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A Brief History of Vice

How Bad Behavior Built Civilization

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A Brief History of Vice

By: Robert Evans
Narrated by: Tristan Morris
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About this listen

History has never been more fun - or more intoxicating.

Guns, germs, and steel might have transformed us from hunter-gatherers into modern man, but booze, sex, trash talk, and tripping built our civilization. Cracked editor Robert Evans brings his signature dogged research and lively insight to uncover the many and magnificent ways vice has influenced history, from the prostitute-turned-empress who scored a major victory for women's rights to the beer that helped create - and destroy - South America's first empire. And Evans goes deeper than simply writing about ancient debauchery; he recreates some of history's most enjoyable (and most painful) vices and includes guides so you can follow along at home. You'll learn how to:

  • Trip like a Greek philosopher
  • Rave like your Stone Age ancestors
  • Get drunk like a Sumerian
  • Smoke a nose pipe like a pre-Columbian Native American

A celebration of the brave, drunken pioneers who built our civilization one seemingly bad decision at a time, A Brief History of Vice explores a side of the past that mainstream history books prefer to hide.

©2016 Robert Evans (P)2016 Penguin Audio Civilisation Ethics & Morality Philosophy Social Sciences World

Critic Reviews

“Mixing science, humor, and grossly irresponsible self-experimentation, Evans paints a vivid picture of how bad habits built the world we know and love.” (David Wong, author of John Dies at the End)

“Evans' goal is to investigate and illuminate the human tradition of merriment and debauchery, which he does with tact, humor, and insight.” (Publishers Weekly)

“An engaging and compelling assemblage of pop culture and cultural anthropology (pop cultural anthropology?), an exploration of the growth of civilization via things that our own culture has in many ways declared taboo. This is one of the more entertaining books, fiction or nonfiction, or whatever, that you'll read this year.” (Allen Adams, The Maine Edge)
All stars
Most relevant  
enjoyed this audio book, if you enjoyed make sure you check out "Behind the Bastard's" podcast from Robert Evans

enjoyed - check out his podcast too.

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Very enjoyable read, highly recommend this and Robert's podcasts especially Behind the Bastards. Bit of a shame this isn't also narrated by Robert but nothing wrong with the fulla who actually narrates it.. 5 stars

Ole timey drugs

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Really wish this was narrated by the Author
Robert Evans has a much better voice!

Great book

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Interesting book. Not the most amazing but if you like weird and wonders you might get a kick out of it

Ok but not amazing

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Didn't like the narrator. Interesting concept but spoilt by the author's personal tales which I had no interest in.

Tedious

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