Salt, A World Historyis a book written entirely about salt and how it changed the world. This may seem strange to a history buff, or boring to those like me who don’t prefer history class. But I was interested in how Mark Kurlansky wove tales of distant lands and major events throughout history, looking through the lens of salt. This taken-for-granted condiment made world history interesting. Kurlansky begins with an introduction about the debates around salt. How much is healthy for an adult to consume daily? Then he gives an overview of Ernest Jones’s essay about human obsession of salt. The following chapters jump from China, to Egypt, to Rome, to India, to Great Britain and how each culture utilizes salt. At first it seemed a little disorganized in the way he presented his information, but at the end I came out not confused, but awestruck in how absorbed I became in Salt, A World History. By the time I finished the book, I was convinced salt was the turning point and and key component of innovation in many eras in world history. Mark Kurlansky’s focus on salt in all cultures and aspects of the world is truly a fresh take on the confusing and never-ending history of man.