Synopses & Reviews
Food is at the center of life, and as such, it is a vital driver of cultural and political development. It is only recently that some societies have started to enjoy food security and year-long abundance. By asking why we choose to eat what we eat,
How Food Made History examines how this transition occurred, and why these developments have varied over time and between societies. Crucially, in demonstrating the centrality of food to human development, the book illuminates broader patterns of global history.
How Food Made History offers a wide-ranging overview of 5,000 years of global history, a period dominated by agriculture and urbanization. It traces the changing patterns of food production and consumption that have molded economic and social life and contributed fundamentally to the development of government and complex societies. The author also charts the changing technologies that have increased crop yields, enabled the industrial processing and preservation of food, and made possible trade and transportation. Higman places recent trends, such as the co-existence of abundance and famine, obesity and dieting, into historical context and provides a fresh understanding of the importance of food in world history for modern readers.
Review
‘
How Food Made History is a magisterial work. Using an impressive array of sources, Higman situates the 20
th-century green revolution within the context of the agricultural revolution that occurred in prehistory and offers surprising insights into our relationship with the natural world. This book argues convincingly that our food choices today remain remarkably similar to those that faced our distant forebears. A must-read for anyone interested in the larger history of food.’
—Darra Goldstein, Editor in Chief, Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture
‘Higman has done an admirable job of synthesizing a vast array of material into a readable account spanning millennia… a very impressive book and an enjoyable read.’
—Rebecca Earle, University of Warwick
‘A fascinating history of food but more as well: an exploration of how human beings have interacted with and affected their environment in trying to obtain enough to eat as well as seeking pleasure and variety.’
—Paul Freedman, Yale University
Review
“Professor Higman has written extensively on the social and economic history of the Caribbean but this present work covers a much broader canvas . . . That said, this is an excellent short introduction for the general reader.”
(BBC History Magazine, 1 October 2012)
Review
“. . . an excellent short introduction for the general reader.”
(BBC History Magazine, 1 October 2012)
Synopsis
Covering 5,000 years of global history,
How Food Made History traces the changing patterns of food production and consumption that have molded economic and social life and contributed fundamentally to the development of government and complex societies.
- Charts the changing technologies that have increased crop yields, enabled the industrial processing and preservation of food, and made transportation possible over great distances
- Considers social attitudes towards food, religious prohibitions, health and nutrition, and the politics of distribution
- Offers a fresh understanding of world history through the discussion of food
About the Author
B. W. Higman is Emeritus Professor of the Australian National University and Emeritus Professor of the University of the West Indies. He has published several books on the history of slavery and the social and economic history of the Caribbean. He has taught courses on world food history, and is the author of Jamaican Food: History, Biology, Culture (2008).
Table of Contents
Illustrations viii
Preface ix
Prologue: Questions of choice? 1
References 5
1 The Creation of Food Worlds 7
Making the ancient world food map 8
The origins of domestication, agriculture, and urbanization 11
Food worlds at 5000 BP 15
Seven claims 29
References 31
2 Genetics and Geography 35
Genetic modification, ancient and modern 36
Prohibitions and taboos 43
Geographical redistribution 47
Three claims 53
References 53
3 Forest, Farm, Factory 57
Forest gardens 58
Crop farming landscapes 62
Industrialized agriculture 70
Five claims 77
References 78
4 Hunting, Herding, Fishing 81
Hunting 83
Herding 91
Fishing 94
Two claims 100
References 100
5 Preservation and Processing 103
Ancient preservation 103
Ancient processing 106
Modern milling 108
Packaging 111
Freezing and chilling 112
Milk, butter, yoghurt, and cheese 115
Three claims 123
References 123
6 Trade 125
Ancient trades 126
Modern trades 131
The global supermarket 136
Two claims 140
References 141
7 Cooking, Class, and Consumption 143
Cooks 143
Cooking 146
Eating places 149
Meals and mealtimes 156
References 158
8 National, Regional, and Global Cuisines 161
Cuisine, high and low 164
The origins of cuisines 168
Megaregions and pan-ethnicity 182
Global foods 185
Three claims and counterclaims 188
References 188
9 Eating Well, Eating Badly 191
Nutrition and diet 191
Stature 195
Obesity 199
Dieting 203
Denial 204
Vegetarianism 207
References 211
10 Starving 215
Famine 217
Famine foods 224
Survival strategies 226
Food aid 228
Impact 232
Two claims 234
References 235
Conclusion: Cornucopia or Pandora's Box? 237
References 241
Suggested Further Reading 243
Index 251