NYTimes review of "Near a Thousand Tables"

Right after reading the review, I ordered it. Looks like a fascinating book. Will report as soon as I've received and read it.

Okay: it arrived yesterday, and I started it today. The writing is pretty academic in tone, but without footnotes (all the notes are at the back, so I have to keep flipping pages to find out the sources of the quotes and citations). He really is quite iconoclastic in his theories. And he'll throw in a personal comment at the most unexpected times (the line in the review about vodka in steak tartare is a perfect example). Once I get through more of it, and get used to the writing style and the tiny type (it looks like about 8- or 9-point!), I'll have something more substantive to say. But so far, I like it for the irreverance.