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Delicious

The Evolution of Flavor and How It Made Us Human
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Delicious by Monica Sanchez and Rob Dunn explores the intricate science behind our sense of taste and its vital role in human evolution and survival. The authors delve into how our taste preferences are shaped by biology, culture, and environment while revealing the fascinating connections between the flavour of food and our brain. This engaging journey combines scientific insight with cultural anecdotes, offering a unique perspective on why we crave what we do.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the culinary world and curious about the scientific intricacies behind flavours and tastes. It delves into how our biology influences what we find delicious, blending science with the art of cooking. Perfect for anyone interested in the intersection of food, culture, and natural sciences, this book offers an engaging exploration of why we eat the way we do.

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A savoury account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolution

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A savoury account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolution

Nature, it has been said, invites us to eat by appetite and rewards by flavour. But what exactly are flavours? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? Delicious is a supremely entertaining foray into the heart of such questions.

With generous helpings of warmth and wit, Rob Dunn and Monica Sanchez offer bold new perspectives on why food is enjoyable and how the pursuit of delicious flavours has guided the course of human history. They consider the role that flavour may have played in the invention of the first tools, the extinction of giant mammals, the evolution of the world's most delicious and fatty fruits, the creation of beer, and our own sociality. Along the way, you will learn about the taste receptors you didn't even know you had, the best way to ferment a mastodon, the relationship between Paleolithic art and cheese, and much more.

Blending irresistible storytelling with the latest science, Delicious is a deep history of flavour that will transform the way you think about human evolution and the gustatory pleasures of the foods we eat.

"Our hosts at this empirical dinner party envision a new future for the study of flavour, with seats for the curious of every stripe... A persuasive, entertaining argument about how our avid pursuit of deliciousness helped shape our evolutionary path." - Kirkus Reviews

"A revolutionary look at the way our appetite for the delicious made us human. Taking readers on an exciting journey into the past, Dunn and Sanchez reveal how and why we love to eat the things we do and the impact this has had on human biology and culture. You will never look at food the same way again." - Vanessa Woods, New York Times bestselling author of Survival of the Friendliest

"Engrossing and novel... [A] fascinating and fact-filled book." - Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today

"An eye-opening and mouth-watering new book." - Bill Thompson, Post and Courier

"An engaging trip through time, science, and food." - Amy Halloran, Times Union

"Dunn and Sanchez are indeed the perfect hosts, guiding readers, with humour and expertise, through a feast of entertaining anecdotes in fields such as ecology, agriculture, psychology, art and chemistry." - Grace Rajendran, Shelf Awareness

"Our hosts at this empirical dinner party envision a new future for the study of flavour, with seats for the curious of every stripe... A persuasive, entertaining argument about how our avid pursuit of deliciousness helped shape our evolutionary path." - Kirkus Reviews

"Fascinating, unusual and truly 'delicious' (in more than one sense)" - Vitali Vitaliev, Engineering and Technology

"Dunn and Sanchez are scrupulous in the way they present their evidence and arguments... a charming book." - Simon Ings, New Scientist

"[Dunn and Sanchez] draw from anthropology, ecology, food science, chemistry, biology, and other fields to create a compelling perspective on how flavour has driven diets and food choices in the past and continues to do so now... An insightful narrative spiced with witty asides and relatable notes." - M. H. Albro, Choice

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Delicious by Monica Sanchez and Rob Dunn has been praised for its engaging exploration into how flavour influences human evolution and dietary choices. Lauded as one of New Scientist's top science books, it is described as fascinating and filled with intriguing facts by Psychology Today. The book is celebrated for being eye-opening and offering an entertaining narrative, combining humour and expertise, with a mix of anecdotes and scientific insights from various disciplines.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691242088

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 27 September 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Illustration: 25 b/w illus. 1 table.

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Rob Dunn is professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State University and in the Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics at the University of Copenhagen. His books include Never Home Alone. Twitter @RRobDunn Monica Sanchez is a medical anthropologist who studies the cultural aspects of health and well-being. Rob and Monica live in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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  • Delicious
    A savoury account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolution Nature, it has been said, invites us to eat by appetite and rewards by flavour. But what exactly are flavours? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? Delicious is a supremely entertaining foray into the heart of such questions. With generous helpings of warmth and...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Delicious
    A savoury account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolution Nature, it has been said, invites us to eat by appetite and rewards by flavour. But what exactly are flavours? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? Delicious is a supremely entertaining foray into the heart of such questions. With generous helpings of warmth and...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

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  • Never Home Alone
    It's the dream scenario for many of us after a long week: having the house completely to ourselves. No partners, no parents, no kids, no pets. But as we settle into the couch, something stirs: maybe a mouse darts out from under a cupboard, or a fly buzzes lazily past the window. We're not actually alone at all. Until quite...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Delicious
    A savoury account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolution Nature, it has been said, invites us to eat by appetite and rewards by flavour. But what exactly are flavours? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? Delicious is a supremely entertaining foray into the heart of such questions. With generous helpings of warmth and...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Delicious
    A savoury account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolution Nature, it has been said, invites us to eat by appetite and rewards by flavour. But what exactly are flavours? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? Delicious is a supremely entertaining foray into the heart of such questions. With generous helpings of warmth and...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • A Natural History of the Future
    Over the past century, our species has made unprecedented technological innovations with which we have sought to control nature. In A Natural History of the Future, biologist Rob Dunn argues that such efforts are futile. We may see ourselves as life's overlords, but we are instead at its mercy. In the evolution of antibiotic resistance, the power of natural selection...
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  • A Natural History of the Future
    Over the past century, our species has made unprecedented technological innovations with which we have sought to control nature. In A Natural History of the Future, biologist Rob Dunn argues that such efforts are futile. We may see ourselves as life's overlords, but we are instead at its mercy. In the evolution of antibiotic resistance, the power of natural selection...
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