The History and Social Influence of the Potato
by Redcliffe N. Salaman
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First published in 1949, this remarkable book is the culmination of a life-long study of every aspect of the potato. Dr Salaman is concerned first with the history of the potato as a member of the botanical genus Solanum, its adaptation by man as a cultivated plant, and the record of its spread throughout the world; secondly he considers the influence the potato has exerted upon the social structure and economy of different peoples at different times. The archaeological and anthropological show more evidence for the early significance of the potato among the peoples of Latin America is discussed in detail with numerous illustrations, but the central portion of the book is concerned with the European, and particularly the Irish evidence. Naturally the Great Hunger is the most dramatic single episode in the entire work, and Dr Salaman does full justice to his tragic theme, concluding with the observation that in Ireland 'the potato ended in wrecking both exploited and exploiter'. Elegantly written, with numerous vivid anecdotes, Salaman's History has long enjoyed the status of a classic. This revised impression, with a new introduction and emendations by Professor J. G. Hawkes, enables another generation of readers to sample what Eric Hobsbawm has referred to as 'that magnificent monument of scholarship and humanity'. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
often the butt of jokes, but i find the Annales school style history of commodities like this fascinating. salt, chocolate, gunpowder, et cetera have all had a profound impact on world culture - and so has the potato.
while i did not finish the book in its entirety, i have intentions to read the remainder in fits when i receive the copy i have ordered, pulling it periodically from my shelves to continue digesting the vast amount of archaeological, historical, and cultural information. technically, more recent research has superseded that within the book but this counts as a seminal volume worthy of time - akin to the works of Darwin or Freud.
maybe i will update this review someday once i read more of the book and can synthesize its dense show more contents better. show less
while i did not finish the book in its entirety, i have intentions to read the remainder in fits when i receive the copy i have ordered, pulling it periodically from my shelves to continue digesting the vast amount of archaeological, historical, and cultural information. technically, more recent research has superseded that within the book but this counts as a seminal volume worthy of time - akin to the works of Darwin or Freud.
maybe i will update this review someday once i read more of the book and can synthesize its dense show more contents better. show less
The potato will rise again.
The potato will rise again.
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The History and Social Influence of the Potato
- Original publication date
- 1949
- Dedication
- To
The Memory
Of
A. Daniel Hall
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Statistics
- Members
- 102
- Popularity
- 318,179
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (4.64)
- Languages
- English, Italian
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 2
