Salt: A World History

Salt seems like such a humble thing these days, but this interesting book sheds light on the history of one of the world's most important minerals. Empires were built around sources of salt, and country states rose and fell off the back of its trade. A fascinating read for anyone interested in history, social history and picking up hundreds of factual nuggets. The book has led me to read further on so many topics. Also, extra points for its 450 pages (plus references). A really good read.

I like books like this one which give a good overview over centuries and over different cultures. You get a good overall summary rather than drilling down in one specific area. I think that’s why I like Hannah Arendt’s books. The book is peppered with recipes from hundreds of years ago including the history of tomato ketchup and Tabasco sauce. Reading this book I’ve picked up a lot of fascinating little snippets and nuggets of information and insights which I would never otherwise have come across. It describes the brutal economic oppression of salt producers in Orissa in India by the British government in 1863 (page 341) which was after the British government took over from the East India Company in 1858.

I borrowed the audio cd’s from the library back in 2008 and listened on a long drive I had to make. The book contained so many interesting facts about salt that I hadn’t realised its importance throughout history. I bought the audiobook last year and became curious about the old recipes for preserving food included that I wanted to write them down. I never got around to them, so I decided to buy the book when I saw a secondhand hardback copy for less than a tenner. I was pleased surprised to see maps, drawings, and photographs of various places and tools used in salt production mentioned in the book. I bought the book to have a written copy of the recipes or cooking methods, but it’s become an interesting conversation piece sitting on my sitting room table.

I do not dispute that Mark knows his facts on the topic , but as has been pointed out by others , his organisation leaves something to be desired .However my main difficulty with this book is that it has too liberally used the subject matter and while the words are well preserved the subject matter does not flow easily . You could say a case of ROCK salt rather than COOKING salt . It was as if the chapters needed to be soaked in fresh water for a day or two , to make them palatable [ or should I say readable ] . It is why it has taken me a few weeks to get through this book , rather than a few days . I do not think I will be up to tackling his tome on COD , especially as this fish has already been well covered [ in salt !! ] in this book already .

I bought this as it seemed an interesting read. I'm glad I did! In brief: It starts off in China, showing how salt was won using gas fires to heat brine, with mud insulated bamboo pipes to provide the flames. The next great event is that of the discovery of the great cod fisheries off Newfoundland and also that cod could be salted and would not turn rancid like herring. Also contains interesting facts such as until quite recently salt was a government monopoly in Italy and could only be bought from tobacconists (cancer and high blood pressure in one place!) and that gold was not traded weight for weight with salt, although it does show the great value placed upon it. Mark Kurlansky did his reserach well for this.

Terrific

Well written book about the history of salt and its contribution to the world. Tonnes of interesting information, snippets from old recipe books (and I mean old) and a few pictures dotted in. The author never treats you like an idiot and the “story” moves along through to recent times. It did fall down a little bit for me when so much time was spent on American history. I imagine the author is American and it shows through with his over enthusiasm and rose-tinted view of this period of history. Still 5 stars though, it definitely painted a picture imagining people through history using salt for different things.

Mark Kurlansky joins the ranks of page-turner historians. His enthusiasm and grip on his subject are a joy. The story ranges from egyptian mummifying techniques, through US civil war pickling recipes to 20th Century chemistry. I have driven my family nuts with salty anecdotes and now need a hard copy of the book so I can press it upon my friends. Brilliant!

El libro intenta hacer una historia paralela, contandonos la evolución del uso y comercio de la sal, y el impacto de éste en la economía global del periodo. Interesante, merece la pena echarle un rato

This was a great book that led me down a wormhole of food history books.

This book is like a very long article on salt. The history is overwhelming. I've been looking for a reference book like that and I don't know how I missed it. Arrived on time. I enjoy reading it. It's a book for general readers, don't have to be an academic to understand.

You want to read about salt? Wrong book. You want to read about how salt affected civilisations? You've come to the right place. A great in-depth read and analysis of human civilisation; empires grew and empires declined because of salt.

Salt! There is a history of salt. I mean why wouldn’t there be, right? What a great read, with style, compassion, and a contagious interest and passion for the subject, if not those along the way. 100% recommend.