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

This was so much fun. As a little bit of a foodie there was some seriously fascinating information in this book. It was a joy to read, it had all this information but it didn't read like a dry textbook. This was a very engaging read, anyone who loves food will love this!

What a fascinating book, although I think my family may be fed up with me sharing so many snippets.
I liked the writer's style which was informative and amusing and the book flowed nicely. I was surprised by the origins of some superstitions and quite how much seemed to be celebrated by throwing different food at people! This is definitely a volume to dip into and I look forward to sharing it with others - possibly in their Christmas stockings.
Thank you to netgalley and Unbound for an advance copy of this book

This book is an absolute delight. I love food factoids and this book was filled with wonderful explanations for behind certain food rituals - some that I knew and some that were new to me. This is the kind of book I will dip into for years and definitely one that will take pride of place on my reference shelf. A Feast of Folklore is well written, well researched and utterly entertaining. I would highly recommend to all foodies and food geeks out there as well as anyone who is interested in folklore and the mad, bad and and wonderful superstitions, rituals and customs we have developed around food! After reading the ARC, I have already pre-ordered a copy that I can keep.

Thank you so much to the publishers, and Net Galley for the advance copy.

I'll add links to Good Reads and my blog once they are written.

A Feast of Folklore by Ben Gazur is an engaging exploration of the strange and fascinating food traditions that have shaped British culture. Gazur’s writing is as flavorful as the folklore he examines, offering a mix of historical insight and personal reflection that draws the reader in from the very first page. The book opens with a thoughtful musing on the origins of superstitions, like the practice of throwing salt over one’s shoulder, illustrating how deeply rooted—and often mysterious—these rituals are in our everyday lives.

Gazur’s approach is refreshingly down-to-earth, acknowledging the complexity and sometimes contradictory nature of folklore. He doesn’t pretend to have all the answers but instead invites readers to ponder the same questions that inspired him to write the book. The charm of A Feast of Folklore lies in its ability to make us see the magic in the mundane, turning ordinary kitchen items into keys to the past.

For anyone interested in the quirks of history and the peculiarities of human behavior, this book is a delightful read that’s sure to leave you with a new appreciation for the stories behind the foods we eat.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an honest review.

This is a non-fiction book about the origins our food habits which have been passed down through generations of folklore.

This a great book for reading passages out loud to the family.

I thoroughly enjoying the stories and information within each chapter.

A great book for everyone interested historians and kitchen folk alike.

Gazur’s writing style easy to follow and not over complicated

I will read this book again and I highly recommend it to those who are looking for a good read on a bizarre topic.