The Untold History of Ramen

How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze

Nonfiction, History, Asian, Asia, Food & Drink, Food Writing, World History
Cover of the book The Untold History of Ramen by George Solt, University of California Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: George Solt ISBN: 9780520958371
Publisher: University of California Press Publication: February 22, 2014
Imprint: University of California Press Language: English
Author: George Solt
ISBN: 9780520958371
Publisher: University of California Press
Publication: February 22, 2014
Imprint: University of California Press
Language: English

A rich, salty, and steaming bowl of noodle soup, ramen has become an international symbol of the cultural prowess of Japanese cuisine. In this highly original account of geopolitics and industrialization in Japan, George Solt traces the meteoric rise of ramen from humble fuel for the working poor to international icon of Japanese culture.

Ramen’s popularity can be attributed to political and economic change on a global scale. Using declassified U.S. government documents and an array of Japanese sources, Solt reveals how the creation of a black market for American wheat imports during the U.S. occupation of Japan (1945–1952), the reindustrialization of Japan’s labor force during the Cold War, and the elevation of working-class foods in redefining national identity during the past two decades of economic stagnation (1990s–2000s), all contributed to the establishment of ramen as a national dish.

This book is essential reading for scholars, students of Japanese history and food studies, and anyone interested in gaining greater perspective on how international policy can influence everyday foods around the world.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A rich, salty, and steaming bowl of noodle soup, ramen has become an international symbol of the cultural prowess of Japanese cuisine. In this highly original account of geopolitics and industrialization in Japan, George Solt traces the meteoric rise of ramen from humble fuel for the working poor to international icon of Japanese culture.

Ramen’s popularity can be attributed to political and economic change on a global scale. Using declassified U.S. government documents and an array of Japanese sources, Solt reveals how the creation of a black market for American wheat imports during the U.S. occupation of Japan (1945–1952), the reindustrialization of Japan’s labor force during the Cold War, and the elevation of working-class foods in redefining national identity during the past two decades of economic stagnation (1990s–2000s), all contributed to the establishment of ramen as a national dish.

This book is essential reading for scholars, students of Japanese history and food studies, and anyone interested in gaining greater perspective on how international policy can influence everyday foods around the world.

More books from University of California Press

Cover of the book Return to the Sea by George Solt
Cover of the book Haj to Utopia by George Solt
Cover of the book Living at the Edges of Capitalism by George Solt
Cover of the book Ghosts of Futures Past by George Solt
Cover of the book Reclaiming Late-Romantic Music by George Solt
Cover of the book Some Trouble with Cows by George Solt
Cover of the book Ancestral Leaves by George Solt
Cover of the book Slave Next Door by George Solt
Cover of the book The Separation Solution? by George Solt
Cover of the book On the Postcolony by George Solt
Cover of the book Birth Models That Work by George Solt
Cover of the book Roots of Ecology by George Solt
Cover of the book Immigrant America by George Solt
Cover of the book Sidewalking by George Solt
Cover of the book From Mission to Microchip by George Solt
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy