God's Banquet: Food in Classical Arabic Literature

by G.J.H. Van Gelder

Exploring the important linkage between food and literature in Arabic culture, Van Gelder (Arabic, U. of Oxford) examines a variety of classical Arabic texts, tracing the ways that discussions of food arise in pieces such as the Koran, pre-Islamic poetry, and the Thousand and one Nights . He argues that food may act as a marker for many different things, including time, place, gender, character, or religion, and can be a metaphor, symbol, or allusion. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

178 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2000