How the World Eats: A Global Food Philosophy

Publisher Marketing: "Global food systems have grown unsustainable and must be reworked, according to this illuminating treatise. Baggini skillfully captures the intricacies of an enormously complex system and its tangled environmental, economic, and public health consequences. A worthwhile consideration of a pressing social issue."-- Publishers Weekly Review Quotes : "British philosopher Baggini pivots from contemplating the meaning of existence to the more mundane habit of eating. Yet he applies the same intellectually rigorous analysis, and his deep research shines on every page. In this wide-ranging book, Baggini surveys how different societies define food, from the Maasai people in East Africa who thrive on meat, milk, and the blood of their cattle to industrialized Westerners who relish fast food."-- Booklist, starred review Review Quotes : "Debunks myths aplenty. Baggini's arguments are both readable and reasonable, which should find common ground across the food industry, whether you are a committed vegan or part-owner of a meat processing plant."-- The Irish Times Review Quotes : "A refreshingly balanced and nuanced survey of the complexities and realities of food today. Baggini explores the global reach of what we eat and weighs up competing voices to give some clarity of thinking amongst the clamor and crises."-- Hattie Ellis, author of What to Eat: 10 Chewy Questions About Food Review Quotes : "Very informative and highly enjoyable."-- Ha-Joon Chang, SOAS University of London, author of Edible Economics Review Quotes : "Julian expertly takes the reader on a wonderful journey and exploration through philosophy, culture, and gastronomy across the globe. A must-read for anyone passionate about food, culture and connections."-- Dr Rupy Aujla, author of The Doctor's Kitchen Brief Description : "How we live is shaped by how we eat. You can see this in the vastly different approaches to growing, preparing and eating food around the world, such as the hunter-gatherer Hadza in Tanzania whose sustainable lifestyle is under threat in a crowded planet, or Western societies whose food is farmed or bred in vast intensive enterprises. And most of us now rely on a complex global food web of production, distribution, consumption and disposal, which is now contending with unprecedented challenges. The need for a better understanding of how we feed ourselves has never been more urgent. In this wide-ranging and definitive book, philosopher Julian Baggini expertly delves into the best and worst food practises in a huge array of different societies, past and present. His exploration takes him from cutting-edge technologies, such as new farming methods, cultured meat, GM and astronaut food, to the ethics and health of ultra processed food and aquaculture, as he takes a forensic look at the effectiveness of our food governance, the difficulties of food wastage and the effects of commodification. Extracting essential principles to guide how we eat in the future, How the World Eats advocates for a pluralistic, humane, resourceful and equitable global food philosophy, so we can build a food system fit for the twenty-first century and beyond." -- Biographical Note : Julian Baggini's books include the internationally bestselling How the World Thinks; How to Think Like a Philosopher; The Virtues of the Table; and T he Pig That Wants to be Eaten . He is the Academic Director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy and is a member of the Food Ethics Council. He is a regular columnist for T he Guardian, Prospect magazine, Financial Times and a columnist and book reviewer for The Wall Street Journal. He has also written for New Humanist magazine, The Week, New Statesman, New York Times and Literary Review. Visit him at julianbaggini.com. Review Quotes : "Baggini--a philosopher and journalist--applies an interdisciplinary lens as he disentangles and describes the evolutionary complexities of our global food system. A philosopher's eye brought a refreshing alternative and nuanced view to the relationships that connect us--not always favorably--to our foods. Baggini describes a growing disconnect between eating food and understanding the associated harms that may be caused along the way to your plate. The food world, he argues, must be considered as a whole system. This is a wonderful perspective to advocate for."-- Science Review Quotes : "In How the World Eats , Baggini grapples with 'everything that affects and is affected by' our comestibles. Baggini's attraction to detail makes How the World Eats a vivid read. For all the clarity of his prose, he is not afraid of complication. At times, he revels in it. For eaters with an appetite for facts, there is much to enjoy. The abstract ideas are meant to be the point, but it's the concrete details that make How the World Eats absorbing."-- Pete Wells, New York Times Book Review Review Quotes : "A provocative, intelligent survey of the many complexities, moral and practical, of bringing food to our plates."-- Kirkus Reviews Review Quotes : "Mr. Baggini's book is valuable as a truly sweeping survey of the world's food system. The author is a fair-minded judge of the vast research and complex science he has distilled, pointing to the many ethical and environmental challenges we face in feeding an increasingly affluent planet."-- The Wall Street Journal Publisher Marketing : A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice

Format: Hardcover | Pages: 464 | Publication Date: 2025-02-04