In this fresh, unfamiliar, and sometimes surprising picture of modern Italy, history is refracted through the prism of the nation's consumer culture.
What were Italians eating and drinking over this period? Where did they live? What did they do in their leisure time? What did they choose to spend their spare money on? And how did this differ between different economic classes and over time? From the battle against poverty conducted by the first liberal governments of a united Italy, to fascist autarchy, up to the emergence of welfare policies and today's multifaceted society, Scarpellini...

Feeding ourselves is a universal experience, but we don't all eat the same foods in the same ways or places. In fact, a meal can reveal a lot about the material circumstances and culture of those preparing and eating it. This book tells the story of Italian food in all its geographical, cultural, and social diversity from the nineteenth century to the present. Each chapter centers on an actual meal, reconstructed on the basis of historical documents, literature, the visual arts, mass media, and oral testimony. The resulting picture is often surprising, as we see how food reflects changes in...