A History of the World in 6 Glasses

Spirits such as brandy and rum fueled the Age of Exploration, fortifying seamen on long voyages and oiling the pernicious slave trade. Beer was first made in the Fertile Crescent and by 3000 B.C.E. Finally, though carbonated drinks were invented in 18th-century Europe, they became a 20th-century phenomenon, and Coca-Cola in particular is the leading symbol of globalization. And hundreds of years after the Chinese began drinking tea, it became especially popular in Britain, with far-reaching effects on British foreign policy. In ancient Greece, wine became the main export of her vast seaborne trade, helping spread Greek culture abroad. Although coffee originated in the Arab world, it stoked revolutionary thought in Europe during the Age of Reason, when coffeehouses became centers of intellectual exchange. Throughout human history, certain drinks have done much more th

J.K. Turner said This was definitely my favorite chapter. If you are not familiar with the. First of all, it isn't a history of each individual beverage, though there is plenty of that, but a history of the world (as the title indicates) viewed through the lens of what (and why) people were drinking at the time. The drinks and the times they represent are:Beer - probably the oldest known drink, popular in Mesopotamia and Egypt.. First Rate History J. Brian Watkins This book is evidence of the power of a good idea to organize one's thoughts and arguments so as to make them compelling. Other than the air we breathe, which hasn't really changed all that much over the years, there is nothing so universally important as liquid refreshment. Mr. Standage's decision to structure his history of the world u. I'll Drink to This Unique and illuminating, this is an easy, breezy romp through history from the point of view of six beverages, each of which profoundly influenced its time and place. The book contains some familiar lore, of course, but also many little-known details, such as wine in water being a safeguard to contaminated water. Discussions of social mo