Shake 'em Up!: A Practical Handbook of Polite Drinking

An essential addition to the library of any cocktailian, entertainer, nostalgic, or anyone who just likes to relax with a cold beverage, Shake 'Em Up! delivers all the joy of a Jazz Age cocktail party, without the fear of temperance officers knocking down your door.

As the authors say: Shake ’Em Up! is “for People Who Fling Parties, People Who Go to Parties . . . People Who Don’t Really Drink but Feel That a Cocktail or Two Enlivens Conversation?in short, for the American People,” and that’s as true today as it was upon the book’s original publication in 1930. Virginia Elliott and Phil D. Stong created a handbook for polite?if not entirely legal?drinking during the height of Prohibition, and the advice remains sound, the voice charming, and the cocktails strong. Need ideas as to how to catch up with your already inebriated guests, or guidance on what to do when said guests end up a little too inebriated? Shake ’Em Up! will point you in the right direction. Whether you’re looking for the proper way to mix a Brandy Punch, what you ought to serve alongside a Bijou Cocktail, or a dependable hangover cure, Elliott and Stong have you covered. With a lively introduction from bestselling author Amy Stewart (The Drunken Botanist), this fully illustrated time capsule will inspire with buzzy cocktails and recipes from another era, making it the perfect gift for the hosts and entertainers of today.

Virginia Elliott was born in Fulton, Ohio, in 1896, but lived most of her life on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. In addition to Shake ’Em Up, she’s the author of Quiet Drinking; A Book of Beer, Wines & Cocktails and What to Serve with Them and Soups and Sauces.


Phil D. Stong was born in Iowa in 1899, but eventually moved to Manhattan, where he worked as a magazine and newspaper journalist. Along with Shake ’Em Up, he’s the author of several dozen novels for children and adults, most notably State Fair.

Amy Stewart is The New York Times best-selling author of the Kopp Sisters series, which are based on the true story of one of America’s first female deputy sheriffs and her two rambunctious sisters. The books are in development with Elizabeth Banks’ production company, Brownstone, for a television series. Her popular nonfiction titles include The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants, and Flower Confidential. Her books have sold over a million copies worldwide and have been translated into 17 languages.