The History of Bread: From Pre-Historic to Modern Times


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

From ancient flatbreads cooked on hot stones to the fluffy loaves of the early 20th century, Ashton explores how bread rose alongside human civilization—its popularity evolving with shifts in agriculture, class, religion, and technology. From the temples of Egypt to the bakeries of Victorian England, each chapter slices into a new perspective on this everyday staple turned cultural icon. The book also kneads in odd bread laws, riots over pricing, and growing concerns about what was secretly being mixed into the dough. - Summary by Carrie Mae Streb (4 hr 42 min)

Chapters

Preface 1:10 Read by Carrie Mae Streb
Pre‑historic Bread 11:37 Read by Brize C
Corn in Egypt and Assyria 7:15 Read by Anne O'Donoghue
Bread in Palestine 25:35 Read by TriciaG
The Bread of the Classic Lands 18:14 Read by Brize C
Bread in Eastern Lands 23:38 Read by Brize C
Bread in Europe and America 21:04 Read by J. M.
Early English Bread 34:57 Read by marisad6
How Grain Becomes Flour 17:40 Read by Kyle Donelan
The Miller and His Tolls 22:05 Read by Kyle Donelan
Bread‑Making and Baking 19:54 Read by Darby
Ovens Ancient and Modern 10:38 Read by Peter Yearsley
The Religious Use of Bread 13:26 Read by Darby
Ginger Bread and Charity Bread 15:04 Read by Peter Yearsley
Bread Riots 10:50 Read by Anne O'Donoghue
Legends about Bread 29:40 Read by Laura Luchsinger