The Land of Ale and Gloom

<p><em>The Land of Ale and Gloom: Discovering the Pacific Northwest</em> concerns the summer of 2016 which the author spent traveling the region in the looming shadow of a Trump presidency having come to the somewhat blue realization that there perhaps remained just one thing in this world with the power to bring him true happiness: craft beer. And while there's no better place for a beer enthusiast than Oregon and Washington State a philosophical guide seemed necessary-hence Robert Burton's <em>The Anatomy of Melancholy</em> an encyclopedic Renaissance-era opus which advises the melancholic patient to treat his affliction with a few cold brews. Along with these elements The Land of Ale and Gloom by Phillip Hurst incorporates the fascinating history and vibrant literature of the Northwest into a comic yet insightful exploration of the region.</p>