Zest

Insightful essays exploring the art of living in a complex world.
Following on the explorations of culture and politics in his previous collection The Good European, the writings in Zest delve into less obvious but important aspects of social life—into manual work and 'dolce far niente,' into ancient vernacular craft traditions, and the data stockpiles of modernity. Early in the collection, we visit the Garden of Eden with Hieronymus Bosch, where we share with him the first fruit.

Zest takes us by way of writers, artists, philosophers, travellers, photographers, musicians, and flavors into the world of Zest—how we can find it and what its discovery does to us. Bamforth's sensuous, richly nuanced essays affect us as stories do, each one creating a world in which its arguments live and breathe, laugh and explore. For readers interested in culture, politics, philosophy, and the art of living.