Review by Choice Review
The Turkey is an interesting, amusing history of a popular food, so popular that Thanksgiving Day (US) is sometimes referred to as "Turkey Day." Smith gives some background of the native American bird and its domestication, travel to Europe, and return to America as a farm animal. How it became "turkey" is discussed, including various theories that Smith explains as unrealistic. The domestic birds' history varies from being basically left to run free, like cattle and hogs, to being used to destroy tobacco hornworms and being raised in close confinement. Smith discusses the fate of the wild turkey as well, which has thrived but has not again become so big it could not fly, as was noted by some early European Americans. Of course, he also mentions the social side of "turkey": the turkey trot, the Broadway turkey, and other uses of the word. Part 2 is a selection of recipes from cookbooks of the 17th to the early 20th century. Written for a popular audience, there are citations to Smith's sources for those who want to read more. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All levels. N. Duran Texas A&M University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Food historian Smith, editor-in-chief of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, discusses both fact and myth in this thorough and multifaceted history of the turkey. Smith believes the quintessentially American bird (we consume 240 million of them a year) can tell us about cultural issues and reveal something about being American. Dividing the book into a section on the turkey's history and another on historical recipes, the author hopes to give a comprehensive accounting of the bird. Beginning with a scientific description, the historical section covers turkey bones found in North America dating to 3700 B.C., then moves on to the introduction of domesticated turkeys into Europe by explorers of the New World. Methods of cooking from the 16th through the 19th centuries and efforts to preserve the disappearing wild turkey in the early 20th century follow. Even the turkey trot gets a mention. Short chapter sections keep the reading flowing, but the eye-glazing number of facts and dry prose can be overwhelming. Still, Smith has produced a well-researched, comprehensive, though somewhat scattered account of the bird most people take for granted. 22 photos. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
An instructor of culinary history and professional food writing, Smith (The Tomato in America) now brings his fans the history of the turkey. The narrative begins with the many different turkey species and continues with the domestication and commercialization of the bird. Of particular note is Smith's discussion of "turkey iconography," or how the turkey became so symbolic in American culture. The book is very well researched and well documented throughout with copious endnotes and a selected bibliography divided into topical sections. Also included are more than 20 pages of historical turkey recipes, including turkey eggs and turkey sausage. Smith's style and wit add to the book's readability, and there are a number of historical illustrations. Recommended for all libraries.-Lisa A. Ennis, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib., Lister Hill (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
