The History of Bread: From Pre-historic to Modern Times

"The History of Bread: From Pre-historic to Modern Times" by John Ashton is a chronicle from the past that looks at bread's journey from ancient times to the author's present day. The book tells of bread's role as a key food across different cultures, looking into how bread-making changed over time in various societies and also how bread affected society and the economy over time. The book starts by noting that while bread is a basic food, the English language had no complete history of it. Ashton emphasizes that bread is really important for survival and then starts to follow its path, beginning with very early societies. The book talks about what early humans ate, the grains they grew, and the simple tools they used to make bread. It also mentions archaeological finds that show grain farming and bread production have a long history in ancient lake communities, which leads to a greater look at how bread is important to human culture and survival.