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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
0
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.