Mark kurlansky, the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the world, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history. Mark kurlansky this book takes a look at an ordinary substancesalt, the only rock humans eatand how it. An unlikely world history from the bestselling author of cod and the basque history. The book is a natural outgrowth of kurlanskys previous exhaustive study of cod, which of course was preserved with salt and also affected world. Jul 05, 2010 however, as mark kurlansky so brilliantly relates in his world encompassing new book, salt the only rock we eathas shaped civilization from the very beginning. Liverpool rose from just a small english port to become the prime exporting port for the salt dug in the great cheshire salt mines and thus became the entrepot for much of the worlds salt in the 19th century. Kurlansky traces the history of salts influences from prehistoric china and ancient africa in egypt they made mummies using salt to europe in 12thcentury provence, france, salt merchants built a system of solar evaporation ponds and the americas, through chapters with intriguing titles like a discourse on salt, cadavers and pungent sauces. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured. A world history summary march 28, 2019 may, 2019 jim farina self improvement 1sentencesummary. A world history written by mark kurlansky in 2002 is his fifth work of nonfiction. Homer called salt a divine substance, while plato described it as especially dear to the gods.
Only kurlansky, winner of the james beard award for excellence in food writing for cod. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. From the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the worldin. The fascinating early history of salt january, 2014 melissa 2 comments there are a lot of different salts like potassium nitrate for gunpowder and sodium bicarbonate for baking but only one that truly meets our dietary needs and satisfies our craving for that salty taste sodium chloride nacl.
Professional personal statement proofreading sites for masters for salt a world history book report. 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. Although i was history major, my attention was never drawn to the importance of salt on the everyday lives of the world s inhabitants, until i read this book. The author never treats you like an idiot and the story moves along through to recent times. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 2002, and was written by mark kurlansky. History of salt warfare the effects of salt deficiency are highlighted in times of war, when human bodies and national economies are strained to their limits.
Author mark kurlansky has compiled a remarkable book in which he. Kurlansky wrote a lengthy account of salt and how it has affected world history. Feb 24, 2002 the book is a natural outgrowth of kurlanskys previous exhaustive study of cod, which of course was preserved with salt and also affected world history. Kurlansky takes the reader for a trip around the world to places like china, england, india the middle east, and all over europe to show how salt was found, made, used and valued.
Mark kurlansky is the author of many books including cod, the basque history of the world, 1968, and the big oyster. So much of our human body is made up of salt that wed be dead without it. A world history is veined with colorful characters, from li bing, the chinese bureaucrat who built the worlds first dam in 250 bc, to pattillo higgins and anthony lucas who, ignoring the advice of geologists, drilled an east texas salt dome in 1901 and discovered an oil reserve so large it gave birth to the age of petroleum. When a publishing company agrees to produce an authors first book.
In his fifth work of nonfiction, mark kurlansky turns his consideration to a normal family merchandise with a long and intriguing historic previous. Salt, salt, salt industry and trade, large type books publisher waterville, me. I had no idea that so much of what we consider important history was influenced by the universal need for salt or salted products. The one rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, sometimes surprising part of the historic previous of humankind. A art play, hear, write, read shoot, watch, produce, show b avenue appreciate, buy, create, view c lead, conduct, join, hear d music go on, take to, leave, appear on the other hand, was bored out of africa was story. Well written book about the history of salt and its contribution to the world. A world history by mark kurlansky 591 words bartleby. Appreciating and protecting the tidal marshes of the southeastern atlantic coast wormsloe foundation nature book ser. Kurlansky blends political, commercial, scientific, religious and culinary records into this history of the substance which he claims shaped civilization from the beginning.
Ancient history encyclopedia receives a small commission for each book sold through our affiliate partners. A world history, author mark kurlansky delves into the history of salt, as well as its impact on empires, wars, and economies, in a text that is lively, comprehensive, and surprising. But for most of mankinds history, salt cultivation and transport was a massive enterprise across every civilization. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 484 pages and is available in paperback format. A world history unabridged audiobook, by mark kurlansky.
The fine balance of nature, the trade of salt as a currency of many nations and empires, the theme of a popular shakespearean play. A world history explores how the everyday mineral we know as table salt has shaped human civilization through the centuries, causing wars and the rise and fall of empires. Recommended by numerous educational institutions recommend us, including oxford university, michigan state university, and university of minnesota. The fascinating early history of salt today i found out. Located in presentday bulgaria, the town is thought by archaeologists to have accumulated wealth by supplying salt throughout the balkans salt was of high value to the jews, greeks, tamils, chinese, hittites and other peoples of antiquity. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from. When a publishing company agrees to produce an authors first book, it will often try to stake a claim to his or her second. Salt has played a prominent role in determining the power and location of the worlds great cities. Obviously there is no single book that captures or can capture the story of the entire world in a comprehensive manner, forget the interesting part. A biography of the fish that changed the world 1997, was an international bestseller and was translated into more than 15 languages. In this multilayered masterpiece, kurlansky explains how salt provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions. The book is divided into three parts and begins thousands of years in the past.
Today we take salt for granted, a common, inexpensive substance that seasons food or clears ice from roads, a word used casually in expressions salt of the earth, take it with a grain of salt without appreciating their deeper meaning. One might never have thought that a history of salt could fill 484 pages, yet kurlansky shared how early civilizations used salt as a way of survival by preserving food with it. Mark kurlansky, the author of this book, earned a ba in theater from butler university in 1970. Salt is veined with colorful characters, from li bing, the chinese bureaucrat who built the worlds first dam in. The first several chapters in the first section of the book deal with the procurement and use of salt in the. Salt has been a symbol of preservation, power, oppression, health and wealth. From the awardwinning and bestselling author of cod comes the dramatic, human story of a simple substance, an element almost as vital as water, that has created fortunes, provoked revolutions, directed economies and enlivened our recipes. When a publishing company agrees to produce an authors first book, it will often try to stake a.
Salt a world history book report with sample of character. From the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the world in his fifth work of nonfiction, mark kurlansky turns his attention to a common household. Just be warned the book has little internal flow, and if you want the history and details, youre going to have to research further yourself. A world history by mark kurlansky 08027734, format. Solnitsata, the earliest known town in europe, was built around a salt production facility. Populated by colorful characters and filled with an unending series of fascinating details, salt by mark kurlansky is a supremely entertaining, multilayered masterpiece. What are some good books on world history that are. Writers have tried to approach the history of seven billion of us living on the blue dot in multip. A world history, youll no doubt respond to please pass the salt with a new measure of respect for the substance, since every one of us would perish without it. An unlikely world history from the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the worldin his fifth work of nonfiction, mark kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history. From the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the world. A world history and millions of other books are available for instant access. Just as significantly, salt has shaped the history of foods like cheese, sauerkraut, olives, and more, and kurlansky, an awardwinning food writer, conveys how they have in turn molded civilization and eating habits the world over. Shows the history of mans migration and civilization in a new and fascinating light.
By purchasing books through this website, you support our nonprofit organization. Mark kurlansky is the new york times bestselling author of many books. Mar 12, 2020 mark kurlansky, the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the world, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history. Tonnes of interesting information, snippets from old recipe books and i mean old and a few pictures dotted in. If youre looking for a free download links of salt. Its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of mankind. A world history ebook 97806989152 by mark kurlansky.
The salt industry proudly boasts that its product has some 14,000 uses in hundreds of industries. The book includes everything from the manufacture, trade, geopolitics, socioeconomic, revolutions, wars, science, cultural and culinary impact of salt in asia, europe, north america. However, as mark kurlansky so brilliantly relates in his worldencompassing new book, saltthe only rock we eathas shaped civilization from the very beginning. However, as mark kurlansky so brilliantly relates in his world encompassing new book, saltthe only rock we eathas shaped civilization from. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading salt. Delaware county district library ohio american libraries. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Today we take salt for granted, a common, inexpensive substance continue reading. This novel explains the importance of salt, a mineral our bodies need, but cannot create. A biography of the fish that changed the world, could woo readers. Mark kurlansky december 7, 1948 is an american journalist and writer of general interest nonfiction. He has written a number of books of fiction and nonfiction. The book is part cookbook, trivia, history on one topic salt.
Mark kurlansky this book takes a look at an ordinary substancesalt, the only rock humans eatand how it has shaped civilization from the very beginning. An unlikely world history from the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the world in his fifth work of nonfiction, mark kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history. A world history by mark kurlansky, paperback barnes. Salt is the history of the world told from the point of view of the only rock that we eat, which is salt. A world history by mark kurlansky reading guidebook.
A world history from the worlds largest community of readers. However, as mark kurlansky so brilliantly relates in his world encompassing new book, salt the only rock we eat has shaped civilization from. He has worked as a playwright at brooklyn college, a commercial fisherman, a dock worker, a paralegal, a cook. However, as mark kurlansky so brilliantly relates in his world encompassing new book, salt the only rock we eathas shaped civilization from the very beginning. The scope of this book is epic in that it starts at the beginning of recorded world history and ends at roughly present day times. The finding, producing, use, transporting, taxing and wars over salt. The book jacket identifies the book with the tagline. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. This is an interesting world history from the perspective of salt. Salt is best selling author mark kurlanskys story of the only rock we eat. The bestselling author of cod and the basque history turns his attention to salt, a common household item with a long and intriguing history. Thousands of napoleons troops died during the french retreat from moscow due to inadequate wound healing and lowered resistance to diseasethe results of salt deficiency.
Salt is best selling author mark kurlanskys story of the only. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This is a fascinating, illuminating read, very well written and generously illustrated. Salt is a good book to read in bits and pieces the chapters are fairly selfcontained, between other things, or as a leavening of nonfiction when you dont feel like continuing the novel youre working on. Author mark kurlansky has compiled a remarkable book in which he explores. Publication date 2002 topics salt, salt, salt industry and trade, large type books publisher waterville, me. The main characters of this history, non fiction story are. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app.
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