| Title | : | Why Food Matters (Why X Matters Series) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 030025377X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780300253771 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 216 |
| Publication | : | Published September 28, 2021 |
“A rich and fascinating narrative that reaches deep into the historical and cultural larder of societal experience, powerfully illustrating the myriad ways that food matters as an essential condiment for humanity.”—Danny Meyer, founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and Shake Shack
Why does food matter? Historically, food has not always been considered a serious subject on par with, for instance, a performance art like opera or a humanities discipline like philosophy. Necessity, ubiquity, and repetition contribute to the apparent banality of food, but these attributes don’t capture food’s emotional and cultural range, from the quotidian to the exquisite.
In this short, passionate book, Paul Freedman makes the case for food’s vital importance, stressing its crucial role in the evolution of human identity and human civilizations. Freedman presents a highly readable and illuminating account of food’s unique role in our lives. It is a way to express community and celebration, but it can also be divisive. This wide-ranging book is a must-read for food lovers and all those interested in how cultures and identities are formed and maintained.
Why Food Matters (Why X Matters Series) Reviews
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It’s rare that a blurb summarizes a book as well as is the case for Freedman’s 'Why Food Matters.'
The book is a well-written, quick read that manages to span a wide array of topics, eras, and ideas surrounding the whys, whats, wheres, and whos of food. It’s sort of a cross-cultural history of food and food-related identities, bundled together with a contemporary critique of the modern food system.
Due to its short format, the book misses out on exploring worthwhile complexities and depth. However, I don’t think it detracts too much from the purpose of the book or my experience of it.
Indeed, at times his brevity enhances the reading experience, and maybe even the messaging. For example, while this is not a health or nutrition book, Freedman hits a home-run with this nutritional advice statement: “Confusions over what constitutes a healthful diet is caused less by conflicting nutritional advice, and more by our reluctance to accept it. There is, in fact, no conflict over recommendations that we eat less, exercise more, and avoid snacks, convenience food, fast food. But these instructions are annoying.”
I laughed out loud!
Finally, 'Why Food Matters' ends on an activist-ish note. Having illustrated the importance of striving for a sustainable food system, Freedman wraps it up with Amory Lovin’s words,
“[b]e neither an optimist nor a pessimist. Both are different forms of fatalism. Instead, practice what I call applied hope: believe our world and the causes you care about can get better, and work to make them so.”
It’s a pretty nice finishing touch on a short but interesting read. No socks will be knocked off, but this little book is well worth your attention for a few hours. Recommended! -
Superb history and exploration but way too many covid references
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A perfectly brief and effective coverage of modern food history explaining the impacts and nuances of food, food culture, and food impacts. There was a lot here I didn’t know and was impressed at the balance in coverage. The author covers many different topics without being dense or overwritten. Each chapter could likely take up its own book or dissertation, but we get the important bits.
I have no regrets reading this and would recommend it to anyone interested in the intersection of food and life beyond its role to provide fuel. Because the author makes a clear case that even if you only see food as fuel, it has fundamental societal, cultural, economic, and climate impacts. -
A 5hr audiobook. I did enjoy this book but I think the title is misleading, the title 'A very short history of world food' or 'Brief short stories of human eating habits' would be more accurate. The current title makes me think there would have been a topics of nutrition, health problems related to food, and you are what you eat thinking, but no. The only "Meat and Potatoes" of this book in my opinion is the final chapter, but even then, this book is only skimming highlights. Let me say again though, I did enjoy this book.
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Extremely pretentious book. Sounded like it was someone’s dissertation, given the try-hard vocabulary. I suppose I find it ironic that a book that focuses largely on the inequity of food would use words that would alienate 80% of the population.
That said, I did learn quite a bit from this book, so I’m not totally tanking the star rating. -
Read this after Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential and some Michael Pollan food books-
Concise and dense coverage of the chefs and food culture- I learned more about how widespread food sexism and trade slavery was -
It was fine. The questions the author poses towards the end of the book all have answers that point to colonialism, racism, and anti-capitalism - all things I agree with. I wish he was brave enough to just come out and say that though, instead of asking questions.
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An interesting historical review of the cultural, social, and geographical basis for how we perceive the importance of food. This isn’t a health or nutrition book, but rather a look at how societies and cultures have viewed the importance of food consumption, preparation and impact.
