From the Bookshelf of Bound Together…

Salt: A World History

Mark Kurlansky

Start date: March 1, 2012

Finish date: March 31, 2012

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Jan 25, 2009 Chrissie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kirkus, history, science

I very much enjoyed this book on world history, roled like a ball of yarn around the role salt played in this history. I think that different readers will enjoy different aspects of the book. There is something for everyone. I particularly enjoyed the sections on Chinese ancient history, on French salt production on Noirmoutier and Ile de Ré and also the perspective of how French salt taxes (gabelle) influenced the French revolution. This was interesting becuase other books stress the role of th ...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Bucket rated it liked it

Shelves: history, non-fiction, reviewed, technology, economics, food, hella-sweet-book-club-read

This is an expansive world history through the lens of salt. It begins with ancient China and the process of evaporating seawater and brine for salt, and moves through ancient Rome, ancient Europe, a little bit of early Africa and North America, and then spends the majority of its pages in medieval and early modern times in Europe and Asia. There are also sections on how salt affected the American Revolution and Civil War, the French revolution, and Gandhi's work in India.

The book is sprinkled ...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Pat rated it it was amazing

I don't think I have read so many 5 star books in one month - what a joy! I will never forget this book with it's intriguing facts presented in such an interesting manner! Who would have "thunk" that crystals of salt would have influenced history soooooooooo much! Thank you Mark Kurlansky for making history so COOL! ...more

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