Review (Becky): A History of the World in 6 Glasses

Title:  A History of the World in 6 Glasses Author: Tom Standage Pages: 311 Audience: Adult Genre: Nonfiction (micro-history) Rating: 4 I'd take this book for Beer, Wine, Coffee, Tea, Soda, and water ;)

Goodreads Summary

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.

My Thoughts Ah my first history book read for pleasure and not assignment.  Who knew I would enjoy it so much?  I kept pulling people aside and saying "did you know....?" about all the fun facts.  It was probably annoying for them but awesome for me haha, and now everyone in the family wants to read it. This micro-history was a delightful, simple, fast read. The organization into 6 drinks made it easy to follow and get into. 
I was least interested in tea because it was the most political segment and also...I don't drink tea much lol.  My favorite segments were Cocoa Cola and wine, because they seemed to focus more on emotions and cultural connections. While I can't speak to the historical accuracy of any of the book, the author provided many notes and sources for further reading.  It felt like an excellent skimming of history.
 I think perhaps the importance of these drinks was a tad overemphasized, and was perhaps more of a correlation with events and trends that causation, but who really knows. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a beginning book on world history, or history lite as I call it.

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.