A History of Great Writers and Alcoholism

Of course, you've probably noticed that many of the great writers have had their share of the booze. If you haven't, then don't feel too far out of the loop. I'm mainly speaking of those writers of the earlier generations, those writers who wrote in an earlier time in our nation's history.

I don't know much about the lives of any of the great writers of today. This is most likely because, unfortunately, most of the truly great writers are not discovered or recognized until after their death, leaving most of us here in the present in the dark.

Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen Crane, Theodore Roethke, Herman Melville, Delmore Schwartz, Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemmingway, these were all truly great writers, and these were all truly great alcoholics. What is it that drives great writers to the bottle? Or, is it the other way around. Is it that truly immersing yourself into your writing, paying attention to every little detail so that you can explain it comprehensibly later, that drives a person to the point that they feel they need to drink.

Once, Truman Capote explained, "I drink, because it's the only way that I can stand it." Was the world that Truman Capote existed in so terrible that he needed an escape? High society, money, good food, keeping company with America's elite, is that what drove Capote to drink? Or was it because he had trained his mind to take note of all the little things that occur in this society, losing track of the greater picture? Eventually that attention to detail turns inward on a person and they may begin to pick themselves apart to the point where they believe that they really do need an escape.

I don't really believe that all of these writers felt that Vodka was their best friend. They probably drank a wide variety of liquors, but due to the cost of Vodka and the average income of a writer, I'd say that Vodka is a popular choice. It just so happens that I am drinking Vodka right now, and I'm not comparing myself to any of these great writers, but I must admit that I do feel, at least a little, more inspired.