author
James Mew
1837–1913
A Victorian man of letters with unusually wide interests, he wrote on everything from drinks and folklore to theology and biography. His work blends a barrister’s habit of careful research with a curiosity that still feels lively today.
1 Audiobook
Drinks of the World
by James Mew, John Ashton
About the author
James Mew was an English barrister and writer born in 1837, and he died on February 25, 1913. He is remembered as a contributor to the Dictionary of National Biography and as the author of works including Drinks of the World and Traditional Aspects of Hell, Ancient and Modern.
He studied at Wadham College, Oxford, and was later called to the bar, bringing a lawyer’s eye for detail to his writing. That mix of legal training and literary curiosity helped shape books that range from reference-style scholarship to more unusual cultural subjects.
Although he is not a widely known name today, his books have remained of interest to readers who enjoy nineteenth-century nonfiction, especially works that explore old beliefs, customs, and everyday life with patience and range.