“Ingenious. . . . [Standage] combines a lively writing style with a wonderful collection of anecdotes. . . . His book sparkles like champagne.”
—The Gazette (Montreal)

“A wonderful synthesis of the march of time. Standage has that uncanny ability so rare in a writer to connect the smallest details to sweeping changes in history.”
—Financial Post

“Standage’s bright idea really is bright. . . . Far from being frivolous, the author has legitimate points to make. . . [He] manages to be incisive, illuminating and swift.”
—The New York Times

“Standage’s historical division works fantastically well. His history of the technology and culture of quenching our thirst is a thought-provoking look at what we drink today and how it offers insight into our past.”
—Toronto Star

"Vastly entertaining."
—Maclean's

“Lucid [and] energetic. . . . In A History of the World in Six Glasses, Standage reaches beyond the commonplace to uncover universal significance. . . . Entertaining [and] thought-provoking.”
—Winnipeg Free Press

"Standage starts with a bold hypothesis — that each epoch, from the Stone Age to the present, has had its signature beverage — and takes readers on an extraordinary trip through world history. The Economist's technology editor has the ability to connect the smallest detail to the big picture and a knack for summarizing vast concepts in a few sentences. In and around these grand ideas, Standage tucks some wonderful tidbits — on the antibacterial qualities of tea, Mecca's coffee trials in 1511, Visigoth penalties for destroying vineyards — ending with a delightful appendix suggesting ways readers can sample ancient beverages."
—Publishers Weekly

"Technology historian Standage follows the flow of civilization as humanity guzzles a half-dozen prime beverages. He offers a distilled account of civilization founded on the drinking habits of mankind from the days of hunter-gatherers to yesterday's designer thirst-quencher. History, along with a bit of technology, etymology, chemistry and bibulous entertainment. Bottoms up!"
—Kirkus

"As refreshing as a cool glass of beer on a hot day and as stimulating as that first cup of coffee in the morning. . . . There aren't many books this entertaining that also provide a cogent crash course in ancient, classical and modern history."
—Los Angeles Times

Praise for Tom Standage:
“Fascination, obsession, inquiry, storytelling, and literary magic at its best.”
—Simon Winchester, author of The Professor and the Madman and The Map That Changed the World

“Standage is a terrific writer.”
—The New York Times Book Review