Drew Smith's "Oyster: A Gastronomic History" offers readers a global view of the oyster, tracing its role in cooking, art, literature, and politics from the dawn of time to the present day. Oysters have inspired chefs, painters, and writers alike, have sustained communities financially and ecologically, and have loomed large in legend and history. Using the oyster as the central theme, Smith has organized the book around time periods and geographical locations, looking at the oyster's influence through colorful anecdotes, eye-opening scientific facts, and a wide array of visuals. The book also includes fifty recipes--traditional country dishes and contemporary examples from some of the best restaurants in the world. Renowned French chef Raymond Blanc calls "Oyster" "a brilliant crusade for the oyster that shows how food has shaped our history, art, literature, law-making, culture, and of course love-making and cuisine. "