4Real Forums: History of the World in Six Glasses

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login

Across Time and Place
4Real Forums : Across Time and Place

Topic: History of the World in Six Glasses

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

Victoria in AZ
Forum All-Star

Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 672

Posted: June 07 2005 at 7:21am \| IP Logged

new book by Tom Standage. Has anyone read this? Looks interesting. Could be a living book as the author appears passionate about his subject matter. Note the mention of "connections" in this from Amazon:

Standage starts with a bold hypothesis—that each epoch, from the Stone Age to the present, has had its signature beverage—and takes readers on an extraordinary trip through world history. The Economist's technology editor has the ability to connect the smallest detail to the big picture and a knack for summarizing vast concepts in a few sentences. He explains how, when humans shifted from hunting and gathering to farming, they saved surplus grain, which sometimes fermented into beer. The Greeks took grapes and made wine, later borrowed by the Romans and the Christians. Arabic scientists experimented with distillation and produced spirits, the ideal drink for long voyages of exploration. Coffee also spread quickly from Arabia to Europe, becoming the "intellectual counterpoint to the geographical expansion of the Age of Exploration." European coffee-houses, which functioned as "the Internet of the Age of Reason," facilitated scientific, financial and industrial cross-fertilization. In the British industrial revolution that followed, tea "was the lubricant that kept the factories running smoothly." Finally, the rise of American capitalism is mirrored in the history of Coca-Cola, which started as a more or less handmade medicinal drink but morphed into a mass-produced global commodity over the course of the 20th century. In and around these grand ideas, Standage tucks some wonderful tidbits—on the antibacterial qualities of tea, Mecca's coffee trials in 1511, Visigoth penalties for destroying vineyards—ending with a delightful appendix suggesting ways readers can sample ancient beverages.

History of the World in Six Glasses

__________________
Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug

Search for other posts by Victoria in AZ

TracyQ
Forum All-Star

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1323

Posted: June 24 2005 at 3:21pm \| IP Logged

Victoria,
This looks fascinating!!! Thank you! I put it on my wishlist at Amazon.com. Thanks again.
Tracy

__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),

homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY

LauraRB
Forum Rookie

Joined: June 15 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 11

Posted: June 27 2005 at 1:39pm \| IP Logged

This is interesting... I have heard rescently of a new book on the history of coffee--looks like it was quite underground stuff back in the day!

It is called: Uncommon Grounds : The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast.

__________________
God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
(1 John 4:16b)

JennGM
Forum Moderator

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702

Posted: June 27 2005 at 2:40pm \| IP Logged

Stondage's book sounds so fascinating...I'll have to find a copy to read. It intrigues me in particular because I was thinking of how you could look at the spread of Christianity through the history of wine and beer..

__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to

& ds1

'03 & ds2

'07
Family in Feast and Feria

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

[Add this topic to My Favorites]

Printable version

Forum Jump

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com