A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage - Book Report/Review Example

 A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage Book review: “History of the world” is in general a very complicated topic and requires extremely comprehensive discussion of the events and times that make part of it, whenever it has to be complied in the form of a book. Many authors in the past have made an attempt to write a book on the subject of history, though not many have been able to do complete justice with the very subject. The books have either been very superficial with a focus on only some obvious events in the history, or else, too technical and complex for an ordinary reader to conceive. However, “A History of the World in 6 Glasses” written by “Tom Standage” is different! Being aware of the fact that history is a subject too vast to be condensed into a book, Standage wisely never tried to recapitulate complete history of the man. Instead, Standage has designed the journey through time with focus on six beverages that come from different ages, cultures and origins and have affected the societies in different ways. This book is an excellent piece of art. Standage has articulated the lackluster subject of history through something as delightful as drinks. My expectations from the book were not as positive when I had first picked it up as my opinion about it is now that I have read the book. This was so because of the fact that not many books on history, I had read before this had adequately added to my knowledge about this subject and also, I had never took drinks as common as tea and coffee, what to talk of wine, beer or alcohol! I thought the book would explain the history of the six beverages which I was not very interested in knowing. However, I wanted to know how could someone claim to have explained the “world’s history” through “six glasses”, so I bought the book. I must say, the dramatic title has a big role in the overall sale of this book! It is indeed, a book of world history explained through six beverages. In the very start of the book, Standage emphasizes the importance of liquid in the survival of mankind. He asserts that drinks have done much more than merely quenching thirst. Drinks serve as medicines, symbolize power and wealth and pacify the poor and socially excluded people. In accordance with the name of the book, it is divided into six sections, each dedicated to one of the six drinks (Beck). Of the six drinks, beer is the first that Standage refers to. Many early civilizations produced many kinds of cereals and developed them into beer. The beer used to be rich in Vitamin B that was formerly drawn through meat only. Because of its immense nutritional value, earlier civilizations cultivated more and more crops for cereals. Thus many skilled hunters turned into potential farmers. Also, the beer was boiled sufficiently so as to transform much of the starch into sugars. This made it safer to be consumed as compared to water. This improved the lifestyle of people in general as a result of which, many people abandoned farming and became craftsmen, administrators and priests etc. Wine is the second of the six drinks discussed in the book, which greatly flourished the Roman and Greek culture. Because of its huge popularity among the Greeks, it was traded through the seas. Along with wine spread the Greek culture, literature and philosophy which formed the basis of the Western thought today. The drinking parties organized by the Greeks, known as “symposia” served as a fundamental source of spread of Greek culture. Romans followed the Greeks in the same footsteps and ingrained wine into their culture. Standage conveys a very interesting information here saying that almost all of the areas rich in wine drinkers on the today’s world map used to be in the Roman empire in the past. About thousand years later, the Western civilization gained strength as ancient knowledge cultivated by the Arabs unearthed. The European monarchs instigated control over the seas so as to weaken the control of the Arabs. The knowledge about distillation retrieved from the Arabs enabled the Europeans to produce a unique range of new drinks. This was the time when Rum, Whiskey and Brandy surfaced and laid the foundations for the development of the United States of America (USA). Coffee happens to be the fourth drink. It was largely accepted as an intellect sharpener. It was the most suitable drink to be offered in sophisticated gatherings. The coffeehouse paved way for the emergence of many financial organizations, newspapers and scientific societies. Coffee played a big role in the inculcation of revolutionary thought in the French. Also, coffee made a fundamental part of the Victorian culture. In order to explain the importance of coffee in the Victorian culture, (Standage) dedicated a whole chapter i.e. “The Coffeehouse Internet” to it. Tea, the fifth beverage was already known in the world for quite a while when in the middle of the 17th century, the Western culture recognized it. Soon as it became the national drink of England, it paved way for the trade between China, India and Europe. The British East India Company made far more income as compared to the British government and hence, had more people under its influence. No corporation in the world’s history matched it in power. The power imbalance greatly affected the British foreign policy as a result of which, US gained independence. No discussion of drinks is complete without the mention of Coca-Cola, that is the sixth drink of “A History of the World in 6 Glasses”. It was originally introduced into the society as a drink of huge medical significance. It was symbolized as the America’s “vibrant consumer capitalism” (Standage). The drink gained even more popularity as tension in the times up surged as soldiers took it with them in the World War II. It was then that it became global. As per the estimation of (Standage), 30 per cent of the liquid consumed in the contemporary world is Coca-Cola. Its popularity among masses can be estimated from this fact. When considered from the perspective of “A History of the World in 6 Glasses”, the world’s history is indeed, the history of mankind’s consumption of drinks. It does sound strange but it is a fact that the six drinks named by Standage in his book have a big role in making the world look as it does today. About these drinks, it is rightly stated in the book that, “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” (Standage). The book is highly knowledgeable and suitable for knowledge thirsty readers. Having read a large number of books on the subject of history, I find this book the best of all so far. Therefore, I recommend it to those who want a concise description of the world’s history. It is indeed, a very suitable choice for the History classes in schools, and addresses the concerns of both adolescents and adults equally. The selection of words is quite appropriate for all types of readers, and the chapters are well structured and linked with one another. The best idea is to read the book when thirsty! It is as enjoyable and pleasing as any of the sic beverages named in it. Works cited: Beck, Jeff. “Book Review: A History of the World in 6 Glasses.” 2011. Web. 21 Jan. 2011. . Standage, Tom. A History of the World in 6 Glasses. Doubleday Canada. 2005. Read More