Drinking in the Past

Six beverages that changed the world

On A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage (Walker & Co., $25)

This article is not yet available online. To order a single copy of the print edition in which it appears, write to us at scholar@pbk.org or look for it on newsstands. To enjoy the full contents of each new issue of The American Scholar as soon as it is printed, please subscribe today and save up to 33 percent off the single-copy price.

Permission required for reprinting, reproducing, or other uses.

Gary Cross is distinguished professor of modern history at Penn State University. His books include Time and Money: The Making of Consumer Culture, and An All-Consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America.

● NEWSLETTER

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up