Reddit reviews The Trial: A History, from Socrates to O. J. Simpson
We found 2 Reddit comments about The Trial: A History, from Socrates to O. J. Simpson. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
A book called "A History of the World in Six Glasses" explores the roles that beer, wine, distilled spirits, tea, coffee, and water played throughout history.
In the chapter on coffee, the author describes a period when Muslims were debating whether or not coffee should be outlawed due to the mind-altering effect of caffeine (as with alcohol). They literally had a trial in which they placed a vessel of coffee on the "stand" to be judged. Eventually, it was decided that coffee was innocent as its effect on the body could be comparable to that of spicy food.
Side note: From an interview on NPR with another author, apparently it has been common throughout history for animals and inanimate objects to be tried for crimes. For instance, a man was being tried for bestiality with a pig. They judged whether or not the pig should be punished for immorality but ultimately decided that it was innocent and let it go.
The author's book is "The Trial: A History, from Socrates to O.J. Simpson". I haven't read it, but it sounded interesting from the interview.
It's worthwhile to read The Trial, especially the part about the satanic panic of the 80's. Teachers were persecuted because 4 and 5 year olds said they'd been molested in a tunnel under the school, among other absurdities. https://www.amazon.com/Trial-History-Socrates-Simpson/dp/0375505504