Salt: A World History

Salt: A World History

The most important rock you probably never think about.

Author of books like Cod and The Basque History of the World, Mark Kurlansky does not hide the subject of his books behind ambiguous titles or obscure descriptions on the back cover. Salt: A World History, in lieu with the rest of Kurlansky’s books, describes the nature of the novel perfectly. What the title hides, however, and what arguably makes the book such a terrific read, is the deceptively complex history that has plagued the relationship between mankind and salt since the inaugural days of human history.

This book is not just for gourmets and wannabe gourmets; if that were the case, my opinion would not be as favorable. True, there are quite a few recipes scattered throughout, but they only detail how complicated and time-consuming salting has been for the past 10,000 years. For an admirer of world history like myself, it was the historical aspect of Salt that made it an amazing read. So many events in history, like the founding of the Roman Empire and the American Civil War, were influenced by salt and the lack of it. Countries crumbled, world powers came into being, and countless people lived and died in the name of salt. Before picking up this novel, the average, every day reader would probably never know about the economic and social importance that salt has carried for ten millennia. After all, the average household can make a single can of Morton Salt last years.

Each chapter describes a different country or region of the globe at a different point in time and analyzes how salt has contributed to that society. Including so many diverse nations and cultures risks alienating the audience, but Kurlansky goes to excruciating lengths to enlighten the reader. Locations, civilizations, and people are all painted with an audience in mind who might not be familiar with China in 8000_BCE. Detailed descriptions and thorough background information about each region is included in every chapter that proves the author has done his research. Dozens of countries, some no longer in existence, are laid out with the comprehensive understanding that only a true historian is capable of.

Writing a full length novel about salt or cod requires more than just knowledge of a subject to captivate an audience. Salt reads like a textbook, but a textbook that was written with style and literary prowess firmly in mind. Where Kurlansky excels is in his clear and concise writing that makes 450 pages on the world’s only edible rock a fascinating read. Dates and names, some too foreign to pronounce, abound in this book, but Kurlansky uses the bridge between his readers and time and space to show off his skill as a writer and a historian.

Granted, Salt: A World History is not a book for everyone. Readers who lack an interest in history might find hundreds of pages about the significance of salt a hard book to sit through. While an interest in food is not necessary to enjoy Salt, Kurlansky definitely directs the novel toward a food-conscious audience. But readers with a love for history or a curiosity for the deceptively mundane will find Kurlansky’s book among the best food writing has to offer.