Feed the People

Why Industrial Food is Good and How to Make It Even Better

By Jan Dutkiewicz and Gabriel N. Rosenberg

The answers to all our problems are right here in this book. We could easily help the environment, the workers, and the whole society's health by changing the way we look at the industrialized food system and agriculture. If only we had the political will. It's called Democratic Hedonism. We should all enjoy our food and have it nutritious and affordable too. Main takes: SNAP and universal school lunches are a great way to get a lot of people to eat nutritious food. Improve the processed food through regulation and investment. Reduce meat production and consumption by focusing on plant-based and cellular innovations. Allow workers in agriculture and food system fair wages and safe working conditions. [non-fiction, 277pp., including notes and index]

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The New Perimenopause

By Mary Claire Haver, MD

So many important things discussed here. Should be a starting point for every woman, even if she's not at that stage yet or anymore, and also men who have any sort of close relationship to a woman who is going through that stage of her life. Due to obvious proselytizing, I think other writings should be considered as well, and research of some primary sources. But I'm glad this book and the author's works are changing the landscape of women's health for the better. [non-fiction, 347pp., including appendices, references, and index]

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One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This

By Omar El Akkad

Thoughts about the current state of humanity as reflected by the way it stands on various issues, focusing on the genocide inflicted on Palestinians, but also climate, capitalism, etc. Without so many direct words, showing how all these things are related. In between, cementing these thoughts, are anecdotes from the author's life. [non-fiction, 187pp.]

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The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth

By Josh Levin

How do you take one unusually disturbed individual and turn her into a stereotype to satisfy your political gains? Linda Taylor was portrayed as the Welfare Queen, and indeed she cheated the system on multiple occasions. But she also did much worse things than that, but those aspects of her crimes did not end up being hugely featured in newspapers, did not lead to cuts to welfare programs, and rarely even got her arrested. One wonders if she still would have hurt so many people if she grew up in a more welcoming environment, if she were allowed to go to school, if she didn't have to take her life in her own hands from early childhood. [non-fiction, 418 pp. including notes and index]

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The Goldfinch

By Donna Tartt

I went through the 771 pages pretty fast, considering I was reading other books in between! It was a very engrossing book. I am amazed at the amount of research that must have gone into writing this book: about art, antiques, drug use, crime (white-collar and otherwise), etc. [Fiction, 771pp.] 

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Tomorrow Is Yesterday

Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine

By Hussein Agha and Robert Malley

Interesting and insightful writings by two people who were deeply involved in the negotiations in this area. I am amazed how well they integrate their ideas - there is no clear division - you can't really tell who's been writing a certain paragraph, it's like the two are one. Pretty amazing, I think. I found the two penultimate chapters a little harder to get into than the other ones. Perhaps because they were more focused ideas and speculation, as opposed to stories and facts. The outlook is not hopeful (we've been trying this one things over and over and it's not working, yet we keep trying it again). But it wants us to consider alternative options that may now be viewed as impossibilities and non-negotiable. So yes, doesn't seem hopeful, but maybe one day... [non-fiction, 260pp.]

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Jesus and the Disinherited

By Howard Thurman

Philosophical thoughts about what it means to be a part of a persecuted, disadvantaged group, and what it means live in a society that creates such groups, all through a compassionate lens for teachings of Jesus. [nonfiction, 106 pp., not including 2 forwards and a preface] 

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