

Salt
Books | History / Civilization
4
(4.5K)
Mark Kurlansky
“Kurlansky finds the world in a grain of salt.” - New York Times Book ReviewAn unlikely world history from the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the WorldBest-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. 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.
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More Details:
Author
Mark Kurlansky
Pages
496
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2003-01-28
ISBN
0698139151 9780698139152
Community ReviewsSee all
"Sweeping history, centered around discoveries and uses of salt. Helps to appreciate what a significant role salt played in society and nations as a source of wealth, power and industry. The non-stop recitation of facts, figures, historical figures, place-names (now and then), and randomly, recipes made reading a bit of a tough slog, sometimes more of a textbook. "
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Jackie Davidson
"Started really interesting and then got hung up on salted fish and vegetables. I really wish I could give this a higher rating, but it lost my attention completely."
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Natalie Hightower
"I love non-fiction and the history of salt is fascinating."
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Donald McCarren
"Thanks! I like The Alchemist and The Kite Runner, looking forward to read more history books. "
R A
Rula Amer
"I did like it...though it was painfully slow to read. I learned a lot, though I'm not sure how much of it I'll actually retain."
A W
Amanda Wampler