Jonathan's review
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
by Tom Standage
Jonathan's review
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
Jonathan's review
rating:
6 Glasses zeroes in on six liquids--from beer in ancient Mesopotamia to wine and spirits to coffee and tea and finally to cola and the globalization of brands such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola--and targets each as being responsible (or at least culpable) for the shaping of cultures (quite likely), writing itself (quite possible), and industrialization (believable, especially in light of Coke).
Each of the libations receives its proper dues. The organization of the book itself is very well done, and the anecdotes and histories of each are engaging.
The sad irony about 6 Glasses--and it's a rather important one--is that, for all its talk, the book is remarkably dry. Sure, Standage gets wittier than in the opening section on beer, and notably in the chapters on wine and cola, which seem his obvious liquids of choice, but this reader's reserves were nearly sapped after finishing the pages about beer.
He does a bang-up job with his research and presentation in some parts of this book, fr...more
Each of the libations receives its proper dues. The organization of the book itself is very well done, and the anecdotes and histories of each are engaging.
The sad irony about 6 Glasses--and it's a rather important one--is that, for all its talk, the book is remarkably dry. Sure, Standage gets wittier than in the opening section on beer, and notably in the chapters on wine and cola, which seem his obvious liquids of choice, but this reader's reserves were nearly sapped after finishing the pages about beer.
He does a bang-up job with his research and presentation in some parts of this book, fr...more
