Let this be proof that if a book is well-written and interesting I will persevere over deeply annoying typos, even when they're as frequent as they are here. There are little errors like mentioning eating more berries than you pick (I think that's impossible, unless you don't count windfalls as having been picked), and the best typo in any document EVER, with which I will close this review. Although "drowsy" for (I assume) "dropsy" was pretty good too. But … cellars on ships and root vegetables not in cellars (lofts? Really?) and sentences like " something that is drank" or " was probably drank through a straw" were much too common; the book is crying out for a strong editor. (*makes "call me" motion in author's direction*)

There were also a few things I wondered about – like were "chocolate-dipped beef jerky protein bars" really "passed around at the Battle of Hastings"? (The author's note was "(I'm not even making that up)", but chocolate hadn't made it to Europe by 1066, or even close, so… Er?) And did travelers really have to convince innkeepers of their worthiness? I thought they just took their money up front if they were worried and sent knee-breakers after you if you crossed them.

There was also a sort of odd section on "The Midwife and the Nurse", in which the author indulges in a bit of ranting (like how she was stunned that people she informally polled all (or almost all) thought abortion was purely a modern phenomenon (I'm stunned too)), but never really discusses maternity-related food. It would have been a great place to put things like what food and drink and herbs and concoctions past cultures believed improved fertility or the chances of carrying to term, or helped a new mother "let down" milk, or how babies were weaned, or … etc.

But there were two reasons I persevered. One was the basic intelligence – which can be taken two ways:

And the other was the humor, like the note at the end of the mead recipe to "drink until your mood improves", and the tales of the author's experimentation for research purposes, both pleasant (chocolate for breakfast!) and un (self-ground flour).

Actually, there were three reasons – the third being Newfoundland. The author is – unless my memory is fritzing out – from Newfoundland, Canada – and so is my mother. I've been to visit family several times – and we still have kinfolk on the rock. So when she talks about "gooseberries, partridgeberries, cloudberries, plus blueberries. Oh and screech", I have a big grin on my face; every chance I get I order partridgeberry and cloudberry jam from The Dark Tickle Company and anywhere else I can find it. And screech? Yes, b'y. (Well, no, neither Mom nor I have a screech habit, and I've never been screeched in, but I surely know of it.) The only thing here is that Mom's from Doyles on the west coast, which is apparently much more sheltered than other areas. "Every Canadian reading this book is going to groan and complain that I just perpetuated the frozen tundra myth", she says, and with statements like "People did live in this desolate and harsh region" I suppose she does; I know my grandfather farmed a decent plot of land for decades, and Codroy Valley is lovely. It can actually get quite hot and humid there. (And I never saw fried cod tongues there. When I was a kid the weirdest thing I met with was fries eaten with vinegar instead of ketchup.)

And now, as promised – the Best. Typo. Ever.
"Pemmican is perhaps one of the best-known preserved food stuffs in North America. It's often in the form of beef, bison, or elf jerky, often with BBQ sauce or peppercorns."

Well, the dwarves have cram; perhaps the orcs have elf jerky. ( )

This book was written as a writer's guide for those that write fantasy or historical fiction, but it's also an interesting read for foodies, and people like myself, who enjoy historical fiction. It covers the general history of food, with an overview of the politics a logistics of food (such as feeding an army), food preservation, and what types of foods would be available in various time periods and climates.

The prose is easy to read, well-researched, and also humorous. There are even a few recipes if you wanted to try to make a Medieval dish or two yourself. While they are not recipes I would consider making, it was interesting to see how some of the dishes I've read about people eating in books were actually made.

Reading this book also gave me a deep appreciation at how easy we have it when it comes to having access to a wide variety of foods today. Even cooking a meal entirely from scratch today could be considered "fast" food, if you compare it to how long it could take to get a meal to the table centuries ago, back when people cooked over fires instead of using stoves.

It also made me appreciate all the research that goes into writing a good historical fiction story; the authors don't only have to research the obvious historical facts of the time period they are writing about, but also the more mundane details of the day to day life of the people living then, the details that are often left out of the history books. ( )

...What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank is a humours book and not a very heavy read but it touches upon the very basics of our survival. As such it points out a lot of very important matters to us if you are prepared to read between the lines. You could read it as a writing guide or a humorous reflection on the Fantasy genre. It is both of these things, but I thought there was even more to it if you project what this book has to teach on our current food situation. Looking at it in this light, What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank is a surprisingly relevant book. It is one of the areas in which I would have liked a bit more information. I see plenty of opportunities to expand it, or even have a more science fictional look at the subject. Maybe food in genre fiction is just too large a topic for one volume. What Ball has produced here is an intriguing introduction to the subject however. Read it and let and let Ball tickle your curiosity. You'll never look at stew quite the same way again.

Full Random Comments review ( )