Rum: A Social and Sociable History of the Real Spirit of 1776

Published by
Jose Rafael Hoffmann

Hardcover
by Ian Williams (Author)  

Rum arguably shaped the modern world. It was to the eighteenth century what oil is to the present, but its significance has been diminished by a misguided sense of old-fashioned morality dating back to Prohibition. In fact, Rum shows that even the Puritans took a shot now and then. Rum, too, was one of the major engines of the American Revolution, a fact often missing from histories of the era. Ian Williams’s book — as biting and multilayered as the drink itself — triumphantly restores rum’s rightful place in history, taking us across space and time, from the slave plantations of seventeenth-century Barbados (the undisputed birthplace of rum) through Puritan and revolutionary New England, to voodoo rites in modern Haiti, where to mix rum with Coke risks invoking the wrath of the gods. He also depicts the showdown between the Bacardi family and Fidel Castro over the control of the lucrative rights to the Havana Club label. Telling photographs are also featured in this barnstorming history of the real “Spirit of 1776.”

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004OA64UM
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bold Type Books (August 18, 2006)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 18, 2006
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4162 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 372 pages

LINK TO BOOK

Jose Rafael Hoffmann

Creative Director and Concent Manager for EmpresasFH and Director of HOFFMANNdesign. Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Mr. Hoffmann has been one of the most important designers for prestigious companies in South America, including Disney, Cartoon Network, Mattel among others.

Recent Posts

  • News

Women Leading Spirits Presents New Identity and NY Rum Fest 2026 Program

Women Leading Spirits (WLS) marks a key moment in its evolution with the launch of…

June 2, 2026
  • Interviews

Engineering Excellence in Every Drop: The Technical Mastery of José Pérez Cárdenas

With more than 38 years of experience in the aged‑spirits industry, José Pérez Cárdenas has…

June 2, 2026
  • News

Editor’s Choice: New York Rum Bars 2026

New York City’s nightlife scene is a beautifully volatile creature, constantly reinventing itself. Yet, amidst…

May 27, 2026
  • Interview Of The Week

Shaping Rum Culture in the Americas: Guillaume Lamy and the Planteray Vision

As Managing Director of Maison Ferrand USA, Guillaume Lamy oversees everything related to Planteray Rum…

May 26, 2026
  • Interview Of The Week

From Fabric to Flavor: The Reinvention of David Reif Through Rum

David Reif grew up in the New York/New Jersey area, immersed in the family apparel…

May 19, 2026
  • Noticias

Arehucas presenta su nuevo Ruby Finish 2006,  una edición limitada afinada en barricas de Ruby

Arucas (Gran Canaria), marzo de 2026.– Arehucas vuelve a elevar su apuesta  por la excelencia…

May 12, 2026