The Taste of Empire - How Britain's Quest for Food Shaped the Modern World (Lizzie Collingham, 2017)

(276 pages)

I had much enjoyed another one of the author's books - that earlier one focused moreso on Indian food and its evolution via British influence - so gave this one a shot.  I liked it quite a bit, though not quite sure of the takeaway. I think the main perspective was that globally-shipped, high-efficiency (in growing) food items were gaining sway a lot earlier than I would have realized.

A cool device was providing a recipe at the beginning of each chapter to anchor the development of key ingredients.

Gemini's summary:

In The Taste of Empire, Lizzie Collingham provides a comprehensive historical analysis of how the British Empire was shaped by the fundamental human need for food. Moving away from traditional political or military narratives, Collingham argues that the empire was essentially a vast global food system, driven by the necessity of feeding a growing domestic population and the commercial desire for new commodities.

The book explores the intricate "web of trade" that connected distant corners of the globe:

Commercial Expansion: It details how the pursuit of stable food sources, such as North Atlantic cod and Caribbean sugar, laid the groundwork for early colonial infrastructure.

Logistical Innovation: Collingham highlights the incredible organizational feats required to transport perishable goods across oceans, which spurred advancements in shipping, preservation, and global finance.

Cultural Exchange: The narrative shows how the British palate became "internationalized," adopting products like tea from China and spices from India, while simultaneously introducing European farming techniques and crops to the Americas and Australia.

While the book acknowledges the disruptions caused by these shifts—such as the transition from local subsistence to export-based economies—its primary focus is on the interconnectivity of the imperial era. Collingham illustrates how the modern globalized food market, characterized by the year-round availability of diverse ingredients, is the direct descendant of this historical British mercantile network.

Macbeth (William Shakespeare, 1606)

A classic I'd not read in many years - there it was on Kindle, so I read it.  Much enjoyed.

Story line is familiar - witches prophecy, Macbeth gets ambitious (with assist from his wife), Macbeth kills the kind of Scotland and takes over; further murders to try to cement his position.  Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth overcome with guilt (I had forgotten the scenes where she sleepwalks trying to wash the blood off her hands).

Banquo's ghost! Birnam Wood moves! Beware Macduff - born via C-section! 

Tons of familiar quotes. Shakespeare talent unreal.

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day... / Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, / And then is heard no more. It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing."

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (Parts I-II)

Another famous book included in the "Harvard Classics" so I gave it a try.

Franklin's early years - a unique look at life in the colonies in the decades prior to the Revolutionary War.

All of this was fascinating but for whatever reason I just didn't get into the writing. I don't plan to finish this.

Early days.  Franklin learns the printing business and makes a success of it.  Poor Richard's Almanac. The Franklin stove.  Lending libraries.  He was an effective businessman and entrepreneur even in the early portions that I was reading.  Perhaps I would have enjoyed the Revolutionary War days and his time as an ambassador in Paris more?