<div>A &ldquo;funny and fascinating&rdquo; cultural history about one of our favorite pastimes: eating (The Village Voice). This is a delightful and intelligent look at the food we eat, with a cornucopia of incredible details about the ways we do it. Presented like a meal, each chapter of Since Eve Ate Apples Much Depends on Dinner represents a different course or garnish, which Margaret Visser handpicks from the most ordinary American dinner: among them corn on the cob with butter and salt, roast chicken with rice, salad dressed in lemon juice and olive oil, and ice cream. Visser tells the story behind each of these foods and in the course of her inquiries reveals some unexpected treats: the history of Corn Flakes; the secret behind the more dissatisfactory California olives (they&rsquo;re picked green, chemically blackened, and sterilized); and the fact that, in Africa, citrus fruits are eaten whole, rind and all. For food lovers of all kinds, unexpectedly entertaining book is a treasure of information from the author of the New York Times Notable Book The Rituals of Dinner. &ldquo;Rich in surprising facts, unexpected connections, and a well-documented outrage at what modern technology and agribusiness have done to purity and quality . . . A remarkable amount of information [presented] seamlessly and entertainingly.&rdquo; &mdash;Library Journal</div>

Since Eve Ate Apples Much Depends on Dinner

<div>&ldquo;A scholarly, many-angled examination of what gratitude is and how it functions in our lives&rdquo; from the bestselling author of The Rituals of Dinner (The New York Times). Known as an &ldquo;anthropologist of everyday life,&rdquo; Margaret Visser has won numerous awards for illuminating the unexpected meanings of everyday objects and rituals. Now she turns her keen eye to another custom so ubiquitous that it often escapes notice: saying &ldquo;Thank you.&rdquo; What do we really mean by these two simple words? This fascinating inquiry into all aspects of gratitude explores such topics as the unyielding determination of parents to teach their children to thank; the difference between speaking the words and feeling them; and the ways different cultures handle the complex matters of giving, receiving, and returning favors and presents. Visser elucidates the fundamental opposition in our own culture between gift-giving and commodity exchange, as well as the similarities between gratitude and its opposite, vengefulness. The Gift of Thanks considers cultural history, including the modern battle of social scientists to pin down the notion of thankfulness and account for it, and the newly awakened scientific interest in the biological and evolutionary roots of emotions. With characteristic wit and erudition, Visser once again reveals the extraordinary in the everyday. &ldquo;An anthropological and philosophical account of how and why we give thanks. . . . All delivered in elegant, clear prose. A book to be thankful for&mdash;sympathetic to human foible, deeply learned and a pleasure to read.&rdquo; &mdash;Kirkus Reviews &ldquo;A delightful and graceful gift of a book, for which any fortunate recipient will be thankful.&rdquo; &mdash;Publishers Weekly</div>

The Gift of Thanks

<div>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, &ldquo;Read it, because you&rsquo;ll never look at a table knife the same way again.&rdquo; </div>

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The Rituals of Dinner

<div>A &ldquo;delightful&rdquo; tour of Rome&rsquo;s St. Agnes Outside the Walls, examining the stories, rituals, and architecture of this seventeen-hundred-year-old building (The Christian Science Monitor). In The Geometry of Love, acclaimed author Margaret Visser, the preeminent &ldquo;anthropologist of everyday life,&rdquo; takes on the living history of the ancient church of St. Agnes. Examining every facet of the building, from windows to catacombs, Visser takes readers on a mesmerizing tour of the old church, covering its social, political, religious, and architectural history. In so doing, she illuminates not only the church&rsquo;s evolution but also its religious legacy in our modern lives. Written as an antidote to the usual dry and traditional studies of European churches, The Geometry of Love is infused with Visser&rsquo;s unmatched warmth and wit, celebrating the remarkable ways that one building can reveal so much about our history and ourselves.</div>

The Geometry of Love

<div>The beloved and bestselling &ldquo;anthropologist of everyday life&rdquo; turns her witty and insightful gaze to the oddities of living in our modern world Over the course of her time as a contributor and editor for Saturday Night magazine&mdash;a span during which she published her award-winning book The Rituals of Dinner&mdash;Margaret Visser specialized in thought-provoking columns capable of turning the banal into the extraordinary. From high heels to showers to the metamorphosis of Santa Claus, these essays span an eclectic and engrossing range of topics perfect for Visser fans and newcomers alike. With academic rigor and a warm narrative style, she takes commonplace facets of everyday life&mdash;crossword puzzles, fireplaces, paid time off&mdash;and digs into their peculiar origins and surprising social legacies. In examining some of the most ordinary elements of life, Visser sorts through historical facts and cultural implications to reveal the hidden assumptions behind our modern behavior.</div>

Margaret Visser
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Books By Margaret Visser (5 Books)

Since Eve Ate Apples Much Depends on Dinner

The Gift of Thanks

The Rituals of Dinner

The Geometry of Love

The Way We Are

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© 2024 OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

Margaret VisserFollow this author

Books By Margaret Visser (5 Books)

Since Eve Ate Apples Much Depends on Dinner

The Gift of Thanks

The Rituals of Dinner

The Geometry of Love

The Way We Are

RELATED POSTS ABOUT MARGARET VISSER

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More from

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© 2024 OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

Margaret Visser
Follow this author