Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780743227407)

In Near a Thousand Tables, acclaimed food historian Felipe Fern疣dez-Armesto tells the fascinating story of food as cultural as well as culinary history -- a window on the history of mankind.
In this "appetizingly provocative" (Los Angeles Times) book, he guides readers through the eight great revolutions in the world history of food: the origins of cooking, which set humankind on a course apart from other species; the ritualization of eating, which brought magic and meaning into people's relationship with what they ate; the inception of herding and the invention of agriculture, perhaps the two greatest revolutions of all; the rise of inequality, which led to the development of haute cuisine; the long-range trade in food which, practically alone, broke down cultural barriers; the ecological exchanges, which revolutionized the global distribution of plants and livestock; and, finally, the industrialization and globalization of mass-produced food.
From prehistoric snail "herding" to Roman banquets to Big Macs to genetically modified tomatoes, Near a Thousand Tables is a full-course meal of extraordinary narrative, brilliant insight, and fascinating explorations that will satisfy the hungriest of readers.

Author: Felipe Fernandez-Armesto
ISBN-10: 0743227409
ISBN-13: 9780743227407
Publisher: Free Press
Language: English
Published: 09/02/2003
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.56lbs
Size: 8.42h x 5.70w x 0.68d

Review Citation(s):
New York Times 08/31/2003 pg. 16