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Salt: A World History

by Mark Kurlansky

Salt: A World History Cover

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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: 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. 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, Kurlansky's kaleidoscopic history is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.

Review:

"Kurlansky continues to prove himself remarkably adept at taking a most unlikely candidate and telling its tale with epic grandeur." Los Angeles Times Book Review

Review:

"Throughout his engaging, well-researched history, Kurlansky sprinkles witty asides and amusing anecdotes. A piquant blend of the historic, political, commercial, scientific and culinary, the book is sure to entertain as well as educate." Publishers Weekly

Review:

"Kurlansky thinks big....This is the big story Kurlansky unfolds in chapters that proceed from time immemorial to the present and cover such specific topics as 'Salt's Salad Days' in ancient Rome....Tasty, very tasty!" Ray Olson, Booklist (Starred Review)

Review:

"Kurlansky exhaustively documents every salt-related twist and turn of world history, but that becomes problematic....History's cyclical repetitions can be worth investigating, but much of Salt's timeline-marking activity could have been collapsed into one lengthy chapter and spiked with more analysis." Noel Murray, The Onion A.V. Club

Review:

"[A] remarkable book....While homemakers and master chefs alike should enjoy this book, it's also likely to consume the interest of those who survive on TV dinners." Alan Prince, BookPage

Book News Annotation:

Kurlansky combines thorough research with an engaging writing style to make this a readable and fascinating history. This is a handy paperback reprint of the first edition, which was published by Walker & Co. in 2002.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Synopsis:

The bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History turns his attention to salt, a common household item with a long and intriguing history. In this multilayered masterpiece, Kurlansky explains how salt provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions.

Synopsis:

Includes bibliographical references (p. 453-465) and index.
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About the Author

Mark Kurlansky is the author of Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World and The Basque History of the World. Cod received a James Beard Award for Excellence in Food Writing and was a New York Times bestseller.
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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION The Rock 1
PART ONE A Discourse on Salt, Cadavers, and Pungent Sources
CHAPTER ONE A Mandate of Salt 17
CHAPTER TWO Fish, Fowl, and Pharoahs 36
CHAPTER THREE Saltmen Hard as Codfish 52
CHAPTER FOUR Salt's Salad Days 61
CHAPTER FIVE Salting It Away in the Adriatic 80
CHAPTER SIX Two Ports and the Prosciutto in Between 91
PART TWO The Glow of Herring and the Scent of Conquest
CHAPTER SEVEN Friday's Salt 109
CHAPTER EIGHT A Nordic Dream 129
CHAPTER NINE A Well-Salted Hexagon 144
CHAPTER TEN The Hapsburg Pickle 162
CHAPTER ELEVEN The Leaving of Liverpool 179
CHAPTER TWELVE American Salt Wars 200
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Salt and Independence 214
CHAPTER FOURTEEN Liberté, Egalité, Tax Breaks 225
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Preserving Independence 238
CHAPTER SIXTEEN The War Between the Salts 257
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Red Salt 276
PART THREE Sodium's Perfect Marriage
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN The Odium of Sodium 291
CHAPTER NINETEEN The Mythology of Geology 303
CHAPTER TWENTY The Soil Never Sets On 318
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Salt and the Great Soul 333
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Not Looking Back 355
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE The Last Salt Days of Zigong 369
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Ma, La, and Mao 388
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE More Salt than Fish 399
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX Big Salt, Little Salt 426
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 451
BIBLIOGRAPHY 453
INDEX 467
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Elisabeth Gleckler, January 4, 2012 (view all comments by Elisabeth Gleckler)
Terrific book. This is how history should be taught to kids. Take a common element and trace it back to understand our connection with the past.
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Erin Kendrick, January 7, 2011 (view all comments by Erin Kendrick)
It's about salt. It's long. It is packed with dorky history tidbits, which was the best part. Much of the time it seemed to get off track (of the main subject of salt) and go off on tangents, that sometimes were interesting in and of themselves, but left the book feeling disjointed and random. Did you know that salt played a role in the work of Gandhi? This history lesson was one of the most enjoyable parts of the book. Keep in mind, I am not a history buff (at all) but have come to appreciate learning about it.
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Alethea, November 9, 2008 (view all comments by Alethea)
While at times this read almost like a recitation of facts about salt, in other parts of the book it was a fascinating look at how things as simple as salt make the world go 'round.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780142001615
Subtitle:
A World History
Author:
Kurlansky, Mark
Publisher:
Penguin (Non-Classics)
Location:
New York
Subject:
General
Subject:
History
Subject:
Rocks & Minerals
Subject:
Salt industry and trade
Subject:
Salt
Subject:
World - General
Subject:
Civilization
Subject:
Salt -- History.
Subject:
World History-General
Copyright:
2003
Edition Number:
1st paperback ed.
Edition Description:
Mass Market
Series Volume:
131-02
Publication Date:
January 28, 2003
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
from 12
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
498
Dimensions:
7.72x5.06x.95 in. .75 lbs.
Age Level:
from 18
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Related Aisles

Salt: A World History New Trade Paper
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$17.00 In Stock
Product details 498 pages Penguin Books - English 9780142001615 Reviews:
"Review" by , "Kurlansky continues to prove himself remarkably adept at taking a most unlikely candidate and telling its tale with epic grandeur."
"Review" by , "Throughout his engaging, well-researched history, Kurlansky sprinkles witty asides and amusing anecdotes. A piquant blend of the historic, political, commercial, scientific and culinary, the book is sure to entertain as well as educate."
"Review" by , "Kurlansky thinks big....This is the big story Kurlansky unfolds in chapters that proceed from time immemorial to the present and cover such specific topics as 'Salt's Salad Days' in ancient Rome....Tasty, very tasty!"
"Review" by , "Kurlansky exhaustively documents every salt-related twist and turn of world history, but that becomes problematic....History's cyclical repetitions can be worth investigating, but much of Salt's timeline-marking activity could have been collapsed into one lengthy chapter and spiked with more analysis."
"Review" by , "[A] remarkable book....While homemakers and master chefs alike should enjoy this book, it's also likely to consume the interest of those who survive on TV dinners."
"Synopsis" by , The bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History turns his attention to salt, a common household item with a long and intriguing history. In this multilayered masterpiece, Kurlansky explains how salt provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions.

"Synopsis" by , Includes bibliographical references (p. 453-465) and index.
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