With an acute eye and an irrepressible wit, Margaret Visser takes a fascinating look at the way we eat our meals. From the ancient Greeks to modern yuppies, from cannibalism and the taking of the Eucharist to formal dinners and picnics, she thoroughly defines the eating ritual. ""Read this book.
You'll never look at a table knife the same way again.""-The New York Times.
By:
Margaret Visser
Imprint: Penguin
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: New edition
Dimensions:
Height: 210mm,
Width: 139mm,
Spine: 29mm
Weight: 497g
ISBN: 9780140170795
ISBN 10: 0140170790
Pages: 448
Publication Date: 01 July 1992
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction 1. Behaving The Artificial Cannibal Ritual Feasting and Sacrifice 2. Learning to Behave Bringing Children Up Inhibitions Aspirations 3. The Pleasure of Your Company Company Hosts and Guests Invitations Coming Right In Taking Our Places 4. Dinner is Served The First Bite Taking Note of Our Surroundings The Prospect Before Us Fingers Chopsticks Knives, Forks, Spoons Sequence Helpings Carving The Red, the White, and the Gold Table Talk Feeding, Feasts, and Females All Gone 5. No Offence Pollution The Rules and Regulation of the Mouth The Proprieties of Posture and Demeanour Postscript: How Rude Are We? References Bibliography Index
Reviews for The Rituals of Dinner: The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities And Meaning of Table Manners
As second course to Much Depends On Dinner which won Visser the Glenfiddich Award in 1990, this history of mankind's dining habits and frequently questionable table manners is enthralling. Beginning with the ancient Greeks she covers such subjects as 'Squatting', 'Stooping', 'Straws, drinking', 'Tastes, from someone else's plate', 'Tendret, Lucien', 'Urging others to eat' and 'Throwing food and drink'. (Kirkus UK)
