Cautionary Tales Missing Fish and Fatal Feasts: Ritual and Ruin at the Sun King’s Table

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In the gilded court of Louis XIV, 17th Century France, manners are everything. Where to sit, how to eat, what to wear – any misstep is costly. No one knows this better than François Vatel, the greatest party planner in all of France. Tonight, Vatel must deliver the ultimate banquet, a chance for his master to rise through the ranks and win the king’s favour. But where there is opportunity there is danger, and even one mistake could prove deadly.

WARNING: This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available – for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123

For a full list of show notes go to timharford.com, and to join our new Patreon, go to patreon.com/cautionaryclub

The Host

Tim Harford

Tim Harford’s long-running column in the Financial Times, “The Undercover Economist,” reveals the economic ideas behind everyday experiences. His first book, The Undercover Economist, was published in 30 languages and sold…