 No need to take this with a pinch of salt!
Review of Salt: A World History - Mark Kurlansky by
JVL
Advantages: Well-researched and well-written - a fascinating read
Disadvantages: None that I can think of
Mark Kurlansky seems to delight in devoting himself to subjects that other authors shy away from - how else can you explain his eclectic choice of subject matter that ranges from the social history of various European peoples (The Chosen Few: The Resurrection of European Jewry; The Basque History of the World) to the role that cod has played down the centuries (Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World)? However, on closer inspection the ...
...Basques, who live in close proximity to the Atlantic, were and are a people renowned for their proud history of deep-sea fishing, and Altantic cod has been a mainstay of the European diet for centuries... but without the use of salt to preserve fish, this simply would not have been the case. It therefore seems perfectly logical for Kurlansky to turn his attention to something that is now ubiquitous, but was once considered the preserve of the privileged ...
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14.11.2008
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Feasts, folklore and a few interesting tales
Review of Stations of the Sun - Ronald Hutton by
Bryn_Pearson
Advantages: fascinating and informative
Disadvantages: niche interest
I should perhaps start by pointing out that 'Stations of the Sun' is not going to appeal to everyone. However, if social history, folklore or Paganism are your thing, then this is a must-read, as Hutton explores the nature and origins of seasonal celebration in the UK.
Thanks to James Frazer and his book 'The Golden Bough', aided and abetted by an assortment of other writers, there has been a belief for the last hundred years or so, that most of ...
...that ancient rite and ritual was represented by various traditional practises - fertility rites, human sacrifice and the like having been subverted into Maypole dancing and Bonfire night. It's a compelling idea, a romantic one, a deeply appealing one if you happen to be a Pagan, but is it reasonable?
Ronald Hutton is a Professor at Bristol University, and he crops up on TV with reasonable frequency. His book 'Stations of the Sun' explores very thoroughly ...
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