Food and Culture in Contemporary American Fiction

This book explores the significance of food in American fiction, revealing how culinary representations reflect societal anxieties and challenge notions of identity.

In Food and Culture in Contemporary American Fiction, Piatti-Farnell establishes a vital interdisciplinary link between Food Studies and American literary scholarship. She delves into the significance of food and eating within American fiction from 1980 to today, revealing how culturally-coded representations of culinary practices reflect contemporary anxieties surrounding class, gender, race, tradition, immigration, nationhood, and history. Through a critical analysis of major contemporary works, she uncovers various modes of culinary nostalgia, disillusionment, and progress that address the cultural erosion of local culinary values in favor of globalized consumption patterns.

The author identifies diverse interpretations of the 'American culinary' and examines how the cultural divisions shaping food preferences challenge the notion of a unified American identity. This groundbreaking study not only offers the first comprehensive examination of food and consumption in contemporary American literature but also seeks to highlight the interconnected politics of consumption across a range of authors from varied ethnic, cultural, racial, and social backgrounds in the United States. By doing so, Piatti-Farnell enriches our understanding of how food narratives contribute to broader societal conversations.

Ultimately, Food and Culture in Contemporary American Fiction invites readers to consider the profound implications of culinary representations in literature. It challenges us to reflect on how these narratives shape our understanding of identity and community in an increasingly globalized world.