Book Rec of the Day 3/21/2007

QUIRKY HISTORIES

Ancient Greek society has been examined from many angles: architecture, art, politics. Now Davidson, a classics professor, adds sex and food to the list. It’s a brilliant idea, and it enables him to get to the heart of the culture and to consider humanity in a broader sense, too. Details on the Athenian way of prostitution, seafood consumption, and wine drinking are colorful and unforgettable. A pleasure on pleasure.

COURTESANS AND FISHCAKES: THE CONSUMING PASSIONS OF CLASSICAL ATHENS, by James Davidson (Perennial, 1999)