Seltzertopia: The Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary Drink

The history and cultural impact of seltzer and its connection to Jewish identity, hipster culture, comedy and health.

"Of the thousands of books written about seltzer water, this is by far my favorite--especially the part that's about me." --Mel Brooks

" . . .a sparkling take on all things seltzer." --The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronical

People are drinking seltzer in astonishing quantities today --WHY?

Seltzer has gone from a health tonic for the rich to a cultural sensation--HOW?

And seltzer is FUNNY? What's THAT about?

Based on more than fourteen years of original research and interviews, the extraordinary story of this ordinary drink can finally be told.

Seltzertopia tells of the modern pioneers of seltzer who wrangle antique machines to fill siphons with sparkling water, keeping alive a craft that is centuries old.

Using their stories to consider the social, cultural, and economic effects of seltzer, Seltzertopia tackles the question: what is it about this simplest of concoctions that has allowed it to make a difference so so many people, in such different ways?

In Part One, "The World According to Seltzer," readers will learn the untold history of seltzer and about the people across America who have found themselves building a path to Seltzertopia. The will discover where seltzer comes from, the science of seltzer, and how people can become SO passionate about something SO ordinary. More specifically, readers will meet John Seekings, a public relations executive in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and join him on his unexpected journey into the modern world of old-fashioned seltzer bottling.

In Part Two, "Give Me Seltzer (and the People Who Crave It)", readers will learn how, during the blizzard of 2010, John Seekings saw for the first time how much seltzer meant to his new customers. They will discover how that meaning can change over time and place, and how it is most often associated with one of four categories: health, refreshment, identity, and comedy. And it will begin with a visit far into the past, to a time when seltzer found itself pitted in a battle against another popular drink: Coca Cola.

IN Part Three, "Seltzertopia," readers will enter the effervescent age. Widely available in plastic bottles, in supermarkets and corner stores, in a wide range of flavors, seltzer now has global appeal. And readers will revisit John Seekings, now a seltzer master in an emerging generation of new seltzer professionals.

Author: Barry Joseph
Publisher: Behrman House Publishing
Published: 10/01/2018
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.30w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780874419757


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 09/15/2018 pg. 8

About the Author
Joseph, Barry: - Barry Joseph is former Associate Director for Digital Learning in the Education Department at the American Museum of Natural History. Before that he spent a dozen years as the Director of the Online Leadership Program at Global Kids. His effervescent expertise has been featured by The Wall Street Journal, NPR's All Things Considered, CBS Morning News, Boston Magazine, The New York Post, and more. He became interested in seltzer's history and cultural impact after writing an article about Sodastream for The Forward in 2004 and receiving an outpouring of responses from readers demonstrating their passion for the fizzy.