A History of the World in 6 Glasses

Tom Standage

May 2009 · Bloomsbury Publishing USA

About this ebook

New York Times Bestseller * The inspiration for the TV series starring Dan Aykroyd

“There aren't many books this entertaining that also provide a cogent crash course in ancient, classical and modern history.” -Los Angeles Times

Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola: In Tom Standage's deft, innovative account of world history, these six beverages turn out to be much more than just ways to quench thirst. They also represent six eras that span the course of civilization-from the adoption of agriculture, to the birth of cities, to the advent of globalization. A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century through each epoch's signature refreshment. As Standage persuasively argues, each drink is in fact a kind of technology, advancing culture and catalyzing the intricate interplay of different societies. After reading this enlightening book, you may never look at your favorite drink in quite the same way again.

Ratings and reviews

This surprised me with how fundamental drinks have been to ancient and modern history. The author did a great job mixing authentic history with fun and interesting tidbits, and keeping a good pace, to keep this consistently interesting and fresh.

I was assigned to read this book as summer reading for AP World History, and it was very fascinating. It was way more interesting than I had originally excepted. A very good book, that was well written.

i had to read this book for AP world history, and i think its very BORING. I found myself skipping half the book because most of it is irrelevant, and random

About the author

Tom Standage is deputy editor of The Economist and author of six history books, including Writing on the Wall, The Victorian Internet, and the New York Times bestseller An Edible History of Humanity. He lives in London.