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.