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Lunch

A History

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
Lunch has never been just a meal; the meal most often eaten in public, lunch has a long tradition of establishing social status and cementing alliances. From the ploughman's lunch in the field to the power lunch at the Four Seasons, the particulars of lunch decisions—where, with whom, and what we eat—often mark our place in the world.
Lunch itself has galvanized political movements and been at the center of efforts to address poverty and malnutrition; the American School Lunch Act of 1946 enforced the notion that lunch could represent the very health of the nation, and sit-ins and protests at lunch counters in the 1960s thrust this space into moral territory. Issues of who cooks lunch, who eats what, and how and when we eat in public institutions continue to spur activists.
Exploring the rich history and culture of this most-observed and versatile meal, Lunch draws on a wide range of sources:
  • Letters and memoirs
  • Fiction
  • Cookbooks
  • Institutional records
  • Art and popular media
  • Tea room menus
  • Lunch truck Twitter feeds, and more

  • Elias considers the history of lunch not only in America, but around the world to reveal the rich traditions and considerable changes this meal has influenced over the years.
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      • Library Journal

        March 15, 2014

        Elias (Stir It Up: Home Economics in American Culture) adds to "The Meal" series (e.g., Heather Arndt-Anderson's Breakfast) with this history of the midday repast. The author follows the evolution of lunch from its beginnings in the medieval period, when the concept emerged, to the present. Customary times and fare have changed over the years and around the world, affected by factors such as the Industrial Revolution, wars, class, and suburbanization. Readers are given a tour of traditional luncheons around the globe. Elias highlights how the meal taken at home has evolved over the years, as well as the rise of lunchrooms, lunch counters, burger stands, tiffins, and food trucks as a result of people eating out. The book ends with a look at how lunch is depicted in the arts and media, providing insight into the relevant time periods and cultures. VERDICT This wide-ranging, thorough history with extensive citations will appeal to dedicated readers of food history and those interested in social customs.--Melissa Stoeger, Deerfield P.L., IL

        Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

      • Booklist

        March 1, 2014
        For too many Americans, lunch is a meal one grabs, almost an afterthought, something to quickly restore energy when the day's labor reaches its midpoint. As Elias documents, the noon meal hasn't always been just a fast feed between morning's breakfast and evening's dinner. As soon as agriculture advanced beyond subsistence, lunch became the day's main, if not only, meal. Medieval monks in Europe honored the midday meal as the day's primary repast, and in Cairo, merchants and shoppers partook of the first examples of street food. American farmers ate lunch at outdoor groaning boards to save precious harvesting time and yet consume enough calories to fuel strenuous activity. The Industrial Revolution compelled ordinary workers to eat near assembly lines rather than at home with their families, while upper-class managers and financiers downed cocktails and haute cuisine atop the finest napery in what's become notorious as the power lunch. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

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    Languages

    • English

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