Animal, Vegetable, Junk

Starred review from March 1, 2021

Author and food journalist Bittman presents a fascinating analysis of how history has been shaped by humans searching for food and the continuing war against nature. This anthropological study includes a description of the cultural and environmental consequences of the transformation from ancient hunting and gathering to the age of agriculture, and dives into today's highly industrialized food system. Bittman describes the historical exploitation of land; commercial greed; how the focus on cash crops triggered the American Dust Bowl era; the ravages to the environment caused by human-made chemical fertilizers and pesticides; and the economic disaster forced on family farms by industrialized agribusiness. He ends with a passionate plea to support agriculture that sustains the land, food that genuinely nourishes, and people who want to grow and cook for their communities. Bittman's clear, steady-paced narration nicely guides erudite listeners through this important contribution to the rapidly growing genre of food activism. VERDICT Worldwide famine and the collapse of the climate are real, and the author's stark challenge to change the system or suffer catastrophe is a clarion call. This ardent work will appeal to devotees of Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and Jared Diamond's Collapse. Highly recommended for all libraries.--Dale Farris, Groves, TX

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A great storyteller, food writer Bittman narrates this history of food (from "sustainable to suicidal") in a friendly, accessible way that invites listeners to consider food's centrality to everything, including pressing issues such as climate change and social justice. Sounding engaged and conversational as he shares his research on how we got to our current state of affairs (he's crunched down much history in this remarkably digestible offering), Bittman offers a frank, sobering assessment of "where we're at." That includes highlighting the dangers of monoculture, industrial agriculture, brutal labor practices, and poisonous pesticide use. Fortunately, his chapter titled "The Way Forward" illuminates steps toward progressive, sustainable agroecology practices listeners can support to create lasting changes to our food systems--now that they're aware of the logic behind them. J.C.G. � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine