More than 80 years before the invention of Coca-Cola, sweet carbonated drinks became popular around the world, provoking remarkably similar arguments that they do today. Are they medicinally, morally, culturally or nutritionally good or bad? They have been loved - and hated - for being cold or sweet or fizzy or stimulating. Many of their flavours are international - lemon and ginger were more popular than cola until about 1920. Some are local: tarragon in Russia, cucumber in New York, red bean in Japan, and chinotto (exceedingly bitter orange) in Italy.

This book looks at how something made from water, sugar and soda became big business but also became deeply important to people; fizzy drinks’ symbolic meanings are far more complex than the water, gas and sugar from which they are made.