Book Review | “Salt: A World History” Mark Kurlansky
By Hilda Valdez
Listen Here: salt
Who knew it was possible for someone to write a 400-page book about salt. Yes, I said salt. No, I don’t mean the movie staring Angelina Jolie and (play song by Salt-n-Pepa) no not them either. I’m talking about the tiny white spice that is easily found in kitchens around the world. I sure didn’t. However, it was done. The book is Salt: A World History, written by: Mark Kurlansky.
Before reading this book, I had a preconceived notion that it was written strictly for people in the food industry, but I was wrong. I also thought that it would be filled with endless boring facts and statistics about salt, but once again I was very wrong.
What this book does offer is a well-written history of how salt has played an important role in the development and advancement of our society.
Yes, the book is a bit educational, but it’s not boring. Kurlansky writes about how salt prevented famines and the spread of diseases. Also, how the production of salt making was a gritty and sometimes dangerous business.
He also writes about the vast varieties of salts that can be found around the world and the different uses that they each have.
So you ask, do you recommend this book? Yes, I do. This book gave me a new perspective on the tiny white spice, which I usually took for granted. Although, I do have one suggestion, do not read this book on an empty stomach. Kurlansky’s endless references of corned beef, ham, fish and many other foods, drove me to my refrigerator more times than I care to remember.
My name is Hilda and thank you for listening to The Mesquite’s review of Salt: A World History, by Mark Kurlansky
