Fifty of us gathered at the Chicago St. Pub in Joliet, Illinois to have a criminally fun time when I gave a talk on the history and importance of bars in American culture. In my talk, I covered a wide variety of intellectual territory – from the foundation of the United States to the contemporary affliction of loneliness in American life. Brent James and John Condron provided musical accompaniment in key moments. Naturally, libations flowed liberally.