| World History is a long and complex topic. | | | | years of hibernation, Western civilization |
| Though many accomplished authors such as Bill | | | | was awakened by the rediscovery of ancient |
| Bryson and H. G. Wells have attempted to | | | | knowledge, long safeguarded in the Arab |
| condense history into a single book, very few | | | | world. However, in an attempt to circumvent |
| have succeeded. There is just too much of it. | | | | this Arab monopoly, European monarchs |
| Attempts to boil down the last 10,000 years | | | | launched massive fleets into the sea. This |
| have resulted in either superficial books | | | | age of exploration was greatly enhanced by |
| with very little depth, or great textbook | | | | the Arab knowledge of distillation, which |
| like tombs too inaccessible for the casual | | | | made a whole new range of drinks possible. A |
| reader.Happily, A History of the World in 6 | | | | History of the World in 6 Glasses describes |
| Glasses by Tom Standage succeeds where others | | | | how these condensed forms of alcohol (namely |
| have failed. Standage's book does this by | | | | Brandy, Whiskey and Rum) were so popular, |
| sacrificing the breadth of every possible | | | | especially in the new American colonies, that |
| topic for an impressive depth and focus. | | | | "they played a key role in the establishment |
| Instead of trying to sum up the complete | | | | of the United States."The fourth beverage |
| history of man, this book spotlights a single | | | | presented in this book is coffee. Because of |
| topic, in this case beverages, and then takes | | | | its sharpening effect on the mind, coffee |
| the reader on a journey through time to see | | | | quickly became the drink of intellect and |
| how his topic interweaves the past. Standage | | | | industry. Replacing taverns as the |
| is a delightful writer, mixing his light | | | | sophisticated meeting place, the coffeehouse |
| hearted style with exceptional historical | | | | "led to the establishment of scientific |
| savvy not just on the topic of drinks, but | | | | societies and financial institutions, the |
| throughout.Despite my now positive opinion of | | | | founding of newspapers, and provided fertile |
| this book, I have to confess that when I | | | | ground for revolutionary thought, |
| first picked up A History of the World in 6 | | | | particularly in France." A History of the |
| Glasses, I did not expect to enjoy it. Not | | | | World in 6 Glasses goes on to recount the |
| only am I skeptical of any book claiming to | | | | intricate effect coffeehouses had on |
| sum up the antiquity of man in 300 pages or | | | | Victorian culture, going so far as to |
| less, but I myself do not drink any of the 6 | | | | dedicate an entire chapter to what the book |
| beverages this book discusses. As such, | | | | calls "The Coffeehouse Internet".Even though |
| learning the history of these drinks did not | | | | the inception of tea date back many thousands |
| sound immediately appealing. However, what I | | | | of years, it didn't take hold upon western |
| quickly learned is that this book is not a | | | | culture until the mid-seventeenth century. |
| history of 6 drinks, but rather just as the | | | | Once established as England's national drink, |
| title states, a history of the world, told | | | | the importing of tea from first China and |
| through the story of 6 drinks. As the book | | | | then India led to trade and industrialization |
| points out in the introduction, second only | | | | on an unprecedented scale. A History of the |
| to air, liquid is the most vital substance to | | | | World in 6 Glasses describes the immense |
| man's survival. The availability of water and | | | | power of the British East India Company, |
| other drinking sources have "constrained and | | | | which "generated more revenue than the |
| guided humankind's progress" and "have | | | | British government and ruled over far more |
| continued to shape human history". Throughout | | | | people", wielding more power than any other |
| time, beverages have done more than quenched | | | | corporation in history. This imbalance of |
| our thirst; they have been used as | | | | power had an enormous, far-reaching effect on |
| currencies, medicines, and in religious | | | | British foreign policy, and ultimately |
| rites. They have served as symbols of wealth | | | | contributed to the independence of the United |
| and power, as well as tools to appease the | | | | States.Like most of the drinks discussed in A |
| poor and downtrodden.A History of the World | | | | History of the World in 6 Glasses, Coca-Cola |
| in 6 Glasses is broken down into six | | | | was originally devised as a medical drink. |
| sections, one for each drink, the first of | | | | More than any other product, Coca-Cola has |
| which is beer. Man's first civilizations | | | | stood as the symbol of America's "vibrant |
| where founded on surplus cereal production, | | | | consumer capitalism". Rather than shrink at |
| much of which was brewed. Ancient day beers | | | | the challenge, Coca-Cola took full advantage |
| were high in vitamin B, a vitamin previously | | | | of the challenging times it found itself in, |
| only obtained through meat. This allowed the | | | | gaining ground through the depression, and |
| population to focus their nutrition efforts | | | | then traveling alongside our soldiers into |
| more and more on cereals, effectively | | | | WWII, becoming a global phenomenon. According |
| ushering in the transition from | | | | to the book, Coca-Cola still accounts for |
| hunter-gatherers to farmers. Additionally, | | | | "around 30 percent of all liquid consumption" |
| because early beers were boiled (to convert | | | | today.A History of the World in 6 Glasses |
| more starch into sugars), the beer was | | | | makes it clear that the history of mankind is |
| significantly safer to drink than water. This | | | | a history of our consumption. Whether we are |
| significant improvement in lifestyle "freed a | | | | drinking "liquid bread" in Mesopotamia, |
| small fraction of the population from the | | | | pondering revolution in a Coffeehouse in |
| need to work in the fields, and made possible | | | | Paris, or throwing tea leafs into the ocean |
| the emergence of specialist priest, | | | | in Boston, these drinks have had a profound |
| administrators, scribes, and craftsmen." Not | | | | impact on who we are. As Standage says in the |
| only did beer nourish man's first | | | | introduction to his book "They survive in our |
| civilizations, but in many ways, made them | | | | homes today as living reminders of bygone |
| entirely possible.Wine, the next beverage in | | | | eras, fluid testaments to the forces that |
| the book, played a major role in the | | | | shaped the modern world. Uncover their |
| flourishing Greek and Roman cultures. As wine | | | | origins, and you may never look at your |
| did not originate from the Mediterranean, the | | | | favorite drink in quite the same way again." |
| Greek's desire for this drink opened up vast | | | | I highly recommend this book to anyone |
| seaborne trade, which spread their | | | | thirsty for knowledge about the world around |
| philosophy, politics, science and literature | | | | them... or even if they're just thirsty for a |
| far and wide, and still underpins modern | | | | good drink.Jeff Beck is an entrepreneur and |
| Western thought. A History of the World in 6 | | | | founder of several notable companies, |
| Glasses points out how these advancements | | | | including the Book Price Comparison website |
| originated and grew at formal Greek drinking | | | | As a student of the world around him, Jeff |
| parties, called symposia. The Romans, who | | | | seeks understanding through history and |
| absorbed much of Greek culture, continued the | | | | reasoning.Visit to read reviews, find similar |
| strong use of wine. As the book notes, if you | | | | titles, and search for the lowest possible |
| trace the wine drinking areas of the world on | | | | price for A History of the World in 6 Glasses |
| a map, you will find you have traced the | | | | and other great books. |
| Roman empire at its height.After a thousand | | | | |