The New York Times bestseller! “A warm and loving reflection that, like good bourbon, will stand the test of time.” —Eric Asimov, The New York Times “Bourbon is for sharing, and so is Pappyland.”—The Wall Street Journal The story of how Julian Van Winkle III, the caretaker of the most coveted cult Kentucky Bourbon whiskey in the world, fought to protect his family's heritage and preserve the taste of his forebears, in a world where authenticity, like his product, is in very short supply. Following his father’s death decades ago, Julian Van Winkle stepped in to try to save the bourbon business his grandfather had founded on the mission statement: “We make fine bourbon—at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon.” With the company in its wilderness years, Julian committed to safeguarding his namesake’s legacy or going down with the ship. Then he discovered that hundreds of barrels from the family distillery had survived their sale to a multinational conglomerate. The whiskey that Julian produced after recovering those barrels would immediately be hailed as the greatest in the world—and soon would be the hardest to find. Once they had been used up, a fresh challenge began: preserving the taste of Pappy in a new age. Wright Thompson was invited to ride along as Julian undertook the task. From the Van Winkle family, Wright learned not only about great bourbon but about complicated legacies and the rewards of honoring your people and your craft—lessons that he couldn’t help but apply to his own work and life. May we all be lucky enough to find some of ourselves, as Wright Thompson did, in Pappyland.

A “gripping” account of a New Orleans high school football team fighting to win on the field—and survive on the streets (Lars Anderson, New York Times–bestselling author of A Season in the Sun). On the west bank of the Mississippi lies the New Orleans neighborhood of Algiers. Short on hope but big on dreams, its mostly poor and marginalized residents find joy on Friday nights when the Cougars of Edna Karr High School take the field. For years, this football program has brought glory to Algiers, winning three consecutive state championships and sending dozens of young men to college on football scholarships. Although he is preparing for a fourth title, head coach Brice Brown is focused on something else: keeping his players alive. An epidemic of gun violence plagues New Orleans and its surrounding communities and has claimed many innocent lives, including Brown’s former star quarterback, Tollette “Tonka” George, shot near a local gas station. Award-winning sports journalist Kent Babb follows the Cougars through the 2019 season as Brown and his team—perhaps the scrappiest and most rebellious group in the program’s history—vie to again succeed on and off the field. Sure to become a classic of sports journalism, Across the River is a necessary investigation into the serious realities of young athletes in struggling neighborhoods: gentrification, eviction, mental health issues, the drug trade, and gun violence. It offers a rich, unflinching portrait of a coach, his players, and the West Bank, a community where it’s difficult—but not impossible—to rise above the chaos, discover purpose, and find a way out. “A penetrating, wide-screen story of what it means to mentor under the toughest of circumstances.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Masterful . . . equal parts heartbreaking and life-affirming.” —Jeff Pearlman, New York Times–bestselling author of Three-Ring Circus “A moving and evocative portrait of football and life.” —Publishers Weekly

A collection of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, most not previously anthologized, ranging in theme from the nostalgic to examinations of the dysfunctional side of the Christmas season.

Bourbon Tails takes you on a photographic journey inside many of the finest bourbon distilleries, starring the dogs who make life brighter in their bourbon loving homes. Beyond the stunning photographs in this book, you can enjoy some canine-inspired cocktail recipes provided by the distilleries, and whimsical cartoons provided by artist Rick Maynard. It's a book that will bring hours of enjoyment to anyone whose happy place involves a glass of bourbon in the company of a great dog.

Get the Summary of Wright Thompson's Pappyland in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. "Pappyland" by Wright Thompson is a narrative that intertwines the author's personal journey with the story of Julian Van Winkle III and the legacy of the Van Winkle bourbon dynasty. Thompson explores themes of legacy, authenticity, and the human quest for permanence through the lens of the Kentucky landscape, the bourbon industry, and horse racing. Julian Van Winkle III, custodian of the cherished Pappy Van Winkle bourbon tradition, is portrayed as a figure of authenticity in an industry often marked by insincerity...