Mostly enjoyable, filled with interesting factoids. Perhaps a bit dry. And with a lot of history left out for lack of room. And with some alcoholic and caffeinated drinks left out, because they weren't important at the time and place that he was interested in.

He focused on the superpower of the world in whichever period of history, and how their drink of choice influenced them. For most of history, drink provided a means of rendering water safe to drink. Only in the past century, the "American" century, has water truly become safe. And our contribution turns out to have been completely non-nutritious soda pop.