Description: Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions. Populated by colorful characters and filled with an unending series of fascinating details, Kurlansky's kaleidoscopic history is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.
Review Summary: A superb history of an essential commodity
Date: 2009-01-05
Details: Salt comes from the only family of rocks eaten by humans. Chloride is essentisal for digestion and respiration. Sodium, which the body, we learn, cannot manufacture, is necessary for the body to to transport nutrients and move muscles, such as the heart.
Mark Kurlansky has written the definitive history of salt, laden with recipes, many of which are repulsive to the modern American taste, but were once a staple part of the diet.
Salt is essential to human and animal life. Wrs hsve been fought over salt and the loss of the British Empire began with a protest over the tax on salt.
That Kurlansky can make the history of what is now a common commodity fascinating over 452 pages is a credit to his skill. Every page brings to light new facts for the reader and where discovery lacks, Kurlansky plunks in a recipe. Overall, "Salt: A World History" should be required reading for American public school teachers so they emight be able to grasp both the beauty and importance of a knowledge of history - and then be given to their students to read and study instead of pap about "self-esteem" and "diversity".
Salt is the world and Kurlansky looks into almost every culture and the nations they gave birth to for his history. It is truly and amazing work and even those with little interest in history would benefit from reading it.
"Salt: A World History" so intrigued me in Kurlansky's skills that I now intend to read his history about cod, the fish that changed the world.
Jerry
Review Summary: Salt
Date: 2008-12-20
Details: A very interesting and in depth review of the "World of Salt" as only Mark Kurlansky can depict.....
Review Summary: Good Read
Date: 2008-12-02
Details: A fascinating book that's a quick read. Some of the historical assertions seem a bit of a stretch to me,(the American and French Revolutions fought over salt?)but I'm not an historian, and the book makes good arguments for its case. I have totally enjoyed it and have bought 2 more copies for gifts to foodie friends.
Review Summary: Pleasurable read about historys most important mineral
Date: 2008-12-01
Details: I am a geologist and this book was a great pleasure to read. Salt aka Halite is a important mineral to a geologist. This was a fun book to see how important is is to history.
Review Summary: Ok...It was just Ok
Date: 2008-10-13
Details: I purchsed this book used, and that's just what I got: a used book. Some of the pages were bent and the cover a little worn, but other than that it was ok. It looked as if it had been read more than once. But that's what I ordered...so it was ok.
out of 109 Reviews
