More Than Just Anthropophagi!

Schutt, Bill.  Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History.  Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2017.
          ISBN: 978-1-61620-462-4

If you are looking for a deep, in-depth examination of cannibalism in human  history, keep looking.  A glance at the cover clues the reader into what Bill Schutt focuses on - cannibalism in the the broadest terms - in this popular science book.

Bill Schutt provides a very readable, quirky examination of cannibalism using the broadest of definitions - the eating of individuals or parts of individuals by other individuals of the same species.  He looks at examples in frogs, crickets, fish, bears and the strange case of the caecilians.  He discusses what can cause the cannibalistic behavior and what advantages it may provide.  He provides a brief chapter on the possible case of dino cannibals before delving into humanoid cases, beginning with Neanderthals and working his way to the present.  Along the way he discusses the uses of bones and other body parts in medicine and the modern fad of placenta eating (no, it does not taste like chicken).  He provides cases when cannibalism has been condoned and when the public has been appalled.  He also discusses the Fore and Mad Cow disease correlation.  In short, Schutt provides a soup to nuts course on cannibalism. 

While Cannibalism is breezy read with quirky footnotes, it may leave the reader hungry for a more substantial take on this topic.  Luckily, he does provide a decent bibliography of sources that allow the discerning reader the opportunity to delve deeper into particular aspects of cannibalism!

Anyone for Chinese tonight?

Mendelson, Anne.  Chow Chop Suey: Food and the Chinese American Journey.  New York: 
         Columbia UP, 2016.  ISBN; 978-0-231-15860-2

If you are like most Americans, you will have visited a Chinese restaurant at least one time in your life.  You might have hated it (I wanted a hamburger, but then I was 3 at the time), enjoyed it, or just ate there because you needed sustenance.  Chow Chop Suey attempts to tell how those restaurants came to be and why they serve the food they do.

Anne Mendelson provides a blended history in Chow Chop Suey, a history of the Chinese coming to America (or as it was called in 1800's China - Gold Mountain), their reception, and their coping which included opening food joints and laundries.  She discusses what was likely served then, where and how cooking supplies arrived, who did the cooking, and why. Later chapters delve into early recipe collections, various cookbooks through the years, how the reception of Chinese immigrants changed over time and why which also includes the changes in Chinese restaurant menus and locations. 

If you are looking for inspiring dishes, or a history of your favorite Chines takeout meal, you will need to keep looking.  However, if you want to learn about little-known American history and an important food-way in that history, do read Chow Chop Suey!