{"product_id":"9781510732193","title":"A Pint of Plain: Tradition, Change, and the Fate of the Irish Pub","description":"After meeting an Irishwoman in London and moving to Dublin, Bill Barich?a ?blow-in,? or stranger, in Irish parlance?found himself looking for a traditional Irish pub to be his local. There are nearly 12,000 pubs in Ireland, so he appeared to have plenty of choices. He wanted a pub like the one in John Ford's classic movie, \u003ci\u003eThe Quiet Man\u003c\/i\u003e, offering talk and drink with no distractions, but such pubs are now scarce as publicans increasingly rely on flat-screen televisions, rock music, even Texas Hold ?Em to attract a dwindling clientele. For Barich, this signaled that something deeper was at play?an erosion of the essence of Ireland, perhaps without the Irish even being aware. \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Pint of Plain\u003c\/i\u003e is Barich's witty, deeply observant portrait of an Ireland vanishing before our eyes. While 85 percent of the Irish still stop by a pub at least once a month, strict drunk-driving laws have helped to kill business in rural areas. Even traditional Irish music, whose rich roots ?connect the past to the present and close a circle,? is much less prominent in pub life. Ironically, while Irish pubs in the countryside are closing at the alarming rate of one per day, plastic IPC-type pubs are being born in foreign countries at the exact same rate. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the famed watering holes of Dublin to tiny village pubs, Barich introduces a colorful array of characters, and, ever pursuing craic, the ineffable Irish word for a good time, engages in an unvarnished yet affectionate discussion about what it means to be Irish today.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Skyhorse Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50079071731952,"sku":"9781510732193","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781510732193","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}