From ancient Egypt to modern times, bread has been essential, for survival. This work takes you through its history, examining its role in politics, religion and technology, and answers questions such as how bread caused Napoleon's defeat. It also describes the authors experiences subsisting on bread made of sawdust in a Nazi concentration camp.

"In a colossal epic tale, Mr. Jacob has sketched world history--its folkways, its religion, its superstition, and its plagues, all in terms of bread." - Wall Street Journal