Why Food Matters (Why X Matters Series) - Hardcover

Freedman, Paul

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9780300253771: Why Food Matters (Why X Matters Series)

Synopsis

From the author of Ten Restaurants That Changed America, an exploration of food’s cultural importance and its crucial role throughout human history

“A rich and fascinating narrative that reaches deep into the historical and cultural larder of societal experience, powerfully illustrating the myriad ways that food matters as an essential condiment for humanity.”—Danny Meyer, founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and Shake Shack

Why does food matter? Historically, food has not always been considered a serious subject on par with, for instance, a performance art like opera or a humanities discipline like philosophy. Necessity, ubiquity, and repetition contribute to the apparent banality of food, but these attributes don’t capture food’s emotional and cultural range, from the quotidian to the exquisite.
 
In this short, passionate book, Paul Freedman makes the case for food’s vital importance, stressing its crucial role in the evolution of human identity and human civilizations. Freedman presents a highly readable and illuminating account of food’s unique role in our lives. It is a way to express community and celebration, but it can also be divisive. This wide-ranging book is a must-read for food lovers and all those interested in how cultures and identities are formed and maintained.

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About the Author

Paul Freedman is Chester D. Tripp Professor of History at Yale University. He specializes in medieval social history, the history of Spain, comparative studies of the peasantry, trade in luxury products, and the history of cuisine.

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Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780300268089: Why Food Matters (Why X Matters Series)

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  0300268084 ISBN 13:  9780300268089
Publisher: Yale University Press, 2022
Softcover