone Age to the times of Prohibition - we will find answers to specific questions: what did they drink? How many? who and in what composition? And most importantly - why and for what reason? Along the way, we will meet the Neolithic shamans who turned alcohol into a channel of communication with our ancestors, attend the feasts of the ancient Greeks and Romans and find out how the real saloons of the Wild West differed from those in Hollywood. This is the history of humanity in its happiest state - tipsy.