David Wondrich

David Wondrich is one of the nation's foremost authorities on the history of the cocktail (okay, there's not a lot of competition, but still). A former English professor, he gave up Shakespeare and Freshman Comp to write for Esquire magazine (where he is a contributing editor) and numerous other publications, including Saveur, Gotham, Wine and Spirits, Drinks, and The Snail, the newsletter of Slow Food America. His first book, Esquire Drinks: An Opinionated & Irreverent Guide to Drinking, has been called "a must-have for anyone who enjoys a first-class cocktail" (The Dallas Morning News ). Dr. Wondrich is a founding member of the Museum of the American Cocktail, which will open in New Orleans in January 2005. He lives in Brooklyn.