about this book

This book is about bread, which is about life, which is about death. Bringing together eight perspectives from across the Mediterranean Basin and the Black Sea, Bread for the Living, Bread for the Dead explores the many meanings of its central subject through anthropological (auto)ethnography, short stories, political treatises, fairy tales, and a eulogy. Bread brings people together and nourishes; it plays a central role in celebrations of life and rituals of mourning. It also offers a way to explore practices of self-reliance and camaraderie, alongside histories of migration and struggles over land. Combining vernacular wisdom, academic expertise, and embodied forms of intelligence, this collection offers a timely and nourishing reflection on the cultural and social significance of bread.

This book was selected by Tique for Objects & Sounds.