Fat: Culture and Materiality

by Christopher E. Forth (Editor), Alison Leitch (Editor), Samantha Murray (Editor)

"Fat". In contemporary society the word never fails to elicit powerful emotions, especially as it relates to bodily health and appearance. But fat is a noun as well as an adjective and has a cultural life outside of its relationship with the human body. By focusing on the complex physical and experiential dimensions of this problematic substance, Culture and Materiality breaks new ground in the study of the relationship between culture and the material world.

With contributions from well-respected international scholars, this innovative and interdisciplinary collection will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in fat and its relationship to culture, materiality and lived experience. The volume addresses the role of fats in a variety of cultural settings. Topics include the politics of Palestinian olive oil; the allure of pig fat in heritage pork; the material sources of fat stereotypes in classical and biblical texts; the use of harvested fat in aesthetic surgery; and the status of fat in the self-narratives of anorexics.

Genres: Philosophy

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2014

Reviews

[Shannyk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Admittedly, I didn't finish it, as I was reading it recreationally rather than as research. It's written more like an index with footnotes of other materials on the subject than a book that is interesting to read. So I can't comment on the accuracy or usefulness of the information presented, just the style the book is written in.