The Rituals of Dinner : The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities, and Meaning of Table Manners

"The book progresses like a feast. Read it, because you'll never look at a table knife the same way again." 'The New York Times Book Review This award-winning work by Margaret Visser is a wry and remarkable exploration of the way we eat. Solidifying her standing as a preeminent observer and scholar of everyday life, Visser takes on the sweeping history of table manners, from the civilizations of ancient Greece and medieval Europe to the ancient Ainu people of Japan and the cannibalism of the South Pacific. She writes of the development of mealtime manners across societies, the surprising origins of tableware, and the many cultural idiosyncrasies that surround the preparation and consumption of food. Blending folklore, sociology, history, and humor, The Rituals of Dinner is a feast of beguiling fact and observation on the origins and evolution of one of our most primal rituals: the meal.;Cover Page; Praise for the Writing of Margaret Visser; Title Page; Dedication; Contents; 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.

A New York Times Notable Book: A renowned scholar explores the way we eat across cultures and throughout history. From the wild parties of ancient Greece to the strictures of an Upper East Side meal to the ritualistic feasts of cannibals, Margaret Visser takes us on a fascinating journey through the diverse practices, customs, and taboos that define how and why we prepare and consume food the way we do. With keen insights into small details we take for granted, such as the origins of forks and chopsticks or why tablecloths exist, and examinations of broader issues like the economic implications of dining etiquette, Visser scrutinizes table manners across eras and oceans, offering an intimate new understanding of eating both as a biological necessity and a cultural phenomenon. Witty and impeccably researched, The Rituals of Dinner is a captivating blend of folklore, sociology, history, and humor. In the words of the New York Times Book Review, “Read it, because you’ll never look at a table knife the same way again.”
 

?The book progresses like a feast. Read it, because you'll never look at a table knife the same way again.? {u2014}The New York Times Book Review This award-winning work by Margaret Visser is a wry and remarkable exploration of the way we eat. Solidifying her standing as a preeminent observer and scholar of everyday life, Visser takes on the sweeping history of table manners, from the civilizations of ancient Greece and medieval Europe to the ancient Ainu people of Japan and the cannibalism of the South Pacific. She writes of the development of mealtime manners across societies, the surprising origins of tableware, and the many cultural idiosyncrasies that surround the preparation and consumption of food. Blending folklore, sociology, history, and humor, The Rituals of Dinner is a feast of beguiling fact and observation on the origins and evolution of one of our most primal rituals: the meal Cover Page Praise for the Writing of Margaret Visser Title Page Dedication Contents 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 Gone5. No Offence Pollution The Rules and Regulations of the Mouth The Proprieties of Posture and Demeanour Postscript: How Rude Are We? References Bibliography Index Acknowledgements About the Author Copyright Page.