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The Rituals of Dinner: Visser, Margaret

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Author: Margaret Visser
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$17.00~~
Buy Used: $1.72
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Avg. Customer Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

4 reviews
Sales Rank: 273342

Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 448
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2

ISBN: 0140170790
Dewey Decimal Number: 395.5409
EAN: 9780140170795
ASIN: 0140170790

Publication Date: July 1, 1992
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Also Available In:

•	Hardcover - Rituals of Dinner: The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities, and Meaning of Table Manners

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Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars

Approach with caution November 3, 2007
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

I enjoyed this book until I came to a description of Passover (p. 35) that is entirely garbled. It is not a feast of the New Year; does not stress cleansing; does not provide initiation; and there were ten plagues, not seven. It is a celebration of deliverance from oppression and slavery with a fillup of spring festivity. Visser says the Christian Eucharist was born directly from Passover, but outside of the Last Supper being a seder, other aspects of the Eucharist fly directly in the face of Jewish law (i.e. the cannibalism and blood drinking). (I'm sure libraries of books have been pubished on this subject, but kosher law forbids the consumption of blood.)

Given that Visser can't even get the number of the plagues of Egypt right--it's right there in the Bible, a book that is doubtlessly familiar to her--I don't feel comfortable with this book. I'm giving it two stars because she supplies references. If only I could find the one that states there were seven plagues . . . .

Overall, I'm glad I picked this up in a used book store.

2 out of 5 stars

inaccurate information March 15, 2004
20 out of 27 found this review helpful

Margaret Visser's advice has been quoted on Sage Asian Advice on Soup Etiquette, and the advice looks to me entirely misleading. It reads: "A Chinese banquet often begins with fruit and ends with soup." Being a Chinese myself and have attended numerous banquets, I have never seen fruit being served at the beginning and soup at the end. It will help if Ms. Visser can clarify what kind of banquet she had actually observed or attended. The regular way is soup being served close to the beginning after the cold and hot appetizers, and fruit is served at the very end together with dessert.

4 out of 5 stars

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover August 1, 2001
35 out of 52 found this review helpful

I can't imagine doing the research for this tome. And I don't use the word tome lightly. This book is chock full of little tidbits of trivia that are fascinating, but that you will probabaly never need nor have an opportunity to share. What is the origin of the word, 'menu?' How did the fork evolve; how did table cloths come into use? "The ritual of Dinner" digs down to the tiniest of details, the most remote possible history and the widest variety of customs. If you expect such questions when you appear on Jeopardy, or when quizzed by your mother-in-law to be, this book is thorough and very well written. My, is it thorough!

But, is this the information that you seek? I was looking for a book that went into more detail than Amy Vanderbilt in the proper placement and use of dishes, utensils and glassware. I wanted to know the difference between a 'rim soup' bowl and a 'cream soup' bowl, and which spoon goes with which dish as well as which type of soup. Although some of this book was fascinating reading, it didn't really answer my questions. Well, maybe some of them, but you have to research and work at finding any guidelines. Visser insists that you learn the why and history of a ritual before letting you in on it's current practical use, and how it may be applied.

If you are not a museum curator and just want to set a proper table, I suggest you turn to "The Art of the Table" by Susanne Von Drachenfuls instead. And no, I'm still not sure about the soup bowls.

5 out of 5 stars Exploration of table manners thru-out time and the world. July 10, 1998
17 out of 30 found this review helpful

This is a fascinating book. Everyone who reads a bit of it wants to own it. You can learn lots of trivia and impress your friends as well as develop a whole new outlook on food, eating, dinner parties, etc.

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