Short & Satisfying Book Club: Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

117 S. Pineapple Ave.,Sarasota FL 34236

18 January, 2023

Description

The Short and Satisfying Book Club is for those looking for a shorter read that is ripe for discussion. January’s selection, A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce, is an intellectually engaging and deliciously readable, stereotype-defying history of how one of the most recognizable symbols of Italian cuisine and national identity is the product of centuries of encounters, dialogue, and exchange.We will meet in person at our store location at The Mark, 117 S. Pineapple Ave. The book club is $18 which includes a copy of A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce to be picked up at Bookstore1 any time before our meeting.About the book:Is it possible to identify a starting point in history from which everything else unfolds--a single moment that can explain the present and reveal the essence of our identities? According to Massimo Montanari, this is just a myth: by themselves, origins explain very little and historical phenomena can only be understood dynamically--by looking at how events and identities develop and change as a result of encounters and combinations that are often unexpected. As Montanari shows in this lively, brilliant, and surprising essay, all you need to debunk the "origins myth" is a plate of spaghetti. By tracing the history of the one of Italy's "national dishes"--from Asia to America, from Africa to Europe; from the beginning of agriculture to the Middle Ages and up to the 20th century--he shows that in order to understand who we are (our identity) we almost always need to look beyond ourselves to other cultures, peoples, and traditions. About the author:Massimo Montanari is Professor of Food History at the University of Bologna and one of Europe’s foremost scholars of the evolution of agriculture, landscape, food, and nutrition since the Middle Ages. His works have been translated into many languages across the globe. ............................................................................................................... All signed up and unable to go? Please let us know! Seating is limited and there may be people on our waitlist who would like to take your place. Please send an email to [email protected] ASAP and hopefully we'll see you next time. Click here to go to the Bookstore1Sarasota website.