Bøker av John S. Allen

After Ford unsuccessfully attempted to buy Ferrari, in 1963, the American car giant instead embarked on its own racing programme in a bid to beat the famous Italian marque at the world's most prestigious race, the Le Mans 24 Hours, as told in the forthcoming Hollywood movie Ford v. Ferrari.

Though we have other distinguishing characteristics (bipedalism, relative hairlessness, etc.), the brain and the behavior it produces are what truly set us apart from the other apes and primates. How this three-pound organ composed of water, fat, and protein turned a mammal species into the dominant animal on earth is the story Allen tells.

In this gustatory tour of human history, Allen suggests that the everyday activity of eating offers deep insights into our cultural and biological heritage. Beginning with the diets of our earliest ancestors, he explores eating's role in our evolving brain before considering our contemporary dinner plates and the preoccupations of foodies.