Published in 1921, The Old Soak presents humorous reminiscences of an old drunkard who talks about life before prohibition. In addition, he gives the readers a history of the world from his recollection. 'The Old Soak' is a fictitious character who is an enemy of prohibition, created by Don Marquis, an American newspaperman and wit.

"The Old Soak's debut, The Old Soak and Hail and Farewell, is in the public domain now. Delving into it you'll find a surprisingly callous approach to addiction, far from, say, the complex and often convivial descriptions of binge drinking in John O'Hara's early novels. The Old Soak is a hauntingly one-note character, and one wonders exactly what about his alcoholism made him such a bankable franchise. Imagine the pitch meetings that followed: "He's a lush, see? He wants to booze it up, but he can't, because of that cursed eighteenth amendment!"--Paris Review

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Old Soak, And, Hail and Farewell by Don Marquis. This book is a reproduction of the original book published in 1921 and may have some imperfections such as marks or hand-written notes.