An Edible History of Humanity

In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the most fundamental requirements for humans are those addressing their physiological needs. Specifically, these are the fundamentals of food, water, shelter, and the like. As implied by the title, An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage looks at human evolution and history through the lens of what we eat. This is actually the second of Standage's books that I've looked at, the first of which was called A History of the World in Six Glasses. Food and drink are joined at the hip, so it is suiting that both are by the same author. 

The tale of food and human development is as old as time. Or at least as old as humanity. The chronologically laid out history began from the effect that cultivation had on human behavioral patterns. Settled societies are the important point, but I'm particularly interested in the negative aspects of this change. Since the diet went from what ever could be foraged to primarily the farmed crops, the variety in foods was significantly reduced. As a result, more diseases, like rickets, sprung up, along with other health issues. This is especially noticeable in skeletons, which showed a decline in height when compared to hunter gatherers.

To avoid fully retelling the book, I'll just say that there is an in-depth exploration of cities and societies organizing, the connection of food to social hierarchies, and the effect of the New World, and even the modern effects on global population. But I want to skip back a bit to the military history section. I already knew that tinned foods came from Napoleon's quest to feed his troops, but this offered a great tie in between military operations and food supplies. From Alexander the Great to Rommel, provisioning troops plays a vital role, and I learned quite a bit.

Overall, the book is well written and an enjoyable read. I rather liked it and would recommend it, but don't think it's a must-read, due to the slightly specific audience that this would appeal to.