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SoBrief
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A History of the World in 6 Glasses
by Tom Standage • 2005
Civilization's biggest leaps came in a glass. The story of humanity told through six drinks.
3.81
34k+
A History of the World in 6 Glasses Summary
A History of the World in 6 Glasses 96%
Civilization's biggest leaps came in a glass. The story of humanity told through six drinks.
by Tom Standage 2005
3.81
34k+ ratings
Salt
by Mark Kurlansky • 2002
Salt was the oil of the ancient world, and the battle for it built empires.
3.75
77k+
Salt Summary
Salt 94%
Salt was the oil of the ancient world, and the battle for it built empires.
by Mark Kurlansky 2002
3.75
77k+ ratings
A Splendid Exchange
by William J. Bernstein • 2008
Commerce, not conquest, built the modern world: the history of trade from obsidian to oil.
4.16
3k+
A Splendid Exchange Summary
A Splendid Exchange 94%
Commerce, not conquest, built the modern world: the history of trade from obsidian to oil.
by William J. Bernstein 2008
4.16
3k+ ratings
Moveable Feasts
by Sarah Murray • 2007
Rome needed grain ships. Cities need container ports. How moving food built the modern world.
3.55
205
Moveable Feasts Summary
Moveable Feasts 94%
Rome needed grain ships. Cities need container ports. How moving food built the modern world.
by Sarah Murray 2007
3.55
205 ratings
1493
by Charles C. Mann • 2011
Potatoes east, mosquitoes west: the biological upheaval set off by 1492 that still runs the world.
4.12
21k+
1493 Summary
1493 93%
Potatoes east, mosquitoes west: the biological upheaval set off by 1492 that still runs the world.
by Charles C. Mann 2011
4.12
21k+ ratings
The Sea and Civilization
by Lincoln Paine • 2013
Before trains, the sea was the fastest highway. World history from the deck of a ship.
3.89
700
The Sea and Civilization Summary
The Sea and Civilization 92%
Before trains, the sea was the fastest highway. World history from the deck of a ship.
by Lincoln Paine 2013
3.89
700 ratings
A Bite-Sized History of France
by Stephane Henaut • 2018
French cuisine is a global collage. The myth of purity, dismantled one dish at a time.
4.19
2k+
A Bite-Sized History of France Summary
A Bite-Sized History of France 92%
French cuisine is a global collage. The myth of purity, dismantled one dish at a time.
by Stephane Henaut 2018
4.19
2k+ ratings
River Kings
by Cat Jarman • 2021
A bead from India, buried in England, reveals the Silk Road world the Vikings actually built.
4.04
4k+
River Kings Summary
River Kings 92%
A bead from India, buried in England, reveals the Silk Road world the Vikings actually built.
by Cat Jarman 2021
4.04
4k+ ratings
A Brief History of Indonesia
by Tim Hannigan • 2015
An archipelago of 17,000 islands: the improbable 2,000-year story of how it became a single nation.
4.02
1k+
A Brief History of Indonesia Summary
A Brief History of Indonesia 92%
An archipelago of 17,000 islands: the improbable 2,000-year story of how it became a single nation.
by Tim Hannigan 2015
4.02
1k+ ratings
Sugar
by James Walvin • 2017
The Atlantic slave trade and the global obesity crisis share a single culprit.
3.46
615
Sugar Summary
Sugar 92%
The Atlantic slave trade and the global obesity crisis share a single culprit.
by James Walvin 2017
3.46
615 ratings
Cod
by Mark Kurlansky • 1997
The fish that built empires and fueled a slave trade. Then it stopped coming back.
3.92
25k+
Cod Summary
Cod 91%
The fish that built empires and fueled a slave trade. Then it stopped coming back.
by Mark Kurlansky 1997
3.92
25k+ ratings
Over the Edge of the World
by Laurence Bergreen • 2003
Three of five ships mutinied. His response made men fear him more than the sea.
4.19
19k+
Over the Edge of the World Summary
Over the Edge of the World 91%
Three of five ships mutinied. His response made men fear him more than the sea.
by Laurence Bergreen 2003
4.19
19k+ ratings
Animal, Vegetable, Junk
by Mark Bittman • 2021
Farming gave us civilization, slavery, famine, and junk food. A provocative history of what we eat.
3.90
4k+
Animal, Vegetable, Junk Summary
Animal, Vegetable, Junk 91%
Farming gave us civilization, slavery, famine, and junk food. A provocative history of what we eat.
by Mark Bittman 2021
3.90
4k+ ratings
Cooked
by Michael Pollan • 2013
Cooking made us human, then we stopped. What starting over from scratch reveals.
4.08
26k+
Cooked Summary
Cooked 91%
Cooking made us human, then we stopped. What starting over from scratch reveals.
by Michael Pollan 2013
4.08
26k+ ratings
Tulipmania
by Mike Dash • 2000
A tulip worth a house: the virus that streaked its petals sparked the first speculative mania.
3.66
3k+
Tulipmania Summary
Tulipmania 91%
A tulip worth a house: the virus that streaked its petals sparked the first speculative mania.
by Mike Dash 2000
3.66
3k+ ratings
1494
by Stephen R. Bown • 2011
A secret royal wedding, a corrupt pope, and one line that carved the world in two.
3.89
369
1494 Summary
1494 91%
A secret royal wedding, a corrupt pope, and one line that carved the world in two.
by Stephen R. Bown 2011
3.89
369 ratings
Empire
by Niall Ferguson • 2003
Piracy, sugar, and debt built the largest empire ever. The collapse outpaced the climb.
3.93
10k+
Empire Summary
Empire 91%
Piracy, sugar, and debt built the largest empire ever. The collapse outpaced the climb.
by Niall Ferguson 2003
3.93
10k+ ratings
Magellan
by Stefan Zweig • 1938
The man who first circled the globe died in a pointless skirmish halfway through the voyage.
4.42
6k+
Magellan Summary
Magellan 91%
The man who first circled the globe died in a pointless skirmish halfway through the voyage.
by Stefan Zweig 1938
4.42
6k+ ratings
Eating on the Wild Side
by Jo Robinson • 2013
We spent millennia breeding nutrients out of our food. The rules for getting them back.
4.19
4k+
Eating on the Wild Side Summary
Eating on the Wild Side 91%
We spent millennia breeding nutrients out of our food. The rules for getting them back.
by Jo Robinson 2013
4.19
4k+ ratings
Civilization
by Niall Ferguson • 2011
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
3.86
10k+
Civilization Summary
Civilization 91%
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
by Niall Ferguson 2011
3.86
10k+ ratings
The Case Against Sugar
by Gary Taubes • 2016
Sugar was identified as a dietary villain, buried by industry, and the evidence has resurfaced.
3.84
11k+
The Case Against Sugar Summary
The Case Against Sugar 91%
Sugar was identified as a dietary villain, buried by industry, and the evidence has resurfaced.
by Gary Taubes 2016
3.84
11k+ ratings
Enemy of All Mankind
by Steven Johnson • 2020
His 1695 heist of a Mughal treasure ship nearly toppled an empire. Then Henry Every disappeared.
3.89
5k+
Enemy of All Mankind Summary
Enemy of All Mankind 91%
His 1695 heist of a Mughal treasure ship nearly toppled an empire. Then Henry Every disappeared.
by Steven Johnson 2020
3.89
5k+ ratings
Global Capitalism
by Jeffry A. Frieden • 2007
How governments built the first global economy, dismantled it, and rebuilt.
3.87
644
Global Capitalism Summary
Global Capitalism 91%
How governments built the first global economy, dismantled it, and rebuilt.
by Jeffry A. Frieden 2007
3.87
644 ratings
Conquests and Cultures
by Thomas Sowell • 1998
Geography blocked Africa, conquests lifted Britain, and human capital explains the gap.
4.44
964
Conquests and Cultures Summary
Conquests and Cultures 91%
Geography blocked Africa, conquests lifted Britain, and human capital explains the gap.
by Thomas Sowell 1998
4.44
964 ratings
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
by Pietra Rivoli • 2005
A T-shirt's journey exposes the global economy's real engine: politics, migration, and subsidies.
3.69
3k+
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy Summary
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy 90%
A T-shirt's journey exposes the global economy's real engine: politics, migration, and subsidies.
by Pietra Rivoli 2005
3.69
3k+ ratings
How We Eat
by Paco Underhill • 2022
Supermarkets seduce, apps deliver, cars feed: the hidden design of modern eating.
3.50
459
How We Eat Summary
How We Eat 90%
Supermarkets seduce, apps deliver, cars feed: the hidden design of modern eating.
by Paco Underhill 2022
3.50
459 ratings
The Box
by Marc Levinson • 2006
In 1956, a trucker shipped 58 truck bodies on a tanker. What followed remade the global economy.
3.86
7k+
The Box Summary
The Box 90%
In 1956, a trucker shipped 58 truck bodies on a tanker. What followed remade the global economy.
by Marc Levinson 2006
3.86
7k+ ratings
Kicking Away the Ladder
by Ha-Joon Chang • 2002
Tariffs, subsidies, and industrial espionage built the West. Now it preaches free trade to the rest.
4.21
1k+
Kicking Away the Ladder Summary
Kicking Away the Ladder 90%
Tariffs, subsidies, and industrial espionage built the West. Now it preaches free trade to the rest.
by Ha-Joon Chang 2002
4.21
1k+ ratings
The Square and the Tower
by Niall Ferguson • 2017
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
3.65
4k+
The Square and the Tower Summary
The Square and the Tower 90%
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
by Niall Ferguson 2017
3.65
4k+ ratings
Outside the Box
by Marc Levinson • 2020
Globalization moved goods and built China. The next phase trades ideas, and new winners emerge.
3.94
228
Outside the Box Summary
Outside the Box 90%
Globalization moved goods and built China. The next phase trades ideas, and new winners emerge.
by Marc Levinson 2020
3.94
228 ratings
Napoleon's Buttons
by Penny Le Couteur • 1991
Nutmeg bought Manhattan, a dye launched modern medicine, and a yam gave women the Pill.
3.98
7k+
Napoleon's Buttons Summary
Napoleon's Buttons 90%
Nutmeg bought Manhattan, a dye launched modern medicine, and a yam gave women the Pill.
by Penny Le Couteur 1991
3.98
7k+ ratings
The Prize
by Daniel Yergin • 1991
How a dark liquid wrote the rules of power, decided wars, and built the greatest fortunes.
4.44
13k+
The Prize Summary
The Prize 90%
How a dark liquid wrote the rules of power, decided wars, and built the greatest fortunes.
by Daniel Yergin 1991
4.44
13k+ ratings
The Marwaris
by Thomas A Timberg • 2014
One desert community built Indian commerce: family firms, daily accounting, speculation.
3.02
241
The Marwaris Summary
The Marwaris 90%
One desert community built Indian commerce: family firms, daily accounting, speculation.
by Thomas A Timberg 2014
3.02
241 ratings
The Secret Life of Groceries
by Benjamin Lorr • 2020
Supermarket abundance rests on debt-bonded truckers, enslaved fishermen, and the illusion of choice.
3.94
15k+
The Secret Life of Groceries Summary
The Secret Life of Groceries 90%
Supermarket abundance rests on debt-bonded truckers, enslaved fishermen, and the illusion of choice.
by Benjamin Lorr 2020
3.94
15k+ ratings
Caffeinated
by Murray Carpenter • 2014
Your morning routine includes a drug. The biology, history, and billions behind caffeine.
3.59
1k+
Caffeinated Summary
Caffeinated 90%
Your morning routine includes a drug. The biology, history, and billions behind caffeine.
by Murray Carpenter 2014
3.59
1k+ ratings
100 Million Years of Food
by Stephen Le • 2016
Our bodies evolved for a diet we no longer eat: the mismatch is making us sick.
3.62
616
100 Million Years of Food Summary
100 Million Years of Food 90%
Our bodies evolved for a diet we no longer eat: the mismatch is making us sick.
by Stephen Le 2016
3.62
616 ratings
Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy
by Tim Harford • 2017
Fifty inventions, from barbed wire to infant formula, and the economic ripples nobody saw coming.
4.06
4k+
Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy Summary
Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy 90%
Fifty inventions, from barbed wire to infant formula, and the economic ripples nobody saw coming.
by Tim Harford 2017
4.06
4k+ ratings
The Anarchy
by William Dalrymple • 2019
A company raised an army, conquered India, and its hunger for profit starved a nation.
4.20
19k+
The Anarchy Summary
The Anarchy 90%
A company raised an army, conquered India, and its hunger for profit starved a nation.
by William Dalrymple 2019
4.20
19k+ ratings
The Golden Road
by William Dalrymple • 2024
Before the Silk Road, monsoon winds made India the intellectual heart of the ancient world.
4.12
4k+
The Golden Road Summary
The Golden Road 90%
Before the Silk Road, monsoon winds made India the intellectual heart of the ancient world.
by William Dalrymple 2024
4.12
4k+ ratings
Monsoon
by Robert D. Kaplan • 2010
Half the world's oil passes through one ocean; two giants are racing to control it.
3.96
3k+
Monsoon Summary
Monsoon 90%
Half the world's oil passes through one ocean; two giants are racing to control it.
by Robert D. Kaplan 2010
3.96
3k+ ratings
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
by Jack Weatherford • 2004
Genghis Khan's horde didn't just raze cities; it stitched Eurasia into a single connected world.
4.07
85k+
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World Summary
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World 90%
Genghis Khan's horde didn't just raze cities; it stitched Eurasia into a single connected world.
by Jack Weatherford 2004
4.07
85k+ ratings
The Pencil
by Henry Petroski • 1992
A pencil hides centuries of engineering failures, global trade, and the secret to good design.
3.80
657
The Pencil Summary
The Pencil 90%
A pencil hides centuries of engineering failures, global trade, and the secret to good design.
by Henry Petroski 1992
3.80
657 ratings
Industry and Empire
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1968
Britain's industrial head start created an empire-dependent economy destined to fall behind.
3.92
574
Industry and Empire Summary
Industry and Empire 90%
Britain's industrial head start created an empire-dependent economy destined to fall behind.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1968
3.92
574 ratings
Cooking for Kings
by Ian Kelly • 2003
Abandoned at ten on Paris streets. He became the pastry architect for Napoleon, tsars, and kings.
3.75
291
Cooking for Kings Summary
Cooking for Kings 90%
Abandoned at ten on Paris streets. He became the pastry architect for Napoleon, tsars, and kings.
by Ian Kelly 2003
3.75
291 ratings
The Republic of Pirates
by Colin Woodard • 2007
Sailors broken by the navy built their own republic: democratic, armed, and flying the black flag.
3.89
12k+
The Republic of Pirates Summary
The Republic of Pirates 90%
Sailors broken by the navy built their own republic: democratic, armed, and flying the black flag.
by Colin Woodard 2007
3.89
12k+ ratings
A Culture of Growth
by Joel Mokyr • 2016
What fueled modern growth? Not property rights. A cultural shift that made nature a solvable puzzle.
3.94
427
A Culture of Growth Summary
A Culture of Growth 90%
What fueled modern growth? Not property rights. A cultural shift that made nature a solvable puzzle.
by Joel Mokyr 2016
3.94
427 ratings
Smuggler Nation
by Peter Andreas • 2013
Molasses, slaves, blueprints, cocaine: America's defining chapters all ran on smuggling.
3.96
214
Smuggler Nation Summary
Smuggler Nation 90%
Molasses, slaves, blueprints, cocaine: America's defining chapters all ran on smuggling.
by Peter Andreas 2013
3.96
214 ratings
A Short History of the World
by Christopher Lascelles • 2011
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
3.86
2k+
A Short History of the World Summary
A Short History of the World 90%
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
by Christopher Lascelles 2011
3.86
2k+ ratings
Marco Polo
by Laurence Bergreen • 2007
A merchant, a Mongol emperor, and seventeen years that redrew the map of the known world.
3.85
3k+
Marco Polo Summary
Marco Polo 90%
A merchant, a Mongol emperor, and seventeen years that redrew the map of the known world.
by Laurence Bergreen 2007
3.85
3k+ ratings
Ninety Percent of Everything
by Rose George • 2013
Behind everything you own: an invisible, lawless ocean industry that makes globalization possible.
3.79
4k+
Ninety Percent of Everything Summary
Ninety Percent of Everything 90%
Behind everything you own: an invisible, lawless ocean industry that makes globalization possible.
by Rose George 2013
3.79
4k+ ratings
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