World Food ─ An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Social Influence from Hunter-Gatherers to the Age of Globalization

The scope is quite broad, and the selection of approximately 300 topics for this two-volume reference must have been quite an undertaking for Snodgrass, who also seems to have done all the writing. This reference will serve students at the high school level and above and other readers involved with food cultivation or preparation, as well as anyone seeking a starting place for research on some aspect of this many-faceted subject. Entries are alphabetically arranged, but a topic finder listing in the front matter identifies broad themes: additives, flavorings, modifications (e.g. genetically modified food, hormones, trans fat); agriculture and gardening (greenhouse horticulture, monoculture, organic foods); art, literature, media (cookbooks, the Food Network); biographies; cooking and preparation; customs, lore, and religion (the afterlife and food, cannibalism, kosher food); diets and cuisines of regions and periods; prepared foods and beverages; foodstuffs (natural products); health, medicine, nutrition; and about a half dozen other themes. The entries range in length from less than a page to five or six pages. Each includes references and cross references. Appended are a chronology, a listing of herbal foods and uses, and a glossary; indexing is in the second volume. Also available from Sharpe Online Reference (the Global History & Culture Collection). Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) More

Mary Ellen Snodgrass has written and edited over thirty books on literature and culture.