Salt
A World History
Penguin Publishing Group · Print & ebook · January 28, 2003
“Kurlansky finds the world in a grain of salt.” - New York Times Book Review An unlikely world history from the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World Best-selling author Mark Kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt.
We earn from qualifying purchases.
- Who it’s for
- Follow salt from everyday staple to force shaping trade, cities, and empires.
- Themes
- Salt in human history, Trade routes and cities, Wars, empires, and revolutions
- Genres
- World History, Food Through History, Social History
Nearest books
Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved.
A History of the World in 6 GlassesTom Standage51% matchShares World History and Social History
How the Scots Invented the Modern WorldArthur Herman46% match
Uncommon GroundsMark Pendergrast46% matchShares World History
Peter the GreatRobert K. Massie45% match
PaperMark Kurlansky58% matchShares World History
BananaDan Koeppel51% match
A History of the JewsPaul Johnson51% match
For younger readers: Big Lies, Sugar Changed the World, How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?
Start with three books, and this one can be the first.
Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.
Start with this bookAbout this book
“Kurlansky finds the world in a grain of salt.” - New York Times Book Review An unlikely world history from the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World Best-selling author Mark Kurlansky 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.
Continue reading
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, Salt is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.
Small Thing, Vast History
Follow salt from everyday staple to force shaping trade, cities, and empires.
Come here for
- A household ingredient with outsized historical influence
- The surprising links between food, commerce, and power
Expect
- A many-layered sweep through salt’s cultural and political reach
- Colorful characters and a wealth of fascinating details
Where it sits
| World History | 41% |
|---|---|
| Food Through History | 34% |
| Social History | 26% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Food Through History
- Civilizations
- Mineralogy
- Authors
- Mark Kurlansky
- Publisher
- Penguin Publishing Group
- Published
- January 28, 2003
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Salt in human history · Trade routes and cities · Wars, empires, and revolutions
- Reading lane
- Food Through History