The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of a Sixteenth-Century Miller by Carol Ginzburg

[Sue]

I'm a little embarrassed to say I picked up this book based on the title and didn't read the description. I thought I was going to read about cheesemaking in the 16th century.

Imagine my surprise to find myself reading about The Inquisition questioning, torturing and eventually burning a heretic at the stake!

Menocchio, an Italian miller, had some religious ideas that ran counter to the Catholic church. It seems his whole town was familiar with these ideas, he tended to share them freely and argue his point of view. In the foreword the author makes the point that this behavior would be viewed as eccentric today. And honestly we all have the neighbor who we know is going to talk our ear off about their personal pet peeves.

It turns out the "cheese" from the title refers to Menocchio's idea that the world was created similarly to how cheese is made, and the worms are God, the angels and people who all feed on the cheese like worms. Odd but ultimately harmless ideas. He also believed the church was being run as a business, with priests, etc, getting rich off of everyone else - and once he came out with this stuff, he was accused of heresy by his local parish priest. Interestingly his case came after Martin Luther made similar claims about the running of the church, although Mennochio denied being a Lutheran.

[Booknblues]

The title is intriguing and I thought, "Oh, Sue, you always find the most interesting nonfiction books.

Even though it wasn't what you were expecting, I see you still gave it 4 stars.

[Sue]

I have to admit I'm often enticed by the titles. And I did end up enjoying the book. But the tone was very academic - not told in a narrative way at all, and a bit repetitive.

[Theresa]

Nothing wrong with being enticed by titles -- I am routinely seduced by jacket art and titles are a close 2nd. Usually works out too!