Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities,

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Enjoy a day in one of the most dynamic habitats on earth: the salt marsh. Fun-to-read, rhyming verse introduces readers to hourly changes in the marsh as the tide comes and goes. Watch the animals that have adapted to this ever-changing environment as they hunt for food or play in the sun, and learn how the marsh grass survives even when it is covered by saltwater twice a day. An activity on adaptations is included in the "For Creative Minds" section....

Cut the salt, keep the flavor. Learn how a low-sodium diet can be not only good for your health but also please your palate.

Beware of sodium? No need to forego baked goodies with this unusual baking book by the author of the No-Salt, Lowest Sodium Diet Cookbook. Donald Gazzaniga, diagnosed with congestive heart failure, was headed for a heart transplant. Urged by his doctor to keep his sodium intake "under 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams a day," Don headed for the kitchen and went to work devising recipes for delicious low-sodium dishes that added up to less than 500 milligrams...

Sally Walther feels like her world is imploding. Publicly humiliated after her husband, a local councilman, is arrested for bigamy, and her subsequent divorce, she has isolated herself from the world. When her only friend insists that Sally climb out of her hole, and embrace the season to get her out of her funk, Sally decides to put up a Christmas tree and heads off to buy one--albeit reluctantly. She is immediately taken by Andrew, the kind, handsome...