Eating is basic human function and as humans evolved and civilizations formed in different parts of the world, the ability and need to cook developed. How and what food was cooked, however, is as varied as humans themselves.
The Incredible Story of Cooking: From Prehistory to Today, 500,000 Years of Adventure is a nonfiction historical graphic novel that spans the development of cooking from the prehistoric era to the modern day. It is a hefty tome that strives to explore cooking throughout history and geography. The chapters break up the history through different points in human advancement, from the slow development of prehistoric humans and the first great civilizations to trade routes and castle life.
The broad exposition, laying out the history of cooking and human development, can be dry, bordering on boring, but the characters often break the fourth wall, talking to the reader. The characters supplement the narrative with more facts, and some have a comical delivery. This juxtaposition of character dialogue with descriptive paragraphs helps break up the monotony and the humor adds a much needed light touch.
Despite the sometimes overwhelming information onslaught, the subject is interesting and worth exploring. The development of cooking is intertwined so deeply with human culture and advancement, such as the invention of the chef profession in Mesopotamia to the development of nutrition science in China.
The art is detailed and straightforward, well suited to the nonfiction format. Stéphane Douay’s style has a retro feel to it and lends itself to the informative text. Periodic maps help ground the reader when the geographical locations change before zeroing in on the detailed places and topics. The people featured are unique and have personality even though they may only be on one or two pages. Their expressions help convey the lighthearted humor as well.
The history of cooking is a fascinating topic, and the graphic novel format is well suited to such a subject. The Incredible Story of Cooking: From Prehistory to Today, 500,000 Years of Adventure makes a worthy attempt at breaking up so much history with splashes of humor throughout. However, even as dense as it is, it seems to rush through various points in time and cultural moments. There is so much to cover though that a graphic novel series might have been more accessible than one volume.
NBM Publishing does not specify a specific age range though the nonfiction graphic novel definitely gears toward adults. Older teens may find it interesting, but the style and presentation may not be appealing to younger audiences. The 22 recipes featured at the end add a fun touch, and the Further Reading and Bibliography sections provide additional information for interested readers.
The Incredible Story of Cooking: From Prehistory to Today, 500,000 Years of Adventure
Story by Benoist Simmat
Art by Stéphane Douay
Translation by Montana Kane
Les Arènes, Paris, 2021
NBM for the English translation, 2024
ISBN: 9781681123400
Publisher Age Rating: Adult (18+)
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Adult (18+)
