Near A Thousand Tables

Download or read book Near a Thousand Tables written by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2002-06-04 with total page 524 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Near a Thousand Tables, acclaimed food historian Felipe Fernández-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.

Download or read book Civilizations written by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2001-09-14 with total page 560 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Civilizations, Felipe Fernández-Armesto once again proves himself a brilliantly original historian, capable of large-minded and comprehensive works; here he redefines the subject that has fascinated historians from Thucydides to Gibbon to Spengler to Fernand Braudel: the nature of civilization. To Fernández-Armesto, a civilization is "civilized in direct proportion to its distance, its difference from the unmodified natural environment"...by its taming and warping of climate, geography, and ecology. The same impersonal forces that put an ocean between Africa and India, a river delta in Mesopotamia, or a 2,000-mile-long mountain range in South America have created the mold from which humanity has fashioned its own wildly differing cultures. In a grand tradition that is certain to evoke comparisons to the great historical taxonomies, each chapter of Civilizations connects the world of the ecologist and geographer to a panorama of cultural history. In Civilizations, the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is not merely a Christian allegory, but a testament to the thousand-year-long deforestation of the trees that once covered 90 percent of the European mainland. The Indian Ocean has served as the world's greatest trading highway for millennia not merely because of cultural imperatives, but because the regular monsoon winds blow one way in the summer and the other in the winter. In the words of the author, "Unlike previous attempts to write the comparative history of civilizations, it is arranged environment by environment, rather than period by period, or society by society." Thus, seventeen distinct habitats serve as jumping-off points for a series of brilliant set-piece comparisons; thus, tundra civilizations from Ice Age Europe are linked with the Inuit of the Pacific Northwest; and the Mississippi mound-builders and the deforesters of eleventh-century Europe are both understood as civilizations built on woodlands. Here, of course, are the familiar riverine civilizations of Mesopotamia and China, of the Indus and the Nile; but also highland civilizations from the Inca to New Guinea; island cultures from Minoan Crete to Polynesia to Renaissance Venice; maritime civilizations of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea...even the Bushmen of Southern Africa are seen through a lens provided by the desert civilizations of Chaco Canyon. More, here are fascinating stories, brilliantly told -- of the voyages of Chinese admiral Chen Ho and Portuguese commodore Vasco da Gama, of the Great Khan and the Great Zimbabwe. Here are Hesiod's tract on maritime trade in the early Aegean and the most up-to-date genetics of seed crops. Erudite, wide-ranging, a work of dazzling scholarship written with extraordinary flair, Civilizations is a remarkable achievement...a tour de force by a brilliant scholar.

Download or read book Food written by Paul Freedman and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This richly illustrated book applies the discoveries of the new generation of food historians to the pleasures of dining and the culinary accomplishments of diverse civilizations, past and present. Freedman gathers essays by French, German, Belgian, American, and British historians to present a comprehensive, chronological history of taste.

Download or read book Kitchen Literacy written by Ann Vileisis and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2008-02 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ask children where food comes from, and they’ll probably answer: “the supermarket.” Ask most adults, and their replies may not be much different. Where our foods are raised and what happens to them between farm and supermarket shelf have become mysteries. How did we become so disconnected from the sources of our breads, beef, cheeses, cereal, apples, and countless other foods that nourish us every day? Ann Vileisis’s answer is a sensory-rich journey through the history of making dinner. Kitchen Literacy takes us from an eighteenth-century garden to today’s sleek supermarket aisles, and eventually to farmer’s markets that are now enjoying a resurgence. Vileisis chronicles profound changes in how American cooks have considered their foods over two centuries and delivers a powerful statement: what we don’t know could hurt us. As the distance between farm and table grew, we went from knowing particular places and specific stories behind our foods’ origins to instead relying on advertisers’ claims. The woman who raised, plucked, and cooked her own chicken knew its entire life history while today most of us have no idea whether hormones were fed to our poultry. Industrialized eating is undeniably convenient, but it has also created health and environmental problems, including food-borne pathogens, toxic pesticides, and pollution from factory farms. Though the hidden costs of modern meals can be high, Vileisis shows that greater understanding can lead consumers to healthier and more sustainable choices. Revealing how knowledge of our food has been lost and how it might now be regained, Kitchen Literacy promises to make us think differently about what we eat.

Download or read book Understanding Human History written by Michael H. Hart and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth written by William Wordsworth and published by . This book was released on 1895 with total page 1020 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Poetry, Plays, Literary Essays, Lectures, Autobiography and Letters (Classic Illustrated Edition) written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2024-01-05 with total page 6031 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Poetry, Plays, Literary Essays, Lectures, Autobiography and Letters (Classic Illustrated Edition) captures the essence of Coleridge's prolific literary career in one comprehensive volume. This collection showcases the vast range of his talents, from his iconic poems like 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' to his insightful literary essays and thought-provoking lectures. Coleridge's unique blend of imagination and intellect is evident throughout his works, making this book an essential read for those interested in Romantic literature. The rich language and depth of themes in his poetry and plays set him apart as a master of the craft, influencing generations of writers to come.Samuel Taylor Coleridges profound understanding of human emotions and the natural world is reflected in his extensive body of work. His personal struggles and spiritual journey are intricately woven into his writings, offering readers a glimpse into the mind of a complex and visionary poet. The inclusion of his autobiography and letters provides further insights into the man behind the words, adding layers of depth to his already compelling literary legacy.I highly recommend The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge to anyone passionate about poetry, literature, and Romanticism. This collection not only showcases Coleridge's genius but also serves as a timeless reminder of the power of words to resonate with the human soul. Dive into this classic edition to immerse yourself in the world of one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era.