A Bone to Pick
The Good and Bad News About Food, Along with Wisdom and Advice on Diets, Food Sa fety, GMOs, Farming, and More
1 of 1 copy available
In A Bone to Pick, Mark’s most memorable and thought-provoking columns are compiled into a single volume for the first time. As abundant and safe as the American food supply appears to be, the state of our health reveals the presence of staggering deficiencies in both the system that produces food and the forces that regulate it. Bittman leaves no issue unexamined; agricultural practices, government legislation, fad diets, and corporate greed all come under scrutiny and show that the issues governing what ends up in our market basket and on our tables are both complex and often deliberately confusing. Unabashedly opinionated and invariably thought provoking, Bittman’s columns have helped readers decipher arcane policy, unpack scientific studies, and deflate affronts to common sense when it comes to determining what “eating well” truly means. As urgent as the situation is, Mark contends that we can be optimistic about the future of our food and its impact on our health, as slow-food movements, better school-lunch programs, and even “healthy fast food” become part of the norm.
At once inspiring, enraging, and enlightening, A Bone to Pick is an essential resource for every reader eager to understand not only the complexities inherent in the American food system, but also the many opportunities that exist to improve it.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 5, 2015 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781101889800
- File size: 250870 KB
- Duration: 08:42:38
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Mark Bittman's collection of op-ed pieces, which originally appeared in the NEW YORK TIMES, supports his principal concerns about how and what America eats. Narrator Robert Fass wisely opts for a conversational style, punctuated with a little attitude, to keep listeners' full attention, even in the more fact-filled articles. Although Bittman writes from a variety of perspectives, he focuses on only a few issues: the interplay of food and health, food safety, federal laws, and agribusiness. In addition, he's passionate about home cooking and eating real food. Fass's performance is expressive and engaging, but Bittman's message can become repetitive. Listeners will best appreciate this important collection one or two articles at time, making this audiobook the perfect choice for a daily commute or lunchtime break. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine -
April 20, 2015
Bittman (How to Cook Everything Fast) compiles pieces primarily written during the past four years (from the New York Times and the Times Sunday Magazine) in this overview of contemporary food-related concerns. Eschewing chronological presentation, Bittman groups the essays under six headings: “Big Ag,” “Sustainability and What’s in Between,” “What’s Wrong with Meat,” “What Is Food and What Is Not,” “The Truth About Diet(s),” “The Broken Food Chain,” and “Legislating and Labeling.” Bittman covers a variety of issues; though a well-known cookbook author, he’s also a reporter who often gets out of the kitchen. His travels take him to Sacramento Valley (to see a “big tomato operation”), pig farms in Iowa, and a food bank in Rhode Island. Bittman has far more than one “bone to pick,” lecturing on cruelty to farm animals, the use of antibiotics and pesticides, worker rights, the dangers of added sugar, and insufficient government oversight, to name just a few. His complaints about what he calls a “broken” food system are consistently balanced with viable solutions; his resounding message (“eat real food”) is simple enough, and supports his overall goal of human health and agricultural sustainability. Bittman’s compelling essays are a call to action and a reminder to readers that the future of food—and of the planet—is in their own hands.
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