Animal, Vegetable, Junk - by Mark Bittman (Paperback)

About the Book

"From hunting and gathering to GMOs and ultraprocessed foods, this expansive tour of human history rewrites the story of our species--and points the way to a better future"--]cProvided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Epic and engrossing." --The New York Times Book Review

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author and pioneering journalist, an expansive look at how history has been shaped by humanity's appetite for food, farmland, and the money behind it all--and how a better future is within reach.

The story of humankind is usually told as one of technological innovation and economic influence--of arrowheads and atomic bombs, settlers and stock markets. But behind it all, there is an even more fundamental driver: Food.

In Animal, Vegetable, Junk, trusted food authority Mark Bittman offers a panoramic view of how the frenzy for food has driven human history to some of its most catastrophic moments, from slavery and colonialism to famine and genocide--and to our current moment, wherein industrial agriculture and Big Food exacerbate climate change, plunders our planet, and create a public health crisis that sickens its people. Even still, Bittman refuses to concede that the battle is lost, pointing to activists, workers, and governments around the world who are choosing well-being over corporate greed and gluttony, and fighting to free society from Big Food's grip.

Sweeping, impassioned, and ultimately full of hope, this landmark work of food history reveals not only how food has shaped our past, but also how we can transform it to reclaim our future.

Bittman's definitive account connects the dots from the first agricultural societies to our modern crisis, exploring:

• The Rise of Big Food: How corporations from Big Sugar to Big Ag consolidated power, creating a system that prioritizes profit over the well-being of people and the planet.
• A Hidden History of Famine: An unflinching look at how colonialism, slavery, and corporate greed have weaponized food and driven some of history's most catastrophic moments.
• The Climate Change Connection: A clear-eyed analysis of how industrialized agriculture contributes to climate change and plunders the planet's resources.
• A Path to Sustainable Agriculture: An ultimately hopeful vision for the future, highlighting the work of activists and communities who are fighting to reclaim our food system for good.

Review Quotes

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice "Epic and engrossing...a clear and compelling compendium of modern agriculture....[Bittman] has earned the right to damn the evident flaws of our system."--The New York Times Book Review "An expert's vigorous argument for systemic food reform."--Kirkus Reviews "Little in the present food world escapes [Bittman's] critical eye...[his] work is certain to increase controversy over the future of food."--Booklist "The climate crisis, COVID-19, and the recent reckoning with systemic and institutional racism have all revealed the many cracks in our global food system. In this thorough and revealing book, Mark Bittman discusses how we got to this point when reform is so essential, and presents the solutions to improve how we grow, distribute, and consume our food. A must read for policymakers, activists, and concerned citizens looking to better understand our food system, and how we can fix it."--Vice President Al Gore "Compelling and ambitious, Bittman's Animal, Vegetable, Junk is the authoritative text on the 1.8 million year history of the food system. We begin our journey with the first taming of fire to hunt and cook, witness the use of fire in indigenous swidden agriculture to prepare the ground, and finally arrive at the fanning of revolutionary fire of peasant farmers organizing against multinational agribusiness. Bittman leaves no stone unturned in the quest to understand how Big Food expropriated our land, water, and sustenance. Everyone who eats needs to read this book. The future of our species and our planet depends on it."--Leah Penniman, founding co-director of Soul Fire Farm and author of Farming While Black "Eating well, as Mark Bittman has taught so many of us over the years, is as much about collective health as it is about elegant recipes. In his most radical and profound book to date, Bittman brings his trademark wit, precision, and user-friendliness to a sweeping history of sustenance. The result is a joyful and transformational read."--Naomi Klein, author of This Changes Everything "A brilliant and insightful explanation of the food system. Bittman's writing is succinct and entertaining, and his recommendations are spot on."--David A. Kessler, M.D., former FDA commissioner and author of The End of Overeating and Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs "It's easy to be jealous of Mark Bittman. He knows how to cook everything, and he writes so clearly that you'll feel you can too. Now, he brings his prodigious talents to a history of how we eat. Once again, he has trimmed the fat and delivered it all. From the origins of the human diet to the World Trade Organization, you'll find how they're all connected in a broken food system. And his analysis is so compelling, you'll not only understand what's wrong, but also how to start to make it better."--Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved "If you, like me, think and worry about what you eat and also about the planet that is actually providing sustenance to you--and the other 7 billion of us--you need to read this amazing book. You also, as Mr. Bittman suggests, need to become an eater and an advocate, and push for the policy change needed to give everyone access to the nutritious food necessary to survive and thrive."--Ted Danson, actor and activist "This is the perfect book for this moment in time, and Mark is the perfect person to write it"--Alice Waters, chef, activist, and author "There is a saying: 'Humans are what they eat.' Yes, what isn't our food connected to? Food is crucial for our survival, our health, our welfare, our land, our laws, our energy supplies, our water, and almost everything else. Mark Bittman's thought-provoking, wide-ranging new book will open your eyes to the crisis facing our food system, and to the world impact of every bite that you eat."--Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel and Collapse

About the Author

MARK BITTMAN is the author of thirty acclaimed books, including How to Cook Everything. He was a New York Times columnist for more than two decades and has hosted four TV series, including the Emmy-winning Years of Living Dangerously. He is currently on the faculty at Columbia University and is the editor in chief of Heated. He lives in New York City.