We collaborated with a great many smart and talented people in getting this book to print.
First and foremost our extraordinary editor Andra Miller. We were lucky to have someone so intelligent, supportive, and funny, too. Incredibly patient, Andra worked long and hard to bring out the best in our words and art. She was a gift. And Keven McAlester, who is credited as a consulting writer. Much more than that, Keven became a partner, really, in shaping the text, and the book is so much richer for it. We would like to thank Algonquin’s team. They seem to us the best team on the planet, and at every instance bent over backward to make decisions that worked for us. Anne Winslow was our remarkable creative director and Jean-Marc Troadec our truly gifted designer; it was their vision and style that wove the writing and illustrations together so beautifully. And a special thanks to Elisabeth Scharlatt, our publisher. Elisabeth never fails to put the book first, and told us early on that we could have as much time as we needed to get it right. Quite possibly she regrets having said that. Craig Popelars and Kelly Bowen in Algonquin’s marketing and publicity, for all they have done and are planning to do. Drew Jacobson of Luminosity was our lead bartender, with the help of his business partner Paul Keo. Drew’s terrific palate, deep knowledge, and cheerful perseverance (though really, who doesn’t like testing drinks?) resulted in some delicious cocktail recipes. Our wonderful agent David Kuhn who seems to do everything and more—this book was David’s idea. And our amazingly persistent researchers, all of them across the years: Tim Mackin and Emily Schlesinger, as well as Jordan Cohen, Joel Dando, Michelle Hovanetz, Aily Nash, and Georgia Stockwell. And of course, there are friends and family, too, who have so generously helped along the way—with ideas, advice, support: Madelyne Bailey, Paul Bailey, Edward Beason, Lyndie Benson, Minor Chavez, Chelsie Corbett, Gerlayn White Dreyfous, Karen Duffy, Eve Epstein, Joe Flanigan, Shannon and Drew Hayden, Taylor Johns, Sarah Johnson, Peter Kaplan, Andrew Karsch, Sheila and Chris Kennedy, Robert Kennedy Jr., Edward Klaris, John Lambros, Kim Lowe, Brendan McBreen, Joe McDougall, Derek Newman, Jeanine Pepler, Robin Pogrebin, Edward Saxon, Stephen Sherrill, Franco Simplicio and his terrific Malibu restaurant the Sunset, Brian Strange, and Shamra Tankersley—thank you.
MARK BAILEY: I would specifically like to thank my wife, Rory. It is not always easy living with a writer, and living with a drinking writer is harder still. But a drinking writer who is writing a book on drinking—that takes a special kind of woman, which you are. This book is for you, with love.
And my children—Georgia, Bridget, and Zachary. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to read this until you are at least twenty-one.
EDWARD HEMINGWAY: Special thanks go to my family—Valerie, Vanessa, Sean, and Brendan Hemingway, for all having a terrific sense of humor, but more importantly, for always being there.