MUCH DEPENDS ON DINNER The Extraordinary History and Mythology, Allure and Obsessions, Perils and Taboos, of an Ordinary Me

One begins Margaret Visser's book with some trepidation as to how a meal's basic makeup of corn, salt, butter, chicken, rice, lettuce, olive oil, lemon juice, and ice cream can sustain 15 hours of listening. Yet, as narrator Suzanne Toren conversationally reads, we find ourselves mesmerized, our palates primed for more about each new ingredient and its place on the dinner plate. Unphased by multiple and wayward asides, Toren sails through the narrative--on such diverse topics as the chemistry of salt, the production of lettuces, the science of egg-laying, or the derivation of "ice cream." Be sure to retain a dollop of fact or fancy from the account for the next get-together. J.H.L. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]