A History of the World in 6 Glasses
"A History of the World in 6 Glasses" by Tom Standage was a fun read. In it the history and influence of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola are dissected. The author makes convincing claims that each beverage played a key role in lubricating change in the human condition. While episodes like the Boston Tea Party have obvious ties others like the role of beer in building the pyramids or rum and the mixed in lime juice leading to the rise of the British navy maybe less well known. While the book at times doesn't make it clear what are the author's extrapolations versus researched material the text is well written and easy to read.