Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Strange Foods: Bush Meat, Bats, and Butterflies: An Epicurean Adventure Around the World by Jerry Hopkins, Michael Freeman ISBN: 9625931546 Publisher: Periplus Editions Pub. Date: 1999 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.89
Rating: 4
Summary: Broadening one's horizons
Comment: Jerry Hopkins offers a glimpse into the wonderful world (universe really) of truly exotic foods, ranging the stinky fruit durian, which he refers to at one point as being like eating ice cream in an outhouse, to rats (not consumed often enough as far as I'm concerned) to even his son's placenta, which the author warns you to de-vein if you are to serve to party guests.
My only complaint, and it is a slight one, is that the book seems to be a little too concentrated on the cuisine and customs of Southeast Asia, which is somewhat understandable give the fact that Hopkins resides in Bangkok. However, I would have liked to seen some more information on Gamle Ole or the maggot cheese which is consumed in Sardinia, or hakarl (Greenlandic Shark).
Rating: 3
Summary: Have a meal on the wild side...
Comment: Strange Foods is a fascinating investigation of foods that are unpalatable to westerners. It'd be a real treasure, but it is beset by both factual and writing errors.
One caveat: this is NOT a book for the squeamish - not only does Hopkins discuss, in great detail, the consumption of things like gorillas, insects, and endangered species, but Michael Freeman provides full-color, often full-page photos of nearly every food item in the book. If the text doesn't turn your stomach, at least a few of the pictures will.
The errors will also turn some stomachs, mostly those belonging to writers and scientists. The book is full of non-sentences and in some places seems entirely unedited; I found an average of four errors on each page, and I wasn't reading for mistakes. Hopkins' convoluted sentence construction and affinity for fragments makes for truly eye-watering reading at times. Although the factual errors were less prevalent, they were present, and in some ways they were even worse than the writing.
Also, there are areas where Hopkins carefully skirts the issues behind his culinary experiments; he's determinedly neutral on environmental and species-preservation issues. I imagine his stances would really irritate a committed environmentalist - the section on whales, for example, might raise a few WWF eyebrows, as would the section on bush meat (primates).
Still, the book is worth a read, even for people (like me) who are unlikely ever to try any of the foods mentioned. It's always good to see how the other half lives, and eating is a huge part of that. For world travelers, too, it is handy to know beforehand what to expect; those who read this book will be fully prepared for strange dietary preferences, no matter where in the world they go. I don't consider this book useful as a reference source (because of the errors), but it is entertaining. On the whole, Strange Foods isn't worth the cover price - check it out of the library or buy it used - but it is worth the time it takes to read it.
Rating: 4
Summary: expand your horizons
Comment: This book is written for the travelers of life, not the tourists. I found it to be full of fascinating information on the culinary habits of other cultures.
Although "multi-culturalism" is such a buzzword in America these days, few actually mean it. They actually want everyone to behave like spoiled, "politically correct" urban dwellers. This book is a refreshing change from that numbingly dull mindset.
The author seems like someone who truly respects other cultures...even if that means eating whales, dogs and other politically incorrect critters. He is sensitive about the environment, but will put your own cultural prejudices to the test.
I would have rated it higher but the biological misinformation that popped up throughout the book could be distracting. Calling "dirt" inorganic is just sloppy writing.
But, all in all, this is a fine book. I would suggest it to travelers, food lovers, hunters, biophiliacs and anyone else looking for a walk on the wild side.
 |
Title: Unmentionable Cuisine by Calvin W. Schwabe ISBN: 0813911621 Publisher: University Press of Virginia Pub. Date: 1988 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
 |
Title: Creepy Crawly Cuisine: The Gourmet Guide to Edible Insects by Julieta Ramos-Elorduy, Peter Menzel ISBN: 089281747X Publisher: Park Street Pr Pub. Date: 1998 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
 |
Title: Eat-A-Bug Cookbook by David George Gordon ISBN: 0898159776 Publisher: Ten Speed Press Pub. Date: 1998 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
 |
Title: Man Eating Bugs: The Art and Science of Eating Insects by Peter Menzel, Faith D'Aluisio ISBN: 1580080227 Publisher: Ten Speed Press Pub. Date: 1998 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
 |
Title: Curiosities of Food: Or the Dainties and Delicacies of Different Nations Obtained from the Animal Kingdom by Peter Lund Simmonds, Alan Davidson ISBN: 1580082971 Publisher: Ten Speed Press Pub. Date: 2001 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
