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 up 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 organised the book around time periods and geographical locations, looking at the oyster's influence through colourful anecdotes, eye-opening scientific facts and a wide array of visuals