The weekly Forward, now in English, summarizes history highlights from its Yiddish past. We have seen in past years an imminent seltzer worker strike. This week we learned more about the conditions that led to it, reported one hundred years ago: “Seltzer is far and away the most popular drinkRead More →
The following is a draft of the opening of the book. Comments appreciated:
In 1728, near the mountainous Teunus region north east of Frankfurt, Johann Adam Bullmann became mayor of Niederselters. It is impossible to know what this little German town of barely one hundred families expected from their new leader, at the young age of only 24. But neither they nor their new mayor could have predicted the challenges to be faced in his first year of office nor that, in overcoming them together, they would make their mark on history, its ripples still affecting us nearly three centuries later.
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I just finished Steven Johnson’s The Invention of Air and strongly recommend it. Johnson writes popular books about scientific concepts and his work has deeply shaped my thinking. When I learned he had turned his gaze to the inventor of seltzer, I was equally concerned and excited. Concerned that IRead More →
The most well known character who will appear in my book is undoubtedly that of Joseph Priestley. His memory is kept alive in a variety of circles – by scientists, by Unitarians – but his memory is being recast by Steven Johnson in his new book, The Invention of AirRead More →
Below is a great email I recently received: My paternal grandfather, Benjamin Letowsky, owned a seltzer route in Brooklyn from the 1930s to the mid-1940s. My uncle, Jack Letowsky followed in his footsteps and probably was in business until mid-1950s. I recall that their truck was their pride. The seltzerRead More →
This week I spoke at North Shore Synagogue, in Syosset, Long Island. My sister was gracious enough to to film the event with a handheld. The video comes in multiple sections, so as one part ends the next will begin. It is around 40 minutes. It will look better onRead More →
I don’t know if I agree with the core premise of the article – seltzer is on the rise – but I did enjoy speaking with the reporter. He did a nice job reworking the history I shared into his article. Seltzer: The Next Big Soft Drink? December 17, 2007Read More →
I have barely touched this blog, podcast, nor my book since my precious son, Akiva, was born on May 5, 2007. Yet today I was contacted by a magazine for “a seltzer quote,” received a lovely email (below) from a self-defined seltzerman and, to my amazement, am giving the followingRead More →
I got an email today that I enjoyed and though I would pass on: I found your website – not sure if i have any stories but i was a seltzerman – a real one – my family started in Asbury Park NJ – 1906 – we filled and distributedRead More →
John Matthews is the Brit who brought to New York the secrets of mass producing seltzer, inaugurating the industrial age of carbonated water. I had heard that he was buried in Brooklyn’s famous Greenwood Cemetery and that the site was decorated with some etchings related to seltzer production. This fallRead More →