September 12, 2005
Goodall, best known for her decades of work with chimpanzees and baboons, turns to the social significance of the food people eat and of how it reaches our tables. In a style that's both persuasive and Pollyannaish, her guide glides through a quick history of early agriculture, despairs of "death by monoculture" (single-crop farming), warns of the hazards of genetically modified foods and of the disappearance of seed diversity,and bemoans the existence of inhumane animal factories and unclean fish farms—the macro concerns of the environmentally conscious. On a more micro level, she focuses on what individuals can do for themselves. In a grab bag of well-intentioned bromides, Goodall counsels her readers to become vegetarians, celebrates restaurants and grocery stores that seek out locally grown produce, frets about the quality of school lunches and the pervasiveness of fast food–fueled obesity, honors small farmers and warns of a looming water crisis. Most chapters conclude with "what you can do" sections: demand that modified foods be labeled; turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. This book about making healthy choices breaks no new ground, but its jargon-free and anecdote-rich approach makes it a useful primer for grassroots activists, while the Goodall imprimatur could broaden its reach. Agent, Jonathan Lazear.
October 15, 2005
Readers will probably wonder why chimpanzee expert Goodall (Reason for Hope) is writing a so-called "guide to mindful eating." The author here argues that the devastation wrought on chimpanzee populations and many indigenous African peoples by Western influences will spread around the world because of unseemly corporate farming practices. Her book is a clarion call to people to purchase food that has been grown using sustainable agricultural techniques (namely food from local family farms that use organic growing methods). Goodall, a vegetarian, also makes a case for varying forms of vegetarian diets; however, she provides ways for people to make ethically sound choices when eating meat. Most chapters, in fact, include a section titled "What You Can Do," which contains action steps to sway the market toward increased use of sustainable practices. Writing in a chatty, engaging style, Goodall employs anecdotal information rather than hard scientific fact to back her arguments. As a result, those who are not inclined to agree with her may view this as a bit of a polemic; her many fans, on the other hand, and casual readers looking to become active in pushing for animal rights and sustainable agriculture will . For public and academic libraries.Elaine M. Bergman, Healthcare Assn. of New York State, Rensselaer
Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.