Cheese: A Global History

In this disappointing food biography, historian and translator Dalby (Food in the Ancient World from A to Z) pursues cheese from era to era and across the globe. Though he lacks a narrative, or even an authoritative voice, readers will take away some interesting history and trivia: cheese might be an Iranian invention, King Charles I's court demanded more Cheddar than could be made, and another story for every cheese and cheese-producing region throughout time. As it turns out, however, cheese trivia isn't enough to hold a book together, making this more an encyclopedic, uninvolving work than a cogent history. A fascinating selection of photos is included, but captions are anemic (a photo of well-dressed African-American students making cheese is simply labeled ""Agriculture students gather around a cheese press, Hampton, Virginia, 1900""). 40 color plates, 20 b&w.