The main characters of this history, non fiction story are. Salt was used as currency in ancient rome, and the roots of the words soldier and salary can be traced to latin words related to giving or receiving salt. The six leading salt producers in the world, australia, canada, china, germany, pakistan and the united states, account for more than half of the worldwide production the first table includes data by the british geological survey bgs for countries with available statistics. Ironically, however, in the last quarter of the 20 th century, salt itself was under fire, seen as a culprit that contributed to high blood pressure and the risk of. Salt was important in the development of human civilization, and for many years it was considered to be a precious material. Additionally, salt played a key role in the history of west africa, particularly during the great trading empire of mali th 16 th centuries and it. The history of the world according to salt is simple. Salt, also called sodium chloride, mineral substance of great importance to human and animal health, as well as to industry. The second table includes data by the united states. A world history by mark kurlansky 08027734, format.
Basically, this is all marketing, mark kurlansky, author of the book 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. The mineral form halite, or rock salt, is sometimes called common salt to distinguish it from a class of chemical compounds. Mark kurlansky this book takes a look at an ordinary substancesalt, the only rock humans eatand how it has. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 896 pages and is available in hardcover format. 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. From the earliest accounts to the fall of rome pdf epub book. 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. The fascinating early history of salt today i found out. When a publishing company agrees to produce an authors first book, it will often try to stake a. The most important element of the summit concerned the salt agreements. In his fifth work of nonfiction, mark kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history. Download salt a world history pdf pdf download link.
Sodium content can vary across the same types of foods by brand. Pdf salt a world history by mark kurlansky sania utama. 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. During the middle ages, salt was transported along roads built especially for that purpose. Delaware county district library ohio american libraries. As mark kurlansky so brilliantly relates here, salt has shaped civilisation. Salt is the history of the world told from the point of view of the only rock that we eat, which is salt. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
Author mark kurlansky has compiled a remarkable book in which he explores every aspect of the mineral. 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. Roman saltmaking entailed boiling the seawater in large leadlined pans. 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. Although i was history major, my attention was never drawn to the importance of salt on the everyday lives of the worlds inhabitants, until i read this book. Salt is present in vast quantities in seawater, where it is the main mineral constituent. Without it, civilizations would never have thrived and technology would be stuck in the stone age. But the large underground salt beds that are mined in many countries formed at sea level in a very different setting from todays world. In the intervening years, salt has played a pivotal role in the political economy of the world in a thousand different ways from starting wars to freeing people from colonial rule.
Mark kurlansky this book takes a look at an ordinary substancesalt, the only rock humans eatand how it. It can bubble to the surface as brine or crop out in the form of salt licks and shallow. Wars have been fought over salt and, while salt taxes secured empires across europe and asia, they have also inspired revolution. I had no idea that so much of what we consider important history was influenced by the universal need for salt or salted products.
A world history, told npr in 2010 when wendys made a big deal. The salt industry proudly boasts that its product has some 14,000 uses in hundreds of industries. Solnitsata, the earliest known town in europe, was built around a salt production facility. Indian history recalls the prominent role of salt including the great hedge and its role in the british salt starvation policy and mahatma gandhis resistance to british colonial rule. 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. Only about five percent of the worlds annual salt production ends up as seasoning at the dinner table. Salt is a mineral consisting primarily of sodium chloride nacl, a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts. The chloride comes from land volcanism in these places.
Sodium intakes around the world paul elliott and ian brown background document prepared for the forum and technical meeting on reducing salt intake in populations paris 57th october 2006 1. The authors state that, salt is a major drive to thirst. 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. From the bestselling author of cod and the basque history of the world. 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. Strategic arms limitation talks salt, negotiations between the u.
The book is divided into three parts and begins thousands of years in the past. 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. Salt built the great wall of china and helped turned new york into americas biggest city. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Although it is now known that the consumption of too much salt is dangerous for ones health, the story of europe would not be the same without salt production facilities and the vanity of those who owned them. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt. A world history can bring any time you are and not make your tote space or bookshelves grow to be full because you can have it inside your.
A world history summary march 28, 2019 may, 2019 jim farina self improvement 1sentencesummary. When the human menu shifted from saltrich game to cereals, more salt was needed to supplement the diet. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading salt.
The first agreements, known as salt i and salt ii, were signed by the u. Inside this book in his fifth work of nonfiction, mark kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history. As mark kurlansky so brilliantly relates here, salt has shaped civilisation from the beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of mankind. The first edition of the novel was published in march 17th 2007, and was written by susan wise bauer. The vast majority pours into chemical plants, where it leads the five major raw materials utilized by industry.
Only a small portion of sodium or salt is used in cooking or added at the table. Salt is veined with colorful characters, from li bing, the chinese bureaucrat who built the worlds first dam in. 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. A world history study guide mark kurlansky this study guide consists of approximately 27 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of 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. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 2002, and was written by mark kurlansky. Free download or read online the history of the ancient world.