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Title: In the Devil's Garden : A Sinful History of Forbidden Food by Stewart Lee Allen ISBN: 0-345-44016-1 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 04 March, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (4 reviews)
Rating: 1
Summary: Gruesome Food Facts
Comment: I have read about 3/4 of this book, and may not finish it. The gory details of cannibalism are interspersed throughout the book, including the description of infants and children being sold and prepared for consumption. While I understand that cannibalism and human sacrifice has been practiced in a number of cultures, it is not something I find humorous or entertaining to read about.
Rating: 5
Summary: Grand Unified Theory for Foodies
Comment: This book is an absolute must for the food enthusiast or the information junkie. More than just a food book, /In the Devil's Garden/ deals with how food /is/ culture- it argues that much of who we are and how we interact with one another has to do with what we do, and do not, eat. Allen is an excellent information gatherer, having delved into several hundred sources for his material; but more importantly, he is adept at the witty repackaging of that information, deftly filing everything under the aegises of the seven deadly sins. Allen's style is just conversational enough, neither dry nor condescending and very humorous-- perfect for the small-article format that comprises most of the sections of the book.
The content is almost overwhelmingly eclectic, drawing on scores (perhaps hundreds) of cultures. Allen reconciles many seemingly disparate facts and draws parallels between such subjects as the crunch volume of potato chips and the animal need to kill (!), all with consummate skill and grace. Be forewarned, the book is not necessarily a good lunchtime read; many of the sections deal with food-related illness or delicacies the Western palate finds unacceptable, and one or two of the little tidbits are downright nasty (vide the eating habits of St. Veronica). Buy this as a gift and you won't be able to part with it; get two.
Rating: 5
Summary: Very interesting
Comment: This is a unique look at the history of food: both funny and shocking, it shows the unbleievable ways what we eat has influenced history. It also gives a number of recipes that are quite unique. Its the kind of book you can stop and start on, a group of pieces, maybe 50, divided into "chapters" based on the seven Deadly Sins of Lust, Greed, Envy, Sloth. Mr. Allen is a very, very good writer and has found some amazing stories here and has a knack for boiling down extremely complicated historical events into enjoyable stories. He also appears to have done ann enormous amount of research into the subject.
Not your usual food book, I'd highly recommend it. For me, it really made me think twice about the meaning of what I eat. If you know a foodie friend that needs a gift, this is it.
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Title: The Devil's Cup : A History of the World According to Coffee by Stewart Lee Allen ISBN: 0345441494 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 04 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Food in History by Reay Tannahill ISBN: 0517884046 Publisher: Three Rivers Press Pub. Date: 10 May, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Dangerous Tastes: The Story of Spices by Andrew Dalby ISBN: 0520236742 Publisher: University of California Press Pub. Date: 07 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto ISBN: 0743226445 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 20 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: Culture of the Fork by Giovanni Rebora, Albert Sonnenfeld ISBN: 0231121504 Publisher: Columbia University Press Pub. Date: 15 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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