A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage is, to say the least, a very well thought-out and clever book. This itself is evident before you even open the book; on the cover, the title of the book has the word “the” replaced with a picture of the beverage tea. The ideas of this book are articulated excellently. Standage is straightforward and direct with each section of his text. It was a captivating read, and I often found myself struggling to put it down. The information is something that most people don’t even consider when looking at humanity’s progress over time. As Standage says, history can be divided into what material was being used at the time, and the same can be said for beverages, though usually never is. I really respect his dedication to informing the masses of how vital the beverages people have drunk since the origins of civilization have always played a huge part in everyday life. The Mesopotamians used beer for anything they could think of. From medicine to currency, a part of their diet or just something to indulge in, they used it. I appreciate the author giving context regarding the time period and the society, and not just the beverage. Reading the book really makes me feel as if I’m being taught the information from someone well-versed in the subject, instead of simply reading words off the page. This book is simply a wonderful read for anyone who is looking for a unique take on the history of humankind.
To me, this book is an enigma. It takes something huge and hard to grasp, the entire timeline of humanity, and turns it into something coherent and captivating, just by using a different approach to the topic. I am very glad this book exists. The beverages written about in this book from millennia ago are still enjoyed similarly today. The section on coffee was particularly relatable to me. People in the Age of Discovery used coffee to clear their minds and become more efficient thinkers and workers. This hits particularly close to home, due to me currently writing this paper while sipping on a glass of iced coffee. I suppose it would be fitting to say that Starbucks are somewhat of the modern-day equivalent to the coffee houses of the Age of Discovery. People sitting around, writing, talking, discussing. These similarities only go to show how beverages are a timeless staple of every culture.
I appreciate Standage’s willingness to discuss topics seen as more controversial, such as the early European settlers to North America giving hard liquor to the Native Americans in order to make them easier to dominate. A different author might have been more hesitant to boldly cover topics such as those, but not Standage. He set out to portray the history of mankind to the best of his ability, and portray he did, warts and all. He also is not hesitant to cover the topic of
British imperialism and greed regarding China. The British’s devious way to get China addicted to opium has always been interesting to me, but I oddly did not know why until reading this book. Britain was so greedy for tea that they managed to get nearly all of China and its government addicted to opium in order to trade it to them for tea. And as I am sitting here, sipping from a mug of green tea with honey straight from the Keurig, I can say that I see the passion that the Brits had for a cup of tea.
Coca-Cola might be the most American drink in existence. Since its inception in 1892, it has been purely American. While originally created as a medicine, it became very successful when the medicinal branding was removed, and it was marketed solely as a delicious beverage. By reading this book, I learned that Pepsi is the communist’s drink, seeing as they tried, and failed, to become the Soviet version of Coca-Cola. While their plan seemed perfect on paper, it failed in the end, much like communism. While Coca-Cola may not be very good for your physical health, it can apparently give a big boost to mental and emotional health. After the Great Depression and World War Two, every United States troop overseas received a morale boost in the form of a bottle of Coca-Cola. Coke really was the defining beverage of the 20th century, and still continues to be today.
All in all, this book is an amazing read. The telling of history which may have come off boring if coming from another source, is enthralling when presented by Tom Standage. The man has a seemingly unnatural ability to leave you hanging onto every word. A History of the World in 6 Glasses is a must read for anyone who wishes for a surprising and refreshing take on history.