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29th out of 60 books
—
5 voters
Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food
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...more
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...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
September 2nd 2003
by Free Press
(first published 2001)
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Trying to supplement my knowledge of food history for my Survey of Food History course this semester, I greatly enjoyed Fernandez-Armesto's account, which organizes the vast details of world food history into eight compelling categories:
1) The Invention of Cooking, arguably the "first revolution" of human eating and a key step in our evolution and survival
2) The Meaning of Eating, revealing how meals and specific foods were the first building blocks of cultures, traditions, taboos, mores, etc.
3...more
1) The Invention of Cooking, arguably the "first revolution" of human eating and a key step in our evolution and survival
2) The Meaning of Eating, revealing how meals and specific foods were the first building blocks of cultures, traditions, taboos, mores, etc.
3...more
Positives: rambly accounts of food history, ecology, cultural and political significance, etc. Lots of great anecdotes – mozzarella from water buffalos! The chocolate bar invented partially as a temperance object to keep people from drinking! (Which sent me lunging for the internet to find out how long it took someone to invent chocolate liqueur. My faith in humanity is sustained by learning that alcoholic chocolate beverages actually predate the chocolate bar by nearly two centuries. Priorities...more
In "Near a Thousand Tables, " acclaimed food historian Felipe Fernandez-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 r...more
I am really unsure of what to make of this book. It was not at all what I was expecting, but different expectations are my fault. As far as the history of food goes, FFA does a complete examination of our origins, evolution, idiosyncratic developments, and breakthroughs. A real strength of his historical approach is to break down the relationship between food and humans into revolutions. This is necessary, of course, by virtue of humans taking control of food and applying human knowledge to the...more
Jul 12, 2008
Angel
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
history,
foods-and-epicurious
I read this book back in 2003. Here is what I wrote in my journal at the time:
>>Finished reading Fernandez-Armesto's Near a Thousand Table. This history of food is a book to be savored; it is not fast paced, but it is a book with interesting content. The book is arranged on the basis of major revolutions in food history, but then we get to see how these revolutions affected human history. Some of these revolutions include the concept of cooking, the idea of eating as having ritualistic si...more
>>Finished reading Fernandez-Armesto's Near a Thousand Table. This history of food is a book to be savored; it is not fast paced, but it is a book with interesting content. The book is arranged on the basis of major revolutions in food history, but then we get to see how these revolutions affected human history. Some of these revolutions include the concept of cooking, the idea of eating as having ritualistic si...more
Exactly what the title says - an overview of the evolution of food, from gathering raw shellfish to the current 'Eat Local' movement. Fascinating and well-informed, with information on the cyclical fadism of vegetarianism (and its cultish offspring Veganism), innovations in cooking styles, preservation, transportation; the globalization of foodstuffs, and the false promises of 'healthier' alternatives (i.e. margarine, spirolina, and so on). Fascinating and worth reading
The history of food is endless, and authors on the subject all are bound to have a bias of taste based on the culture and cuisine that they find familiar. The author is frank about his preferences and seeks to be fairly balanced. The result is a breezy, superficial Cook's tour of cuisines in history.
Another great book by Fernandez-Armesto. If you like culture and contact history this book is for you. He is still pretentious in how he writes, but I find him amusing
Fernandez-Armesto argues for several major revolutions in the history of food: cooking itself (as distinct from the use of fire, he posits drying, salting, fermenting and other forms of preserving as integral forms of cooking), domestication, agriculture, "The Columbian Exchange," industrialization, and mass markets. He delights in describing idiosyncraic recepies, customs, and cross-cultural reports of cuisine. He doesn't stay entirely objective, but willingly and overtly inserts himself and hi...more
Despite its academic bona fides, this is an enjoyable book to read that constantly surprised me. Highly recommended.
Feb 08, 2010
Lisa
added it
I like to just read random sections of this book in no particular order. Easier going than "Milennium."
My one nitpick about it is that the words are very small. What is supposed to "only" be a 224 page book took me forever to read. Anyway, while the material can be a little dry at times the author does a good job in keeping it interesting. It is fun to read about how people used to eat in the olden days and how we as westerners, for the most part, have completely abandoned any sort of healthy or balanced diet. I recommend it to anyone that has an interest in seeing history through the lens of foo...more
Very interesting book.
Reads a lot like 1491, and very well researched. The font is small making it a bit of chore to get through.
Currently reading this book, the paperback version type is way to small. I brought on my trip to Sweden and couldn't focus on the small print for too long. So far the information is interesting, but not quite the writing style I enjoy reading.
Not done reading yet, so well see if it improves.
Not done reading yet, so well see if it improves.
I was enthusiastic about learning about the spread of different foods across the world and the book does have a lot of this information. But as I recall the book was pretty flat and kind of a struggle to get through.
Cultural history of cooking a food, the second-runner up winner to be my textbook for the food course.
Informative, but Fernandez-Armesto is sort of snooty and insufferable.
Totally interesting book on the history of food. I loved it.
Apr 05, 2007
Jerrod Stephan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone
Shelves:
culinarynon-fiction
It history meets food, how can you NOT love it?
This book is the ultimate appetizer.
Very interesting read.
Jun 14, 2013
Kd
marked it as to-read
Jun 13, 2013
Tenzin
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Jun 13, 2013
أمامة الجهمى
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Jun 10, 2013
Matt
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Jun 08, 2013
Anna
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Jun 06, 2013
Martin Earl
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Jun 03, 2013
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Jun 02, 2013
Tamela
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Born in 1950, Felipe Fernández-Armesto was raised in London by his Spanish born father and British born mother both active journalists. As a historian, he has written numerous books on a variety of subject from American History to the Spanish Armada. He currently serves as the Principe de Asturias Chair in Spanish Culture and Civilization at Tufts University and Professor of Global Environmental H...more
More about Felipe Fernández-Armesto...
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