Intellectually engaging and deliciously readable, a stereotype-defying history of how one of the most recognisable symbols of Italian cuisine and national identity is the product of centuries of encounters, dialogue, and exchange.
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.
Review
“Illuminating… Suited for those with big appetites for knowledge, [A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce] is full of delicious details.”—Publishers Weekly
“The book is just the right length (128 pages), academic and an utterly fascinating discourse on food history.”—The Daily Beast
“Montanari’s research will delight readers and provide plenty of fodder for dinner-table discussion.”—Booklist
“A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce is so much more than the chronicle of a familiar, beloved dish. The book is an inquiry into culture, economics and society… This delightful book will inspire readers.”—BookTrib
“Montanari traces the unstoppable rise of what would become the most famous dish in the whole world.”—La Repubblica
“A learned, entertaining volume.”—Il Giornale
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.
Gregory Conti’s translations for Europa Editions include Alessandro Barbero’s The Eyes of Venice, Alberto Angela’s A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome, which was voted a Best Book of the Year by the Kansas City Star and became an Indie Bound bestseller.
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