The Cheese and the Worms (by Carlo Ginzburg)

*The Cheese and the Worms* by Carlo Ginzburg explores how a 16th-century Italian miller, Menocchio, interpreted Christianity in his own unique way. Ginzburg examines how ordinary people, drawing from their local culture and beliefs, can develop complex worldviews that challenge official church doctrines. The book illustrates the importance of individual perspective and popular culture in shaping understanding of religion and society, highlighting how even an uneducated man’s ideas can reflect broader questions about authority, knowledge, and belief. It’s a study of how personal interpretations influence historical and cultural development.