A history of the world in 6 glasses summary
A History of the World in 6 Glasses Summary & Study Guide
“A History of the World in Six Glasses” by Tom Standage is a non-fiction work that traces the history of the six most important drinks that mankind discovered, developed and enjoyed throughout known history. These drinks often came at pivotal times in history or heralded in new eras and became symbols of the times or beliefs and emotions of the nations that they impacted.
Fifty-thousand years ago, hunter/gatherers lived nomadic lifestyles migrating to locations where they could hunt their prey and gather their fruit and nuts. A shift occurred about 12,000 years ago toward farming. Why this change occurred is not clear but it caused the tribes to forsake their nomadic lifestyles in favor of a settled and stationary existence. Once they stayed in one place, they discovered some unusual qualities about the grains they grew. Grains became sweet when soaked in water and when left exposed, they developed a fizzy, intoxicating quality. The farmers developed a pleasing liquid from their grains that they added to their soups and stews. Over time, the farmers drank the liquid instead of adding it to their soup. They had developed
A History of the World in 6 Glasses Summary
7 min read ⌚
How Your Favorite Drinks Changed the World
Whether you’re drinking wine or beer, or prefer non-alcoholic beverages such as coffee and Coca-Cola, chances are you’ve never spent even a minute to reflect on how they got to your table. Tom Standage has spent few years of his life.
His conclusions?
That, in fact, you can tell the history of our world by telling the history of six of our favorite drinks. In this manner, “A History of the World in 6 Glasses” is a unique book. It doesn’t really talk about wars and revolutions – and yet, it talks about changes.
Drinks caused important global events. Did you know that? Would you want to learn it?
Learn it with us – in about a thousand words!
Who Should Read “A History of the World in 6 Glasses”? And Why?
There are three answers to these questions.
The first one is a bit obvious. If you are a beer enthusiast, a wine connoisseur, coffee addict, tea fanatic, spirits fan, or a Coca-Cola lover – you’ll certainly want to read this book. Or at least two chapters of it, concerning the beverage of your choice.
The second answer is less apparent but as spot on: historian
A History of the World in 6 Glasses.
Klawchat at 1 pm ET today.
Tom Standage’s
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
gives a light, high-level history of six beverages that all had an impact on human history or development. I’m a big fan of four of them – beer, distilled spirits, coffee, and tea – and won’t turn down the fifth, wine. Only the last of the six Standage covers, Coca-Cola, seems out of place, both based on my personal tastes (I’ll only drink it if I have a headache and can’t have more coffee) and on its status as a thoroughly artifical beverage protected by trade secrets.
Standage has to stretch on occasion to make some of his historical connections, but in general he’s treading on safe ground, especially with beer and liquor, because their development or discovery had substantial economic impacts on the societies that consumed them. Beer was originally both a natural byproduct of grain storage and a safer alternative to water in an era when bacterial contamination was not understood; liquor, notably rum, drove international trade routes, agricultural production in the Caribbean and Latin America, and the slave trade with nativ
1. Beverages as catalysts of human civilization and cultural development
There is no history of mankind, there are only many histories of all kinds of aspects of human life.
Drinks shape history.
Throughout human history, beverages have played a crucial role in shaping societies, economies, and cultures. They have influenced everything from agriculture and trade to religion and politics. The story of human civilization can be told through the lens of six key beverages:
Beer: Enabled the transition from nomadic to settled life
Wine: Symbolized sophistication and social stratification
Spirits: Fueled exploration, colonization, and the slave trade
Coffee: Stimulated the Age of Reason and scientific revolution
Tea: Powered the British Empire and global trade
Coca-Cola: Embodied American values and globalization
These drinks have been more than just refreshments; they have been catalysts for social change, technological innovation, and cultural exchange. By examining their history, we can gain insights into the development of human societies and the forces that have shaped our world.
2. Beer: The drink that enabled the transition from nomadic to settled life
Better