The Pub in Literature

The pub as an oasis; drink as the social lubricant; the “public house” as the citizen’s home from home: this is the theme, as embodied in the rich heritage of English literature, that the author seeks to explore. A novel way to deal with a tired subject? A gift for the young academic author anxious to entrench himself in the world of learning? Or a new source of illumination to shed on the familiar outlines, the story from Chaucer to Chesterton? Does this survey enhance our understanding, our response to the discipline of letters? The answer is a qualified yes....