A History of the World in 6 Glasses
by Tom Standage

Throughout human history, certain drinks have done much more than just quench thirst–A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the 21st century through the lens of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola. Beer was first made in the Fertile Crescent and by 3000 B.C.E. was so important to Mesopotamia that it was used to pay wages. In ancient Greece wine became the main export of her vast seaborne trade, helping spread Greek culture abroad Although coffee originated in the Arab world, it stoked revolutionary thought in Europe during the Age of Reason, when coffeehouses became centers of intellectual exchange. For author Tom Standage, each drink is a kind of technology, a catalyst for advancing culture. You may never look at your favorite drink the same way again.