Garlic And Sapphires By Ruth Reichl

The field of criticism is one that varies from academic to absurd. There are critics in academia who examine data, creative works, and various cultural anomalies to learn a higher truth about the world. There are media critics who judge bodies, faces, and “looks.” While these media critics provide valid insight into the cultural ideals of society, this criticism has not found a place in academia (excepting the arts, where judgement of beauty is based not from the subject, but the form and medium). A third kind of criticism falls in between the two: a form of criticism that, while primarily entertainment, is an academic medium which analyzes the arts in society. Food, book, and film critics analyze creative works that reflect upon society. While these critics offer subjective views of these works through their reviews, some critics also reveal new truths about society.

By studying this book, students would learn about the complexities of imagery, a device which is present in almost all forms of art. While this may appear as an isolated idea with little application, imagery in art teaches society about the nature of the world and how our sense perception dictates our emotion, intuition, and imagination. Not only does Reichl help students through an academic understanding of their world views, but also develops a personal understanding of society’s standards for fair treatment and respect, two ideals which can unify any student