Clay: The History and Evolution of Humankind's Relationship

In the tradition of the bestselling books Salt and Cod: get the dirt on the humble substance that helped create the modern world.

Clay has played a crucial role in the development of the culinary arts, international trade, the invention of writing, and the construction of towns and cities. After 30,000 years, clay continues to play a vital role in our everyday lives and the advancement of civilization. Its history is the history of the human race.

What started as a tool for cooking and a vessel for storage is now essential to the space program, bio-technology, publishing, agriculture, plumbing, sanitation, and more. Much of the Great Wall of China was made of fired clay bricks-a material that can stand for centuries. Now, Suzanne Staubach presents a look at a civilization built on the mud beneath our feet-from the first spark plugs to modern semi-conductors, satellite communications to surgical equipment-in a colorful look at how, from primordial ooze to modern miracles, clay continues to shape our world in ways limited only by the human imagination.