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A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

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A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

Written by: Massimo Montanari, Gregory Conti
Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine
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About this listen

Intellectually engaging, a stereotype-defying history of how one of the most recognisable symbols of Italian cuisine and national identity is the product of centuries of encounters, dialogue, and exchange.

Is it possible to identify a starting point in history from which everything else unfolds — a single moment that can explain the present and reveal the essence of our identities? According to Massimo Montanari, this is just a myth: by themselves, origins explain very little and historical phenomena can only be understood dynamically — by looking at how events and identities develop and change as a result of encounters and combinations that are often unexpected.

As Montanari shows in this lively, brilliant, and surprising essay, all you need to debunk the “origins myth” is a plate of spaghetti. By tracing the history of the one of Italy’s “national dishes” — from Asia to America, from Africa to Europe; from the beginning of agriculture to the Middle Ages and up to the 20th century — he shows that in order to understand who we are (our identity) we almost always need to look beyond ourselves to other cultures, peoples, and traditions.

©2021 Massimo Montanari, Gregory Conti (P)2021 Europa Compass Europe Food & Wine Italy

What the critics say

“Illuminating... Suited for those with big appetites for knowledge, [A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce] is full of delicious details.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The book is just the right length (128 pages), academic and an utterly fascinating discourse on food history.” IThe Daily Beast)

“Montanari’s research will delight readers and provide plenty of fodder for dinner-table discussion.” (Booklist)

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