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Spice The History of a Temptation Jack Turner 9780375707056 Books

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Spice The History of a Temptation Jack Turner 9780375707056 Books

Biggest problem is the organization - I can't say I really understand it, most chapters had some unifying theme like religious use, sexuality, etc, but the way the chapters fit together is very disjointed. There are huge time jumps back and forth across continents. I learned a few interesting tidbits, but I couldn't stay interested. Sometimes it was so dense it seemed that any piece of information acquired was stuffed in no matter how useless it was to the story. If you super love spices go for it, if you want a nice microhistory this isn't it. Doesn't read well.


Tags : Spice: The History of a Temptation [Jack Turner] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. In this brilliant, engrossing work, Jack Turner explores an era—from ancient times through the Renaissance—when what we now consider common condiments were valued in gold and blood. Spices made sour medieval wines palatable,Jack Turner,Spice: The History of a Temptation,Vintage,0375707050,World,Cookery (Spices) - History,Cookery (Spices);History.,Cooking (Spices) - History,Spice trade - History,Spice trade;History.,Spices - History,Spices;History.,COOKERY,COOKING History,COOKING Specific Ingredients Herbs, Spices, Condiments,CookingHistory,CookingSpecific Ingredients - Herbs, Spices, Condiments,FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES (ECONOMIC ASPECTS),GENERAL,General & world history,General Adult,HISTORY World,History,History - General History,HistoryWorld,History: World,Non-Fiction,Specific Ingredients - Herbs, Spices, Condiments,World - General,history; food; spice trade; trade; commerce; world history; spices; food history; food and drink; mythology; trade routes; medieval europe; renaissance; ancient egypt; pepper; nutmeg; cinnamon; cookbook; cookbooks; cook books; history of the world; cooking; historical; foodie; herbs; history books; cook book; cooking books; cooking gifts; gifts for history buffs; sauces cookbook; history gifts; foodie gifts; history buff gifts; gifts for foodies; history teacher gifts; history lovers gifts; reference; architecture; medieval,history;food;spice trade;trade;commerce;world history;spices;food history;food and drink;mythology;medieval europe;renaissance;ancient egypt;pepper;nutmeg;cinnamon;spice;spices and herbs book;cooking;cookbooks;cookbook;cook books;herbs;history books;cook book;cooking books;herbal;gifts for history buffs;history buff gifts;cooking gifts;sauces cookbook;foodie gifts;gifts for foodies;foodie;history gifts;history teacher gifts;history lovers gifts;historical books;architecture;medieval;reference,COOKING History,COOKING Specific Ingredients Herbs, Spices, Condiments,CookingHistory,CookingSpecific Ingredients - Herbs, Spices, Condiments,HISTORY World,Specific Ingredients - Herbs, Spices, Condiments,World - General,History - General History,Cookery,Food And Beverage Industries (Economic Aspects),History,History: World,General & world history

Spice The History of a Temptation Jack Turner 9780375707056 Books Reviews

This book contains a tremendous amount of interesting information...but I think it's poorly organized and thus repetitive. The author riffs on this or that aspect of his subject, and his trajectory pulls him to tell the same story over and over again in slightly different words. I think the book could have been much tighter and stronger. (I prefer Kurlansky's history of salt and the book about the history of the world in six drinks.) But Spice does contain a tremendous amount of interesting information.
This book starts with the exciting stories of Columbus and Vasco da Gama and their far-flung voyages to find the Indies. Of course, now we understand that Columbus gravely underestimated the westerly distance to Asia and instead bumped into the unknown (to Europeans) continent of America. Probably Columbus's main motivation was to discover the source of Eastern spices. Whoever controlled this trade could earn a huge fortune because Europeans paid astronomical values for them. Vast fortunes were to be made by anyone who could cut out the Arabs and Venetians - the classic middle-men of the spice trade to Europe.

The book starts from this point and proceeds to try and answer the question why were spices so incredibly valuable to Europeans? Aside from their rarity, beautiful smells and taste, there was something other-worldly about them, something exotic and unobtainable. The book is a very comprehensive analysis of this question and does very well at answering it. Along the way, there is a potted guide to Middle Age Europe, eating habits and hygiene, sexual mores, feasts, trade, and lots more beside.

While I enjoyed the first half of the book immensely, I found it tough going by the middle. I loved the chapters on explorations and the fight for control of the spice islands themselves, but found myself wanting more. However, the book is well-written and well-researched, and is a joy to read.
I found this book very enjoyable to read, with a wealth of information and a liberal sprinkling of humor. Turner provides insightful information on the historical value of spices and their many applications, dividing his monograph into thematic sections. My only complaint is with the somewhat shoddy physical construction of the book...it split down the middle after one reading and is separating from the spine, and I've noticed that my classmates are having the same issue. This, of course, does not reflect on the content of the book, but it is something I feel buyers should be aware of. I'll edit this later with a photo of the book and a link to my upcoming, much more thorough, review on WordPress.
This is not the fastest easiest read, but it is fascinating and informative. It has some very interesting recipes too...

I titled this review the way I did because I constantly come up with little facts remembered from this book constantly in the grocery store, watching TV, talking with friends, seeing anything to do with food or history.

It's not all inclusive, but it is a big topic and what is there is definitely enlightening. Another reviewer mentioned that the book contained errors...I don't know if this is true, but the highlights of what I picked up appear to be true.

It's also a fascinating look at how foods spread throughout the world. For instance I did not know that the potato, tomato, and pepper were all New World foods...that right, no Irish potatoes, Italian tomatoes, or Asian peppers before the 13th century! And did you know that for most of human history nutmeg and cloves came from 2 little islands to be traded across all of Asia, Africa and Europe?

The book also does a good job of treating non-culinary roles including in religion, medicine, and social displays. It has led me to try burning cinnamon and I am strongly considering asking that cinnamon be burned at my funeral both for the historical significance, the tribute to immortality (the phoenix's nest), and for the lovely scent.

The social aspect of spices and the psychological importance and significance is explored in detail. They are important because for so long they were of the unknown and exotic and this book treats that very well.

And hey, it is because of this book that I just had to go find some galengal (turns out that I could not find a single store in Tucson that had it -- though I still need to try the Asian markets -- but that's what the internet is for, right?)

I'd definitely recommend for the amateur food historian.
Spice is a well researched and well written book of how spice affected the world through the ages covering fact, myth, legend, religion, politics, trade discovery, eating habits and more. Although the book is easy to read and understand, it also challenged me as I learned new things and prompted me to further research some subject matter that caught my attention. This is the type of work that I enjoy. Packed with useful information and history. I will try working with aromatics, perfumes, and the making of incense with the information from this book. I recommend this book to readers that are interested in spice and how spice shaped the world. This book will certainly take its place in the reference section of my library.
Biggest problem is the organization - I can't say I really understand it, most chapters had some unifying theme like religious use, sexuality, etc, but the way the chapters fit together is very disjointed. There are huge time jumps back and forth across continents. I learned a few interesting tidbits, but I couldn't stay interested. Sometimes it was so dense it seemed that any piece of information acquired was stuffed in no matter how useless it was to the story. If you super love spices go for it, if you want a nice microhistory this isn't it. Doesn't read well.