Delizia! by John Dickie
Everyone loves Italian food. But how did the Italians come to eat so well? The advertising industry tells us the answer lies in the vineyards and olive groves of Tuscany - among sun-weathered peasants, and mammas serving pasta under the pergola. Yet this nostalgic fantasy has little to do with the real history of Italian cuisine. Because Italian food is city food. And telling its story means telling the story of the Italians as a people of city dwellers. For a thousand years, Italy's cities have been magnets for everything that makes for great eating: ingredients, talent, money, and power. In "Delizia!" the author of the acclaimed "Cosa Nostra" takes a revelatory historical journey through the flavours of Italy's cities. From the bustle of Medieval Milan, to the bombast of Fascist Rome; from the pleasure gardens of Renaissance Ferrara, to the putrid alleyways of nineteenth-century Naples. In rich slices of urban life, "Delizia!" shows how violence and intrigue, as well as taste and creativity, went to make the world's favourite cuisine. With its mix of vivid story-telling, ground-breaking research and shrewd analysis, John Dickie's "Delizia!" is as appetising as the dishes it describes.
Acclaim for COSA NOSTRA: 'I couldn't put it down' -- John Guy, The Sunday Times 'Monumental and gripping' -- Andrew Marr 'A serious contribution to modern Italian history...it can safely be predicted that Dickie's book will be a sensation, not least because it has a dozen potential movies in it.' -- Clive James, Times Literary Supplement 'Vibrant, muscular and highly readable' -- Clare Longrigg, Guardian 'Riveting' -- Sunday Telegraph
John Dickie is Reader in Italian Studies at University College London and has written articles and books on many aspects of Italian history. In 2005 he was awarded the title Commendatore dell'Ordine della Stella di Solidarieta' Italiana.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780340896402 |
| ISBN 10 | 034089640X |
| Title | Delizia! |
| Author | John Dickie |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton |
| Year published | 2007-08-09 |
| Number of pages | 416 |
| Prizes | Winner of Andre Simon Memorial Fund Award: Special Commendation 2007 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |