Salt: A Passage of Growth Corbin Lubianski

I grasped the empty, plastic one-gallon container within my right hand as I strolled towards the salty waters of the Gulf of Mexico, trying not to gain others' attention nor look awkward. It would seem unusual and strange to others when they see a 16-year-old boy collecting murky, saltwater from the ocean, but to me, this was the first step in my long-awaited plan to harvest salt.

Mark Kurlansky composed a historical account of salt in “Salt: A World History.” This book came to me in the form of a dreaded summer assignment for AP World History. I was given the choice of four books with their own topic: bananas, wine, spices, and salt. I did not pick salt for its dullness; I only picked it because I wanted to pick the challenging book to impress my first AP teacher as the book was the longest of the four. Yet, I did not know how inspirational and intriguing the book would become to me.

I read of the role that salt has played in the forming of civilizations. I read how civilizations gathered and harvested different types of salt. I read how civilizations applied salt to their diets and recipes. I read how salt has shaped modern history. Lastly, I read how salt has impacted the human race and our history. I was so curious and...