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Tom Standage

The History Of The World In Six Glasses Hardcover – 30 May 2005

by Tom Standage (Author)

2,512 ratings

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From beer to Coca-Cola, the six drinks that have helped shape human history.

Throughout human history. certain drinks have done much more than just quench thirst. As Tom Standage relates with authority and charm, six of them have had a surprisingly pervasive influence on the course of history, becoming the defining drink during a pivotal historical period.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the 21st century through the lens of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola. Beer was first made in the Fertile Crescent and by 3000 B.C.E. was so important to Mesopotamia and Egypt that it was used to pay wages. In ancient Greece wine became the main export of her vast seaborne trade, helping spread Greek culture abroad. Spirits such as brandy and rum fueled the Age of Exploration, fortifying seamen on long voyages and oiling the pernicious slave trade. 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. And hundreds of years after the Chinese began drinking tea, it became especially popular in Britain, with far-reaching effects on British foreign policy. 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.

For Tom Standage, each drink is a kind of technology, a catalyst for advancing culture by which he demonstrates the intricate interplay of different civilizations. You may never look at your favorite drink the same way again.

Print length

311 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Walker & Co
Publication date

30 May 2005
Dimensions

14.38 x 3.15 x 21.18 cm
ISBN-10

0802714471
ISBN-13

978-0802714473
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Product description

About the Author

Tom Standage is technology editor at the Economist, and the author of The Turk, The Neptune File, and The Victorian Internet. He lives in Greenwich, England.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Walker & Co (30 May 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 311 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802714471
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802714473
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 14.38 x 3.15 x 21.18 cm

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About the author

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Tom Standage

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Tom Standage is deputy editor of The Economist, overseeing its strategy and output on digital platforms, including the web, apps, audio, video and social media. He joined The Economist in 1998 and previously served as Digital Editor, Business Affairs Editor, Business Editor, Technology Editor and Science Correspondent. He is a regular radio commentator and keynote speaker on technology trends, and takes a particular interest in the social and cultural impact of technology. Tom is also the author of six history books, including “Writing on the Wall: Social Media—The First 2,000 Years”; the New York Times bestsellers “A History of the World in Six Glasses” (2005) and “An Edible History of Humanity” (2009); and “The Victorian Internet” (1998), a history of the telegraph. His writing has appeared in other publications including the New York Times, the Guardian and Wired. He holds a degree in engineering and computer science from Oxford University, and is the least musical member of a musical family. He is married and lives in London with his wife and children.

Customer reviews

5 star		69%
4 star		20%
3 star		7%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from United Kingdom

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Mr. Stephen Parkin

amusing read and informative

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 7 September 2013

Verified Purchase

A good book covering the World from a beverage perspective. I would have liked the section on spirits to have included gin and vodka for their profound effects on English and Russian society,also Prohibition,which helped to solidify lawbreaking and organized crime in the U.S.
The section on Coca-Cola outlines the health risks early opponents expounded but fails to mention current concerns regarding its high sugar content(the average American gets some 11 pounds of sugar per year from its products)with inherent risks of type 2 diabetes and tooth decay ,perhaps this is a factor in America's dismal life expectancy,51st in world rankings. Mexicans who consume 70% more have just been declared the most obese people on Earth.
The final section on water mentions the bottled tap waters Aquafina and Dasani (p.168) but omits to mention they are marketed by Pepsi and Coca-Cola.
The author was brave in the final section to record that Israel appropriates 82% of the occupied West Bank's water for its own use,one reason not to expect any movement on the two-state solution.
Recommended reading.

Helpful

Charles Lowe

Makes think about what you are drinking!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 30 July 2009

Verified Purchase

Another great take on how something has changed the history of the world,in this case drinks. An excellently researched history of the origins of six of the most important created drinks in the world that reveals a whole series of really interesting facts about them. It also destroyed a good few myths I'd heard, especially about the origins of Coca-Cola. Each drink is a short history in itself so a book that can be easily dipped into if desired. If you have an enquiring mind and an interest in why and how what you are drinking was first produced, I'd greatly recommend this book as a good read.

3 people found this helpful

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Toxic Pixie

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 27 June 2018

Verified Purchase

Very good quick & concise delve into some favourite drinks as they've influenced the development of the world.

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Jacqueline H.

One of the best history books

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 18 December 2017

Verified Purchase

Very fascinating book for those who love history and drinking. I have a copy for myself and bought another as a gift for my dad. :)

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 30 July 2016

good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 22 November 2017

Verified Purchase

very interesting listen for a long drive

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 30 December 2017

Verified Purchase

hic!--very interesting read

One person found this helpful

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Giulio Tartaglia

Funniest, interesting reads

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 29 June 2013

Verified Purchase

I liked the book for it is witty and well written, rich in interesting anecdotes, and absolutely worthwhile to discuss with an Irish friend.

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