_America Eats_ was the proposed title of the book, a massive volume that included recipes, send ups of literary teas in NY, Sioux funeral customs, wars over how to make a proper clam chowder, endemic to New England vs wars over the proper way to make a mint julep, a debate that ripped through the South.
One thing that Kurlansky points out, which I'd never thought of before, is that among western republics the u.s. is almost unique in that there isn't one artist, author, composer, or philosopher on our currency. And I'd never really thought of it before, but there is a kind of presumed separation of state and culture -- as if the state shouldn't interfere in questions of culture in the way it supposedly shouldn't interfere in questions of religion. i'm not saying that the sep of culture and state is a fact, just that i do think that u.s.ers happen to think that there should be a sep. of state and culture.
as i type this out, it occurs to me that this is almost too pat. there must be plenty of objections. still, it grabbed my attention. i wish i didn'thave so many books to read as it is, and way too much to do to get settled in my new digs.
shag
-- http://cleandraws.com Wear Clean Draws ('coz there's 5 million ways to kill a CEO)