'In the last decade and a half, few people have documented or contributed more to the growth of cocktail culture than Camper English' Bartender Atlas

‘At last, a definitive guide to the medicinal origins of every bottle behind the bar! From prehistoric beer to exotic French liqueurs, a swig of alcohol has always served as tonic and treatment. With a cocktail nerd’s love of obscure ingredients and a passion for odd historical details, Camper English illuminates the murky, confounding, and even grotesque history of booze as medicine. This is the cocktail book of the year, if not the decade.’ Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist

‘When the Roman philosopher Seneca wrote that “reading nourishes the intellect and study banishes fatigue”, I’m pretty sure he was thinking about [The Perfect Tonic], or at least would have been if he’d stuck around to read it. In any case, Mr English has written as an instructive and entertaining a book as I can conceive.’ David Wondrich, editor in chief, The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails

‘Dive into these pages and you will learn the raucous and unlikely true tale of how every alcoholic drink from beer, wine, and bitters to the vanished and banned cocaine drinks of the nineteenth century, were once thought to banish all manner of ills. Better yet, you’ll be grandly entertained. I predict that by the last page you’ll find yourself feeling oddly . . . better.’ Garrett Oliver, editor in chief, The Oxford Companion to Beer and brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery

‘Equal parts science textbook and historical narrative, [The Perfect Tonic] is a beautifully researched and thoroughly engaging trip through the story of some of our most beloved libations.’ Jeffrey Morgenthaler, author of The Bar Book

Camper English is a cocktails and spirits writer and speaker who has covered the craft cocktail renaissance for over 15 years, contributing to more than 50 publications around the world including Popular Science, Saveur, Details, Whisky Advocate, and Drinks International. With a focus on the nerdy side of mixology, he has studied everything from the history of carbonation to the science of clear ice cubes. He has been awarded International Cognac Writer of the Year by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac and Best Cocktail Writer at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, and he has been voted as one of the 100 most influential people in the global drinks industry for several years running.