Book Review: A History of the World in 6 Glasses

Book Review: A History of the World in 6 Glasses

World History is a long and complex topic. Though many accomplished authors such as Bill Bryson and H. G. Wells have attempted to condense history into a single book- very few have succeeded. There Contd...

World History is a long and complex topic. Though many accomplished authors such as Bill Bryson and H. G. Wells have attempted to condense history into a single book- very few have succeeded. There is just too much of it. Attempts to boil down the last 10- 000 years have resulted in either superficial books with very little depth- or great textbook like tombs too inaccessible for the casual reader.

Happily- A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage succeeds where others have failed. Standage/' s book does this by sacrificing the breadth of every possible topic for an impressive depth and focus. Instead of trying to sum up the complete history of man- this book spotlights a single topic- in this case beverages- and then takes the reader on a journey through time to see how his topic interweaves the past. Standage is a delightful writer- mixing his light hearted style with exceptional historical savvy not just on the topic of drinks- but throughout.

Despite my now positive opinion of this book- I have to confess that when I first picked up A History of the World in 6 Glasses- I did not expect to enjoy it. Not only am I skeptical of any book claiming to sum up the antiquity of man in 300 pages or less- but I myself do not drink any of the 6 beverages this book discusses. As such- learning the history of these drinks did not sound immediately appealing. However- what I quickly learned is that this book is not a history of 6 drinks- but rather just as the title states- a history of the world- told through the story of 6 drinks. As the book points out in the introduction- second only to air- liquid is the most vital substance to man/' s survival. The availability of water and other drinking sources have "constrained and guided humankind/' s progress" and "have continued to shape human history". Throughout time- beverages have done more than quenched our thirst; they have been used as currencies- medicines- and in religious rites. They have served as symbols of wealth and power- as well as tools to appease the poor and downtrodden.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses is broken down into six sections- one for each drink- the first of which is beer. Man/' s first civilizations where founded on surplus cereal production- much of which was brewed. Ancient day beers were high in vitamin B- a vitamin previously only obtained through meat. This allowed the population to focus their nutrition efforts more and more on cereals- effectively ushering in the transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers. Additionally- because early beers were boiled (to convert more starch into sugars)- the beer was significantly safer to drink than water. This significant improvement in lifestyle "freed a small fraction of the population from the need to work in the fields- and made possible the emergence of specialist priest- administrators- scribes- and craftsmen." Not only did beer nourish man/' s first civilizations- but in many ways- made them entirely possible.

Wine- the next beverage in the book- played a major role in the flourishing Greek and Roman cultures. As wine did not originate from the Mediterranean- the Greek/' s desire for this drink opened up vast seaborne trade- which spread their philosophy- politics- science and literature far and wide- and still underpins modern Western thought. A History of the World in 6 Glasses points out how these advancements originated and grew at formal Greek drinking parties- called symposia. The Romans- who absorbed much of Greek culture- continued the strong use of wine. As the book notes- if you trace the wine drinking areas of the world on a map- you will find you have traced the Roman empire at its height.

After a thousand years of hibernation- Western civilization was awakened by the rediscovery of ancient knowledge- long safeguarded in the Arab world. However- in an attempt to circumvent this Arab monopoly- European monarchs launched massive fleets into the sea. This age of exploration was greatly enhanced by the Arab knowledge of distillation- which made a whole new range of drinks possible. A History of the World in 6 Glasses describes how these condensed forms of alcohol (namely Brandy- Whiskey and Rum) were so popular- especially in the new American colonies- that "they played a key role in the establishment of the United States."
The fourth beverage presented in this book is coffee. Because of its sharpening effect on the mind- coffee quickly became the drink of intellect and industry. Replacing taverns as the sophisticated meeting place- the coffeehouse "led to the establishment of scientific societies and financial institutions- the founding of newspapers- and provided fertile ground for revolutionary thought- particularly in France." A History of the World in 6 Glasses goes on to recount the intricate effect coffeehouses had on Victorian culture- going so far as to dedicate an entire chapter to what the book calls "The Coffeehouse Internet".

Even though the inception of tea date back many thousands of years- it didn/' t take hold upon western culture until the mid-seventeenth century. Once established as England/' s national drink- the importing of tea from first China and then India led to trade and industrialization on an unprecedented scale. A History of the World in 6 Glasses describes the immense power of the British East India Company- which "generated more revenue than the British government and ruled over far more people"- wielding more power than any other corporation in history. This imbalance of power had an enormous- far-reaching effect on British foreign policy- and ultimately contributed to the independence of the United States.
Like most of the drinks discussed in A History of the World in 6 Glasses- Coca-Cola was originally devised as a medical drink. More than any other product- Coca-Cola has stood as the symbol of America/' s "vibrant consumer capitalism". Rather than shrink at the challenge- Coca-Cola took full advantage of the challenging times it found itself in- gaining ground through the depression- and then traveling alongside our soldiers into WWII- becoming a global phenomenon. According to the book- Coca-Cola still accounts for "around 30 percent of all liquid consumption" today.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses makes it clear that the history of mankind is a history of our consumption. Whether we are drinking "liquid bread" in Mesopotamia- pondering revolution in a Coffeehouse in Paris- or throwing tea leafs into the ocean in Boston- these drinks have had a profound impact on who we are. As Standage says in the introduction to his book "They survive in our homes today as living reminders of bygone eras- fluid testaments to the forces that shaped the modern world. Uncover their origins- and you may never look at your favorite drink in quite the same way again." I highly recommend this book to anyone thirsty for knowledge about the world around them... or even if they/' re just thirsty for a good drink.

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