A review by suddenflamingword
Pancake: A Global History by Ken Albala

4.0

This is a genuinely engaging, funny, and intricate book despite everything suggesting minimalism. Between Albala's self-conscious comedy of playing a pancake scientist, talking about how "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny or, more plainly put, the evolution of a species can be discerned in its developing embryonic state," and acknowledging the role class, race, and culture play in food, it's a niche experience that manages to keep itself relevant. That said, it's not political, which is to say it doesn't really do anything beyond acknowledge these facts, but it does what it's aiming to do perfectly and it can't really be faulted too much for that.

Otherwise, I'd defer to Orsolya's review which is a more informed and broader critique of the book. Perfectly put: "It's a 'cute' and fast read."