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jwsg's review
3.0
Visser's The Rituals of Dinner is definitely one of the most scholarly works I've read on food and eating. It is, quite simply, a sweeping survey of the rules and customs that govern our behaviour at the table - from why we have rituals and customs in the first place, the different rules that govern what we eat, when we eat, how we eat, with whom we eat, etc. It's challenging to give a sense of how broad the scope of Visser's book is; it's all in here - from cannibalism to chopsticks, carving (that section was a great deal of fun to read) to vomiting, the dinner service to the dinner sequence.
At 357 pages, it took me a while to make it through the book. The scholarly approach makes it heavy going in some parts but the book is scattered with interesting nuggets that make the journey worthwhile. Like: "for much of history, scent was thought essential to festivity (partly but by no means entirely because crowds of people quickly smell rank), and incense and perfume were especially appreciated at dinner. Ancient Egyptian frescoes show us dinner guests with large cones of scented fat fixed to the tops of their heads; these were designed to melt during the feast, and drizzle deliciously down over the diners' faces and bodies" (!!)
Or: "Confusing as it seems to us at first sight, the words "host" and "guest" originally mean the same thing. They both derive from Indo-European ghosts, "stranger". This is the origin of the Latin hosts, which meant "stranger" and therefore "enemy"; from it English derives the word "hostile"...What this single term refers to is not so much the individual people, the host and the guest, as the bond that unites them"
Or: "The phrase "pot luck" was originally used when inviting someone to a very informal family dinner, on the spur of the moment. The visitor was to expect nothing specially prepared, but only what the family would have eaten that day in any case. The guest's "luck" lay in what day he or she happened to arrive and what meal had been prepared for the family. The phrase has changed its meaning with the increasing popularity of meals or parties where the guests come with contributions of food: the "luck" now lies in the uncertainty about what everyone will bring"
For anyone who's interested in a more substantive look at the food we eat and the culture surrounding it.
At 357 pages, it took me a while to make it through the book. The scholarly approach makes it heavy going in some parts but the book is scattered with interesting nuggets that make the journey worthwhile. Like: "for much of history, scent was thought essential to festivity (partly but by no means entirely because crowds of people quickly smell rank), and incense and perfume were especially appreciated at dinner. Ancient Egyptian frescoes show us dinner guests with large cones of scented fat fixed to the tops of their heads; these were designed to melt during the feast, and drizzle deliciously down over the diners' faces and bodies" (!!)
Or: "Confusing as it seems to us at first sight, the words "host" and "guest" originally mean the same thing. They both derive from Indo-European ghosts, "stranger". This is the origin of the Latin hosts, which meant "stranger" and therefore "enemy"; from it English derives the word "hostile"...What this single term refers to is not so much the individual people, the host and the guest, as the bond that unites them"
Or: "The phrase "pot luck" was originally used when inviting someone to a very informal family dinner, on the spur of the moment. The visitor was to expect nothing specially prepared, but only what the family would have eaten that day in any case. The guest's "luck" lay in what day he or she happened to arrive and what meal had been prepared for the family. The phrase has changed its meaning with the increasing popularity of meals or parties where the guests come with contributions of food: the "luck" now lies in the uncertainty about what everyone will bring"
For anyone who's interested in a more substantive look at the food we eat and the culture surrounding it.
melissamenefee's review against another edition
This isn't bad but it's just a bit dense and I wasn't in the mood for it.
rlse's review
3.0
Well, at least I’m consistent. Apparently I read this 6 years ago, likely from the Denver library (miss ya, DPL!). Then, when on a delightful shopping trip with my college roomie (stay tasty, Penzey’s!) we patronized Mager’s & Quinn, with an irresistible bargain book wall. I figured for $1 this seemed right up my alley. Hopefully my memory of having read this will stick this time.
nclar17's review
I feel like I'm reading just a list of facts strung together rather than a compelling narrative. I'll probably come back and finish it. But I'd love if it had a bit more pazaz.
lizahl's review
4.0
The detail is very rich -- I dipped in and out of this book over a really long period of time, but it wasn't a problem!
arfserra's review
4.0
Exactly my kind of book. It takes one aspect of our lives and dissects it, comparing current beliefs and practices with other cultures and times. What I learned: culture is weird :)
What I didn't like: sometimes the author repeats herself and the ending was quite abrupt.
What I didn't like: sometimes the author repeats herself and the ending was quite abrupt.
mrdavid205's review
5.0
I was fascinated throughout this book which I appropriately digested in bite size pieces every evening. Every page contained at least one piece of information that surprised me and the writing was engaging making dining and food a subject that constantly interested me even as the information became more and more in depth. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book but don't wolf it down in one sitting as it may give you mental indigestion!!