Ben Gazur took me on a wild ride through British history’s quirky food traditions and folklore. From chasing cheese down hills to devilish superstitions about blackberries, I had the chance to dig into both famous and bizarre food myths. A Feast of Folklore is packed with hilarious and fascinating stories about odd customs and remedies that history tends to overlook. Get ready for a deliciously strange adventure! I've always loved English culture and dream of moving there someday, so learning about these legends and stories gives me a unique and exciting way to explore the country. I enjoyed so so much reading these pages!

I’ve never really thought of food in people’s homes to be some sort of aspect of folklore until coming across this book. Or maybe I have in passing, but I have thought of or know of foods of having traditional meanings-such as when religious traditions are practiced, dietary needs, or for warding off sickness and healing. It is safe to say we incorporate these things into our lives often without stopping to think of its origins, cultural significance or if they come from superstition. Without a doubt, like many things in history, it is lost to us but now we have, “Feast of Folklore” to enlighten and entertain us in the most perfectly written way.

When you read this book, you will soon realize that there is a folklore for everything! I could not stop laughing and I have to say the absurdity of us humans are brilliantly displayed throughout in this book. There are also the fabulous illustrations throughout and not only that, “A Feast of Folklore” has a truly engaging narrative that keeps you turning the pages for more. Truth be told, I still can’t get over how many folklore's there are that comes from food. For example: Who should or should not make butter because of the color of their hair. Or what you can do to get free cheese and why one should eat walnuts or when you should plant crops. And why a family would keep a half-cut onion in their pantry. The list goes on…

What an outstanding book! I can’t praise it enough. I will definitely be adding a physical copy to my book stacks and reading its pages many times over.

**Book Review: *A Feast of Folklore* by Ben Gazur**

In *A Feast of Folklore*, Ben Gazur takes readers on a captivating journey through the myths, legends, and oral traditions of cultures across the world. With a lively and engaging narrative style, Gazur brings a modern touch to ancient stories, offering a unique blend of historical insight and contemporary relevance. The book offers a rich tapestry of tales that have been passed down through generations, inviting readers to explore not only the stories themselves but also the social and cultural contexts in which they were born.

Gazur’s approach to folklore is both scholarly and accessible. He delves into the roots of these tales, examining how they have evolved over time, while also highlighting their universal themes—love, death, the supernatural, and morality—that resonate with modern readers. From European fairy tales to African myths and Asian legends, the author covers an impressive range of traditions, allowing readers to appreciate the vast diversity and shared humanity within global folklore.

One of the standout features of the book is Gazur's ability to balance entertainment with education. The stories are enchanting on their own, filled with magical creatures, heroic quests, and eerie cautionary tales, but Gazur also provides insightful commentary that deepens our understanding of why these stories mattered in their original context. His writing is infused with wit and humor, making even the more academic aspects of folklore studies feel approachable and engaging.

Additionally, *A Feast of Folklore* is beautifully structured, with each chapter focusing on a different theme or region, ensuring that the book feels cohesive despite the vast array of stories. The book is well-researched, with each tale carefully sourced and explained, yet it never feels bogged down by excessive detail. Instead, Gazur allows the stories to breathe, giving readers the space to connect with them on their own terms.

For lovers of mythology, history, or simply well-told stories, *A Feast of Folklore* is a treasure trove. Ben Gazur has crafted a work that honors the richness of the world's storytelling traditions while offering fresh perspectives for a contemporary audience. It’s a delightful read that both informs and entertains, making it a must-have for anyone interested in the timeless power of folklore.

Loved this one!! As an American living in the UK I was drawn to this book to see what new information I would learn, and honestly 99% of the book was new to me! It was a quick read and I enjoyed every moment.

Thank you to Ben Gazur and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this title!

"A Feast of Folklore" is a bite-sized smorgasboard of myth and mythology around food in Great Britain (and sometimes the surrounding areas). The book is broken down into food categories, then individual foods, which I like as it means it can serve as almost a compendium of folklore on those days when you just really need to understand the lore of green beans, but can wait another day to learn about strawberries.

I've been reading a lot of fantasy books lately, so this was a really refreshing, non-fiction break that also plays into our very human tendency to assign deeper and more fantastical meanings to the foods we love (and hate - looking at you, brussels spouts). I think that this is a great read for anyone with a soft spot for history, anthropology/sociology, and food as not simply a source of energy.

Congratulations to Ben Gazur on another delightful epicurean literary tale!

This book is a treat to read and provides a bite-sized, academic look at folklore in Great Britain. It will leave you hungry for more (and hungry for food). Each section covers a different food and the folk beliefs surrounding it. The tales include stories of old from across the British Isles, notably Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. The delivery of each story is sprinkled with wit and a dash of sarcasm. I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading non-fiction, especially those interested in tales and stories in Britain. I would say this book is a digestible way to learn more about Celtic and British food lore. People who enjoy dark humor and macabre subject matter will find something to enjoy here.

I appreciated the lengthy sections of notes, in-text citations, and photos and artwork that are included. The presence of these elements illustrates Gazur’s research abilities and gives readers another source to explore if they want more information. The sections are short and sweet but do not lack an explanation of things that a reader might find unfamiliar. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Scottish and Irish folklore. Additionally, the artwork and photographs included were relevant to each respective section and enhanced understanding of the topic.

I found some parts of the prose feel choppy, and some paragraphs lacked transition sentences, but this was not so frequent as to ruin the experience. I was also disappointed that there is no section in Drink Lore about coffee, but that makes sense. Some sections were a wee bit redundant with sayings like “In Scotland” or “In Whatever Place.” Overall, my criticisms are trivial and do not impact the quality of the information included. Considering these critiques, my rating would be 4.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 5 stars on Goodreads). Folklore is a complex topic to write about by nature, and Gazur does a great job of keeping the stories straight and providing sources for the information referenced.

Thank you to Unbound Publishing Company for providing an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in e-book format!

This was OK, I dipped into it here and there and some of the writing I found interesting some not so much, would be great book for people who are especially into food and interesting stories behind it.

I read this book on holiday and it was the perfect read for me. Easy to understand and read, good humour and interesting book that my mother in law also enjoyed hearing about.
Food being such an important part of our lives and us humans depending on it, I feel like this book really holds a good narrative in the history of food and where our beliefs and traditions come from.
Some stories and folklore I had a vague understanding of (why do we throw salt over our shoulder, why do we get oranges at Christmas for example) but i did like how the author explained all of these again to me in a way that made sense.
I don’t have much more to say, it was a very enjoyable read, good writing style, I liked the front cover and the title too.

Would definitely recommend this book and my mother in law already wants a copy!

Traditional stories, myths, and legends from all over the world are collected in the delightful book A Feast of Folklore by Ben Gazur. Gazur tells each story with lively images and lots of rich details that take readers right into the heart of each culture's unique story setting. The book praises the power of stories and draws attention to the cultural and moral lessons that are hidden in legends. This collection of stories not only entertains readers with its interesting writing and deep thoughts on what it means to be human, but it also encourages them to value the variety of customs around the world. Folklore fans and people who want to learn more about cultural history should read this book.

This is fun, but more of a gift item than an academic work by any means. A cute idea. Better illustrations/graphic design could make it a bit more appealing.

A delightful history of Briton through the lens of both food and food superstitions. A lot have an obvious Christian or pagan root to them, but some are very much lost in the mists of time, repeated even today just because that is how its always been done. A fascinating look at Briton and the many quaint and bizarre stories centered around food.

This was such an interesting read to find out the truth or history behind different British foods, it was full of great myths and superstitions, some that I already new and some I hadn't heard of before.

This book is such a fascinating read. It is a journey through the food groups and time, explaining the folklore and folk customs surrounding certain types of food. I have learned that almost any food, if cut in half and rubbed onto the infected area can cure warts! Some of the concoctions that were made sound foul and I’m sure were vomit inducing. Having had a beer shop for a couple of years it was interesting to read about the lore surrounding beer. If you love history and like to read about weird traditions this is the book for you! It is a light, funny and witty read. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for myself. However, I won’t be trying to recreate any of the cures!

Thanks to NetGalley and Unbound for allowing me to review the ARC of this book.

A really fun and quirky nonfiction. I love food history and this mythical look at feasts is a great new addition. Well written and dreamy

I rather enjoyed this! I learnt a lot about folklore that I did not know existed around food, as well as learning more about the little lore I did know.

A great mix of informative and funny!

I’ve definitely tucked a few factual tidbits away to bring out in future (apparently lots of foods were used to be rubbed on warts, who knew!).

I love anything surrounding folklore, it was interesting to see that through the history of food and what traditions have been kept in the modern day.

4 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This was such an interesting and fascinating read and it has caused me many bouts of the giggles. It was very interesting to see some of the traditions that have been lost and those that still exist today. Being a doubting Thomas I did check some of the events and discoverd that yes they do still happen today and now I have made a list of those that I want to go and see.
I reached the end and then saw that I still had 1 hr to go and the acknowledgements and cross reference sections were just as interesting as the book itself. Ben has done a lot of research from many sources and presented the facts in a wonderful manner.
I am ordering copies of this book as Christmas gifts for some of my family as it is a pick up andread a bit book which is suitable for a coffee table to encourage additional conversation from guests.

*This book was received as an advanced reviewer's copy from NetGalley.

One of my favorite genres is food history. So naturally when it's about bizarre history, even better. I can't say that I found most of this bizarre, but it was certainly interesting, and there were definitely a few characters thrown in.

Gazur takes us through British food stories, in sections denoted by type of food (produce, meats, etc.) and the local folklore or tales that may have incorporated them. From not eating with fairies (well, depending on where you are), to believing that witches really love milk, there is a wide variety of topics.

I found the writing mostly good, with quips of humor interspersed among the facts. While it could get a bit repetitive and dry at times, it isn't nearly as bad as an actual textbook on the work and definitely a book more for personal consumption. That being said, if you're not into food or folklore, this probably isn't high up on your reading list (but really, those are great topics and they should be). I definitely think for your average food-obsessed person though, this is one you don't want to miss.

Review by M. Reynard 2024

Thanks to Netgalley, Unbound, and Ben Gazur for this E-ARC.

The combination of history, food, superstition, and culture made for an easy, enjoyable reading experience. This book is witty, informative, and overall a lot of fun. I enjoyed sharing some of the more odd facts and origin tales with my partner while reading. I think this book would make a great gift for a wide variety of people (I actually have a person in mind I'm going to pick up a copy for). This is a book you can pick up more than once rather than reading it once and never picking it up again.
I love the cover design, and after reading, I think it fits the books perfectly. If you are intrigued by the cover and title, you'll like the content as well. My one issue is with the formatting on my kindle. It was a bit choppy with widows and orphans and some strange line breaks. I did not dock any stars for this issue as this may be cleaned up before final release and only an issue on the E-ARC copies.

An entertaining collection of bits of British folklore and beliefs surrounding food and drink.

Organized by subject (vegetables, fruit, fish, milk, bread, etc.) Gazur then gives us local beliefs connected to the food or drink. I was amazed at the number of 'cures' for warts and whooping coughs that went with each food- some of them truly disgusting. Almost none of these stories can be traced back to a specific time or place so are just listed, making the few that can be traced or explained more exciting and memorable. Finally- an explanation for why we think carrots let you see in the dark!

Gazut has a sense of humor while writing and this is the kind of book that can be easily picked up and put down in small bites, as well as shared with plenty of other people. You don't necessarily need to be a chef or a history lover to find this an entertaining and interesting read. A good gift book for food lovers!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review