Welcome to Litsy!

Finished this Tuesday night.
It was interesting, a little repetitive at times. Some of the topics I wish the author would have done a deeper dive on and others a little less.
Over all if it was good enough for Anthony Bourdain to blurb on it then it‘s good enough for me.
4 ⭐️ recommend if you are interested in where/how food is made or the history of everyday things.

131/150 I'm giving this a pick, but I'm not sure if I'd recommend it to others, it's very much a niche subject. I'm not sure if it would appeal to many. I found the history of salt very interesting, how it affected the development of nations, economies, exploration and of course the making of food (one of my favorite subjects). Scott Brick is one of my favorite narrators. 3.75/5
1st book finished for #20in4 @Andrew65

I learned a LOT about salt. I found this book enjoyable and interesting, however, I must admit I was glad when I finished. If you like non-fiction and aren‘t already a salt expert, give this book a try.

I read this book years ago and it has stayed with me. It was the first time I had read an unassigned non-fiction book and I remember thinking it might be interesting. It was, in fact, fascinating! This reminds me that I have Paper by the same author. Might be time to start on it. #Alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

A world history of salt. Something we totally take for granted. I found this book quite fascinating. 🧂

Tonight is little Christmas Eve in our house, when we each open one gift. Two of us got books. I got the tagged book. Daughter got the Downton Abbey Christmas ornament.

#holidaytradition #wintergames2021 #mistletoemaniacs @Clwojick

I‘m going to jump ahead a day to #food because this book perfectly matches my mood. We‘re finishing up a week-long zoom event and getting ready for another event on Monday. Some of my coworkers are working my last nerve, and I‘m feeling particularly salty today.

OTOH I‘ve been enjoying chat messages with other coworkers and shamelessly ogling one of our adjunct professors. 😻

I‘m glad it‘s Friday!!!

#curiouscovers

@Kelican17 and I opened our Mother-Daughter Valentines Book Flood presents early today! We couldn‘t wait and FaceTimed the opening. I‘m excited to read these books from my TBR and eat my chocolate (chocolate missing from pic has already been consumed 😋).

Woot! Turns out I had TWO Kurlansky books on the shelves! I'm giving myself bonus points for finding the tagged book rather quickly.

@StaceyKondla

It was very long. Some parts were interesting, but much was kind of dry for me. I did learn a couple of interesting things, like ketchup was initially an anchovy sauce! Nothing to do with tomatoes! And places in England ending in “wich” in the name at some point had salt mines

Hello, #JuneTBR! Lots to keep me busy this month, including my #PemberLittens chapter-a-day of Sense and Sensibility, my #potteraday chapter of Half-Blood Prince, my #FlaviaBuddyRead of The Dead in their Vaulted Arches, trying to catch up on my #HeyCarrots re-read of the Anne of Green Gables series, a couple of books for #15books15weeks and a bunch of leftovers, including the #bookspinbonanza picks I didn‘t get to in May!

Haven't done much reading even with quarantine going on. Been working at home and distracted by video games. Decided to listen to audio books while working. Have to admit I probably would not have finished this if I hadn't listened to it. It is pretty fascinating, I just don't know if it would have kept my attention.

So much salting of fish in this book...🤢🤢 #5 #2020

Starting this next on #overdrive #currentlylistening

@kellyann28 A fantastic #ReadintheNewYearswap package! Thank you so much! ❤️

It‘s hard to see because there was so.much.stuff, but in the upper right photo: aBook Beau, 2 pairs of socks (the black ones say “Do not disturb” & “I‘m reading” on the bottom), 642 tiny things to draw, vintage maps magnetic bookmarks, and a mini-bookcase! Plus loads of chocolate and these books! 😍

This really is an amazing swap! I hope you like yours as much.👇🏻

Road trip audiobook choice: #salt #scottbrick #nonfiction

I‘m liking it so far!

Great book that history under a very different perspective.

My wonderful, slightly-belated birthday gifts, this fluff included :) Really excited for both these reads!! Thanks @Potat

Hope everyone is looking forward to the holidays!! I am currently taking a break from the Throne of Glass series and reading something a little different from what I usually read! I've decided to pick up a copy of Salt by Mark Kurlansky. So far I am enjoying it immensely! This book gives you the full history of how valuable salt is! Many years ago, salt was even used as a form of currency! This book is quite an eye opener! I highly recommend it!

I found this book utterly fascinating for about the first hour of listening, but then I zoned in and out for the next 13 hours. When I was focused, I really enjoyed it a lot. But it couldn‘t hold my attention throughout. I wonder if that was an issue I was having with the audiobook and if I would‘ve enjoyed it more in print.

This was just as good as I remembered it being. A very factual history covering the ups and downs of salt making all over the world from BC times until now. It never seemed dry or boring.

This inspired Pope Innocent III to launch a series of crusades to cleanse the region of heretics. Asked how to recognize a heretic from a true believer, one crusader, according to legend, said "KILL THEM ALL. GOD KNOWS HIS OWN." #quote #KillThemAll

Well, I thought I would read a few chapters while at my in-laws house. Little Man thought he would get educated about the history of salt while getting snuggles. Win-win! #DogsOfLitsy #LittleMan #ReadingHistory #SnuggleTime

A French folktale relates the story of a princess who declares to her father, "I love you like salt," and he, angered by the slight banishes her from the kingdom. Only later when he is denied salt does he realize its value and therefore the depth of his daughter's love.
#love #quote #family #Salt

An old book that I had to read for an advanced class in high school about world history. Can you see in rhe cover edges how many times I've read it? And I'm reading again.

Salt has been an influence on civilization throughout recorded history, but only partly because of its importance in our diets. It‘s also been a driver of financial concerns and politics.

Had this book been better organized, it would probably have kept my attention more than it did.

Historians are secretly the sweetest little squishes. This closing comment didn‘t surprise me at all, my partner is a history major who somehow wound up in marketing. ❤️

Who knew a book about salt could be so fascinating? Totally enthralled!

I ❤️ salt! This book tells of the history of this magical mineral and how it has changed the life for #allthepeopleintheworld 🌎
#septemberdanes

“In China, schoolchildren learn a jingle from the Middle Ages with the seven necessities needed every day: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea.”
I choose “pick” because it is informative and interesting, but all the weird recipes could have been left out. Also, the structure is a bit weird, there‘s no common thread, except for salt of course.

Focus on ancient Rome, the UK, US and France and a token chapter on China does not constitute a 'world history'. In addition, this wasn't particularly well written and I had the impression that the author's research did not go beyond easily accessible sources in English.

This was obviously thoroughly researched but it was just a bit boring for me overall. Clearly my attention span for all things history of salt related is not high, though I do have a few new fun facts in my back pocket to bust out at parties.

This was my "nonfiction about food or drink" for the #litsyreadingchallenge ?

I'm about halfway through this book and I'm feeling pretty meh about it tbh... but it only felt appropriate to share this latest read about food along with my new favorite sandwich. Japanese sweet potato, yum! 😋

#asidefrombooks
Favorite hobby: baking
Favorite drink: cold brew coffee with hazelnut and half n half
Favorite food: pad thai
Favorite color: aqua
Favorite city: San Francisco
Where would my dream house be: Isle of Iona
Favorite accessory: glasses
Favorite tv show: grantchester and big brother (right now)
Last movie I watched in theaters: oh goodness, um, BFG.
Currently reading: Hausfrau

I expected to like this--because it's food and history together! I ended up liking it even more than expected. And I want to read everything in the bibliography!!

Reading with a cold beverage, because #eclecticreathon says I have to. It's 43 degrees here, 35 with the windchill, and hot beverages are definitely on the menu for today. It might be summer for most of you, but here in northern Alaska... this IS our summer! :-) Also, this book is boring. But I really want to get a few more chapters done in it.

Finally started a new nonfiction book! Got this from Better World Books during a sale--I thought it would be a long read. So far it's very well written and an easy read. Pleasant surprise!!

Great non fiction read, with a couple of drawbacks. The first is be prepared to develop cravings for intensely salinated food products while reading. It is best to buy cinema popcorn to have alongside you. Second, it's a bit like eating very salty food. It's so fact heavy it can be a bit too intense to read all at once. Best savoured as an amuse bouche. If that makes sense!

There's some really great history here, "Salt" does lag a bit from time to time - that could either be the subject matter, or the fact that I'm more of a fiction person. Kurlansky's best writing comes when describing the sociology of salt, and all the innovations, wars, and rules therein. He also keeps the focus global, which leads to some great cultural comparisons, insights, and humor.

@bookriot #riotgrams day 21 - cool spines

I'm loving the spine on this microhistory of one of the most important substances in all of human life. It can be as plain as table salt and as gourmet as infused with wine or smoke.

If you're in the D.C.-area in late January, join me and the folks at Atlas Obscura for an evening lesson on the wonders (really) of table salt: http://www.atlasobscura.com/events/obscura-society-dc-history-worth-its-salt-at-...

I *may* have gone back to the library sale to find something I had seen yesterday. They *may* have said, "Take a bag. All the books you can fit for $5." Little did they know that, in addition to being an avid reader, I am a master packer.

tangental in its telling but fascinating in the information. i recommend it!

Salt is so common, so easy to obtain, and so inexpensive that we have forgotten that from the beginning of civilization until about 100 years ago, salt was one of the most sought-after commodities in human history.

Used a day of driving around to knock out more of this audiobook - and get some reading time toward my #24in48. I'm now learning about the history of household uses for salt in the United States. Yes, I'm pretty wild. Also, shout out #overdrive!!!

A fascinating salty history of "the only rock we eat". My only gripe is it's not really a world history when you ignore or gloss over a couple of continents! Still, tons of cool little facts that make you realise how we take the ease of picking up a salt shaker for granted.

This book was so fascinating until 3/4 of the way through. The author was extremely racist/xenophobic toward Jordanians in one of his final chapters, I had to stop reading.