| 50-5811 | GT2853 | 2012-32388 CIP | | Social & Behavioral Sciences History, Geography & Area Studies North America | | Wallach, Jennifer Jensen. How America eats: a social history of U.S. food and culture. Rowman & Littlefield, 2013. 240p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781442208742, $35.00; ISBN 9781442208759 e-book, $34.99. Reviewed in 2013jun CHOICE. | | This short but effective overview of US food history provides a synthesis of the growing scholarship about eating and culture. Beginning with Columbian-era practices and concluding with a discussion of contemporary health and environmental issues, Wallach (Univ. of North Texas) connects eating practices to multicultural influences and contextualizes food culture as part of larger US trends. Included are explanations of formerly popular dishes and well-crafted descriptions of who prepared food and the methods they used. A review of technological changes that altered consumption includes examples from well-known food historians such as Harvey Levenstein (e.g., Fear of Food, CH, Nov’12, 50-1434). While the book is organized chronologically and somewhat thematically, transitioning through large periods of US history creates slight organizational confusion. However, the discussions of ethnic food practices as critical elements that shaped eating habits will help introduce students to more detailed works, such as those by Donna Gabbacia (e.g., We Are What We Eat, 1998) and Andrew Coe (e.g., Chop Suey, CH, May’10, 47-5209). The Notes on Sources section instead of specific notes is unfortunate for those interested in further information, but this book is a fine introduction for students curious about food culture and consumption. Summing Up: Recommended. Most public and undergraduate levels/libraries. — M. E. Birk, University of Texas Pan American |
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