Overview

Bread: A Global History is an innovative mix of traditional history, cultural history, travelogue and cookbook. William Rubel begins with the probable invention of bread in the Fertile Crescent approximately 20,000 years ago and ends by speculating on the ways in which cultural forces and advances in biotechnology may influence the development of bread in the twenty first century.

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9781861898548

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Reviews

Through Rubel's eyes, this seemingly simply category of food--a side to any dish and vehicle for any topping--tells a cultural history of humans from the center of the table. . . . Rubel clearly has a deep fascination for the world of bread, and will give a taste of that same fascination to readers./i><br><br>--Abi Stokes Newcity

In discussing bread one can find oneself talking about some of the largest issues of history and society, as William Rubel notes in his sprightly primer . . . [he] is well versed in early history and archaeology . . . engaging as well as controversial. * <i>Wall Street Journal</i> * Through Rubel’s eyes, this seemingly simple category of food - a side to any dish and vehicle for any topping - tells a cultural history of humans from the center of the table . . . Rubel clearly has a deep fascination for the world of bread, and will give a taste of that same fascination to readers. * <i>New City Lit</i> * A cute 150 page history of baking, from Mesopotamia to the present. I'd put it around National Geographic magazine in terms of how entertaining and scholarly it is. Somewhere in the middle, neither too light nor total fluff. * <i>The Fresh Loaf</i> * Bread: A Global History is an informative and light-hearted book about our staff of life. The book is slender to the hand, but packed with history, facts, and stories . . . fascinating * <i>In Mama&#39s Kitchen</i> * The Edible Series contains some of the most delicious nuggets of food and drink history ever. Every volume is such a fascinating and succinct read that I had to devour each in just a single sitting . . . food writing at its best! * Ken Hom, chef and author &#8232&#8232 * These are food memoirs, salacious and exotic, colorful, powdered, sweet, greasy and globe-trotting . . . sharp and speedy little reads, spotted with off-kilter illustrations * <i>Chicago Tribune</i> *

'In discussing bread one can find oneself talking about some of the largest issues of history and society, as William Rubel notes in his sprightly primer ... [he] is well versed in early history and archaeology ... engaging as well as controversial.' - Wall Street Journal 'Through Rubel's eyes, this seemingly simple category of food - a side to any dish and vehicle for any topping - tells a cultural history of humans from the center of the table ... Rubel clearly has a deep fascination for the world of bread, and will give a taste of that same fascination to readers.' - New City Lit 'A cute 150 page history of baking, from Mesopotamia to the present. I'd put it around National Geographic magazine in terms of how entertaining and scholarly it is. Somewhere in the middle, neither too light nor total fluff.' - The Fresh Loaf 'Bread: A Global History is an informative and light-hearted book about our staff of life. The book is slender to the hand, but packed with history, facts, and stories ... fascinating' - In Mama's Kitchen 'The Edible Series contains some of the most delicious nuggets of food and drink &#8232;history ever. Every volume is such a fascinating and succinct read that I had to devour each in just a single sitting ... food writing at its best!' - Ken Hom, chef and author &#8232;&#8232; 'These are food memoirs, salacious and exotic, colorful, powdered, sweet, greasy and globe-trotting ... sharp and speedy little reads, spotted with off-kilter illustrations' &#8232; - Chicago Tribune

'In discussing bread one can find oneself talking about some of the largest issues of history and society, as William Rubel notes in his sprightly primer ... [he] is well versed in early history and archaeology ... engaging as well as controversial.' - Wall Street Journal 'Through Rubel's eyes, this seemingly simple category of food - a side to any dish and vehicle for any topping - tells a cultural history of humans from the center of the table ... Rubel clearly has a deep fascination for the world of bread, and will give a taste of that same fascination to readers.' - New City Lit 'A cute 150 page history of baking, from Mesopotamia to the present. I'd put it around National Geographic magazine in terms of how entertaining and scholarly it is. Somewhere in the middle, neither too light nor total fluff.' - The Fresh Loaf 'Bread: A Global History is an informative and light-hearted book about our staff of life. The book is slender to the hand, but packed with history, facts, and stories ... fascinating' - In Mama's Kitchen 'The Edible Series contains some of the most delicious nuggets of food and drink ⠨history ever. Every volume is such a fascinating and succinct read that I had to devour each in just a single sitting ... food writing at its best!' - Ken Hom, chef and author ⠨⠨ 'These are food memoirs, salacious and exotic, colorful, powdered, sweet, greasy and globe-trotting ... sharp and speedy little reads, spotted with off-kilter illustrations' ⠨ - Chicago Tribune

'In discussing bread one can ""find oneself talking about some of the largest issues of history and society,"" as William Rubel notes in his sprightly primer ... [he] is well versed in early history and archaeology ... engaging as well as controversial.' - Wall Street Journal 'Through Rubel's eyes, this seemingly simple category of food - a side to any dish and vehicle for any topping - tells a cultural history of humans from the center of the table ... Rubel clearly has a deep fascination for the world of bread, and will give a taste of that same fascination to readers.' - New City Lit 'A cute 150 page history of baking, from Mesopotamia to the present. I'd put it around National Geographic magazine in terms of how entertaining and scholarly it is. Somewhere in the middle, neither too light nor total fluff.' - The Fresh Loaf 'Bread: A Global History is an informative and light-hearted book about our staff of life. The book is slender to the hand, but packed with history, facts, and stories ... fascinating' - In Mama's Kitchen 'The Edible Series contains some of the most delicious nuggets of food and drink 
history ever. Every volume is such a fascinating and succinct read that I had to devour each in just a single sitting ... food writing at its best!' - Ken Hom, chef and author 

 'These are food memoirs, salacious and exotic, colorful, powdered, sweet, greasy and globe-trotting ... sharp and speedy little reads, spotted with off-kilter illustrations' 
 - Chicago Tribune

Author Information

William Rubel is a freelance food historian and the author of The Magic of Fire: Cooking on the Open Hearth (2002).

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