Book Reviews

James Rebanks sneaks up on you. His prose is colorful and decisive. He’s writing about nature, which encourages lavish description, and he’s writing about the indignities humans have imposed on nature, which encourages hand-wringing. But he does neither. Rather, Rebanks is a … [Read more...] about Moving Onward From Disillusionment With Factory Farming: James Rebanks’ Pastoral Song

“Norway became oil-rich in the 1970s, so our view of the country is as a prosperous place on the right side of human rights,” said Darra Goldstein, introducing a talk about Norwegian culinary practices. “But before that they were seen as poor, and the Swedes and Danes looked down … [Read more...] about Rhubarb! Star Of The Show In Norwegian Culinary Traditions

First there’s a small sense of betrayal. Mark Bittman’s cookbooks are reliable foundational items for any culinary collection, offering satisfying recipes described in a reassuring voice. His latest book, Animal, Vegetable, Junk, A History of Food, from Sustainable to Suicidal … [Read more...] about Human Sustenance: Sustainable Or Suicidal?

Over the past few years, we've enjoyed spotlighting the national awards for children's literature created by the American Horticultural Society (AHS) and the Junior Master Gardener Program (JMG). This past November, AHS and JMG honored four children's books with their Growing … [Read more...] about Guide To Winter & Spring Reading From American Farmland Trust Includes 2 Picks For Children

As you make your way through this well-reasoned, well-researched, densely written book, you may hear the sound of a scream, a crescendo of pain that builds from introduction to index. In my case, it turned out to be coming from the inside of my own head. We know, or have … [Read more...] about American Democracy Undermined By Powerful Monopolies With Big AG, A Prime Example: BREAK’EM UP