Book Riot 50 Must Read MicroHistory Books (51 books)

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(also yes weirdly there were 51 on the list even though the title of the page was 50)

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1	Tea: The Drink that Changed the World by Laura C. Martin (Goodreads Author) 3.70 avg rating — 585 ratings score: 181, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach 4.06 avg rating — 249,664 ratings score: 164, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing by Melissa Mohr (Goodreads Author) 3.87 avg rating — 2,355 ratings score: 163, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Rain: A Natural and Cultural History by Cynthia Barnett (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 2,055 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature by Marion Rankine 3.39 avg rating — 136 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit 3.89 avg rating — 6,647 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Bicycle: The History by David V. Herlihy 3.85 avg rating — 234 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Crude: The Story of Oil by Sonia Shah (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 196 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Coal: A Human History by Barbara Freese 3.73 avg rating — 2,309 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World by Aja Raden (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 3,788 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert 3.90 avg rating — 3,933 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson (Goodreads Author) 3.86 avg rating — 10,696 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky 3.92 avg rating — 26,288 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky 3.75 avg rating — 81,584 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Curry: Eating, Reading, and Race by Naben Ruthnum 3.75 avg rating — 487 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Spice: The History of a Temptation by Jack Turner 3.64 avg rating — 2,592 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World by Dan Koeppel 3.81 avg rating — 5,546 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Sugar: A Bittersweet History by Elizabeth Abbott (Goodreads Author) 3.74 avg rating — 443 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Butter: A Rich History by Elaine Khosrova 3.86 avg rating — 1,184 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	White Bread: A Social History of the Store-Bought Loaf by Aaron Bobrow-Strain (Goodreads Author) 3.63 avg rating — 839 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Milk! A 10,000-Year Food Fracas by Mark Kurlansky 3.63 avg rating — 2,055 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast (Goodreads Author) 3.69 avg rating — 3,137 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol by Iain Gately 3.87 avg rating — 944 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Champagne: How the World's Most Glamorous Wine Triumphed Over War and Hard Times by Don Kladstrup 4.07 avg rating — 722 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky 3.96 avg rating — 5,518 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson 3.99 avg rating — 100,364 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born by Tina Cassidy 4.06 avg rating — 2,993 ratings score: 76, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach 3.86 avg rating — 61,344 ratings score: 75, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy by Hallie Lieberman (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 490 ratings score: 74, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elissa Stein (Goodreads Author) 3.71 avg rating — 1,719 ratings score: 73, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Blood: An Epic History of Medicine and Commerce by Douglas Starr 4.06 avg rating — 693 ratings score: 72, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Heart: A History by Sandeep Jauhar (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 3,698 ratings score: 71, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee 4.34 avg rating — 58,325 ratings score: 70, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life ― A New York Times Bestselling Science Book by Ed Yong 4.16 avg rating — 33,816 ratings score: 69, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Pox: An American History by Michael Willrich 3.69 avg rating — 880 ratings score: 68, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee 4.34 avg rating — 118,837 ratings score: 67, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang (Goodreads Author) 3.99 avg rating — 10,577 ratings score: 66, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill Schutt (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 7,762 ratings score: 64, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History by Katherine Ashenburg 3.71 avg rating — 2,575 ratings score: 62, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Gulag: A History by Anne Applebaum 4.29 avg rating — 14,445 ratings score: 61, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News by Kevin Young 3.18 avg rating — 1,095 ratings score: 60, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	The History of White People by Nell Irvin Painter 4.07 avg rating — 3,249 ratings score: 59, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Red: A History of the Redhead―Updated Edition by Jacky Colliss Harvey (Goodreads Author) 3.49 avg rating — 1,580 ratings score: 58, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Color: A Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay 3.79 avg rating — 74,325 ratings score: 57, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Indigo: In Search of the Color That Seduced the World by Catherine E. McKinley 2.99 avg rating — 585 ratings score: 56, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World by Simon Garfield 3.68 avg rating — 1,933 ratings score: 55, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Paper: Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky 3.84 avg rating — 3,122 ratings score: 54, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester 3.84 avg rating — 124,736 ratings score: 53, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance by Henry Petroski 3.79 avg rating — 671 ratings score: 52, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh 4.30 avg rating — 29,646 ratings score: 51, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace by Nikil Saval 3.46 avg rating — 1,164 ratings score: 50, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars