Reading List for a Rainy Day
As fall approaches, the days grow crisper and the sky darkens a little earlier. Many of us are driven indoors on brisk, rainy evenings to a book and a mug of tea or cider.
If you’re like us you’re always looking to get the most out of your reading experience. We want to be sure that we’re using our precious reading time on the books that are the richest, deepest and most meaningful. And so, with your best interests in mind, Dylan Fitz, an intrepid BLAST fellow, set out to compile a list of the books that undergird our movement.
We wanted a list that covered the broad scope of issues that are encompassed by the food system, and at the same time we wanted to be sure that books on the list were accessible to many. This list is a primer for anyone working to change the way that food is grown, distributed, and consumed. If you have a favorite book that you think has been shortchanged, please feel free to let everyone know about it by posting a comment.
Many of these books may look familiar, some have even become wildly popular, all of them are worth your precious reading time.
Staff Recommendations for BLAST
In order to create a reading list for the BLAST movement, we asked The Food Project staff which books they thought were the most vital for young leaders to be familiar with. Here are their insightful suggestions, presented by subject with short descriptions.
Social Movements
“The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” by Malcolm Gladwell
Why did Hush Puppies suddenly become popular again in 1995? Why did the crack epidemic crash in East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn? When will local food become the norm again? Well, Malcolm Gladwell doesn’t tackle the last question directly in his book, but sustainable food champions can learn much from his observations about “when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.” There are lessons in here about the importance of finding the right message, of having diverse kinds of people in a network, and of understanding your social political context. I think everyone who is interested in social change should read this book-and especially anyone who ever feels daunted by the thought of “taking on” on the mainstream food system!
“Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves” by Adam Hochschild
This is a book about the original fair trade movement, the original farmworkers’ movement-in fact, it’s about the original movement, period! It’s a gripping record of the 50 year effort by British abolitionists and Africans themselves to end the slave trade. Almost all the techniques of modern movements and campaigns were invented during this struggle, from the petition to the consumer boycott to the media blitz. It’s also a book which vividly proves Margaret Mead’s observation that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world, and it illustrates many of the points in “The Tipping Point.” If this were only a book that gave insight into the dynamics of social movements, it would be a must-read; but since slave-produced sugar is the commodity at the center of this story, “Bury the Chains” is also a powerful window into the origins of our global-capital food system, not to mention the racial inequality that characterizes our world today.
Agriculture
“Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual” by Bill Mollison
This thick volume is a great introduction to sustainable agriculture and the thought model of permaculture (literally ‘permanent’ & ‘agriculture’.) Though slightly dated, The Designers’ Manual is a great resource, providing a great number of practical ideas & solutions for designing & maintaining agricultural and social systems, with a focus on working with nature rather than against it. Permaculture is applicable in various systems, from urban agriculture to the homestead to community levels.
“The Humanure Handbook” by Joseph Jenkins
“At the first farm I worked at after college, it was explained to me during my orientation that, as part of their effort to operate in an ecologically-sustainable fashion they compost all of their own human waste. I was brought out to an outhouse containing a 5-gallon bucket and shown to a compost area where the buckets were dumped and made into compost. In reaction to the look of fear on my face, my farmer handed me a book called “The Humanure Handbook” and assigned my first farm task- to read the book. By the time I made it through the fist couple chapters my fears had turned to interest and even a little excitement at the idea. I was raised to believe that people should always clean up after themselves and be responsible for their own messes- this seemed like a natural extension of that idea! Whether of not you ever plan to compost your own waste, The Humanure Handbook should be on anyone’s reading list as a means of learning more about the impacts of the modern sewer system, and of being aware of the alternatives that are possible. The book is funny, practical and informative. A must-read for anyone who poops!” - Danielle Andrews, Head Grower
“The New Organic Grower” by Eliot Coleman
This book by Eliot Coleman could easily be called the bible of soil. A pioneering book on organic agriculture, “The New Organic Grower” breaks down the basics behind soil, crop rotation, composting, tool use, and much more. It should be read by anyone that’s interested in sustainable growing, whether you’ll be working on the land or in the office.
Food Culture/History
“The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture” by Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry, one of the earliest and best-known writers about the problems with modern agriculture, explores the separation of citizens from the land and the dissolution of many communities. Because we have distanced ourselves from the land, we lack the understanding of and care for the land that will enable us to live happy and healthy lives into the future. This book will inspire you to get your hands dirty and build communities - whether in your own area or within the broader BLAST movement.
“Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal” by Eric Schlosser
This book powerfully explores what the most common and standard American meals consist of - from the actual content of the food, to the environmental impact of its production, to the social consequences of many fast food companies. Whatever drives you and your work, whether it’s concern for sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, local food systems, family farms, social justice, or healthy lifestyles, this book will impact you. While the BLAST network consists of an incredibly diverse range of people - farmers, youth-focused organizations, chefs, and policy reformers to name a few - the modern food system ties together as many areas and we must collaborate in order to improve our food systems in ways that we all support.
“Chew on This: Everything You Don’t Want to Know About Fast Food” by Eric Schlosser
By the same author as “Fast Food Nation,” this book targets a younger audience through its content and examples of younger people. Read about a teenager in Canada that led a boycott of McDonald’s, a girl in Alaska who successfully lobbied against soda machines at her elementary school, and other young people that have both succeeded and failed in improving their food systems.
“Eat Here: Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket” by Brian Halweil
“Eat Here” contains a ton of vivid stories and remarkable statistics about our food systems. Read about the unseen externalities of the current global food system, but also read several inspiring examples of innovative projects that are “breaking ground” all over the world.
Food Choices
“The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals” by Michael Pollan
This current best-seller traces four meals back to their origins, by traveling through the food system from your stomach through processing and farming all the way back to their biological origins of your food. This book breaks down a meal at McDonald’s, one from Whole Foods, one from a sustainable farm, and one that was hunted and gathered in the wild. By starting from the consumer’s position in the food system, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” helps illustrate the impact of our food choices and the options that exist for us today.
“The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter” by Peter Singer and Jim Mason
Peter Singer, author of “Animal Liberation” (a book that has inspired thousands to become vegetarian since it came out in 1975), lends his utilitarian philosophies to the food system and the choices that we make as consumers. Singer uses the food choices of three families to set the background for his arguments, which cover whether or not we should eat meat, what kind of meat we should eat, whether we should buy from local farmers in the United States or poorer international farmers, and whether it’s better for the environment if a Californian buys rice from California or Bangladesh. To learn about making ethical food decisions, whether or not you agree with Singer’s utilitarian arguments, check out this book.
“What to Eat” by Marion Nestle
According to Marion Nestle, we all need to “eat less, move more” and read this book. In “Food Politics,” Nestle breaks down the relationships between our food culture, the government, and the food industry. Essentially, the food industry convinces us to eat more (thus increasing their profits when we eat more than we need) and the food industry opposes government regulation and influences politics. So what can we do? Learn the truth, eat less, and move more.
“Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen” by Anna Lappe and Bryant Terry
With a unique mix of formats within the book, Grub was a quick read that explained why we need a change in the food system and how each of us could make steps to support that. The book is directed at young urban folks, both from references to popular culture and conversational style of writing to the ideas about where to shop for ingredients for the recipes. Overall, Grub is helpful and pretty user friendly, and written by young people who will admit they occasionally get behind on cleaning their fridge and don’t buy ALL their food organic. It’s a great way to get started.
Hunger
“World Hunger: 12 Myths” by Frances Moore Lappe, Joseph Collins, and Peter Rosset
Whether you’re working to promote fair trade or build local food systems, you need to understand the global food system and how your own actions and the policies you support impact those around you. This book explores world hunger and breaks down many staunchly held beliefs - about food supply, the Green Revolution, free trade, US aid, and what we can all do to end world hunger - to better understand why hunger still exists and why our efforts to alleviate hunger have yet to work. Because we currently exist in such a global food system and because going local has a global impact, we all need to understand global issues. Also, the most extreme cases of poverty and hunger exist overseas and that is where some of our most important work must take place.
“Hungry Planet: What the World Eats” by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio
What’s a good way to visualize the diets of people from all over the world? This book tracks a week’s food consumption for 30 families from all over the world. The authors then chart the costs of food for each family, describe the family’s food costs, typical meals, and the factors that influence their diets. Most impressive is the picture that accompanies every section. For each family, there is a picture of the family sitting behind their food supply for an entire week. These images illustrate and amazing amount about the diets in diverse areas of the world.
Other
“Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” by Jared Diamond
Why do civilizations fail or succeed? Is it environmental? Political? Cultural? Luck? Jared Diamond (author of “Guns, Germs, and Steel”) uses case studies throughout history - from the ancient Maya to modern day Montana - to answer this question. He finds that it is a combination of factors, but that our understanding of the environment (including agriculture and food production) and the cultural and political choices we make are of central importance. This book shows that civilizations do end, but that we can make informed choices that preserve our future, as proven by several successful civilizations that Diamond explores. Because the world is so interconnected and our actions in one region influence the entire world, we must understand our collective actions, realize that possible threats that we face, and collaborate locally and internationally. Today, we truly need to think locally and globally and act locally and globally.
“The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck
In “The Grapes of Wrath,” John Steinbeck chronicles the experiences of the fictional Joad family as they endure the horrors of the Great Depression. As the Joads leave their land in Oklahoma to search for work in California, they struggle to make ends meat, but maintain their dignity, their compassion for the less fortunate, and their family cohesion. As they continue to share what little they have with others along the way, the Joads maintain a sense of community after being forced to leave their farm and struggle to find sufficient wage labor.
“The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for our Time” by Jeffrey Sachs
This book provides a nice companion to “Collapse” by Jared Diamond. While “Collapse” explores the threats that our civilizations face and explains that our decisions impact our longevity, Jeffrey Sachs - an experienced economist, social justice advocate, and sustainable development advocate - convincingly argues that our planet now has the resources to eradicate extreme poverty. Although he does not focus on food systems, “The End of Poverty” provides the economic, social, and political arguments proving that we can end extreme poverty - including disease and hunger - if we collectively make the decision to do so. I find a lot of hope knowing that we have the resources to dramatically improve our planet, and that if we change people’s attitudes towards our food system, we have the power to transform it.
“Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable” by Seth Godin
This book is short (160 pages, small book). It’s easy and fun to read (lots of stories). It’s all about why you have to be different, and be remarkable, instead of being mediocre. To succeed, the BLAST movement will have to by definition “do things different,” and this book is a quick, fun way at seeing the possibilities.