In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto - Michael Pollan

The Basics: In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, Michael Pollan, 2008, 244 pages, hardcover

How I found it: I read Pollan's last book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, a few years ago and loved it. In fact, I even named it best non-fiction of 2006. In The Omnivore's Dilemma, Pollan explores where our food comes from, but he doesn't really comment on what we should eat. I wanted to read In Defense of Food since it was promoted as commenting on what we should eat.

What's it about?: The sub-tile of this book is "An Eater's Manifesto", and this book really is a manifesto. Pollan attempts to convince us of his argument, then urges us to lead a quiet revolution through our food choices. The mantra for the book is "Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants". Pollan begins by explaining that by "food" he means unprocessed natural foods, not the overly-processed, additive-addled pseudo foods that dominate our grocery stores, and that our grandparents likely would not have recognized as food. He examines the declining nutritional value of our food and challenges the science behind modern notions of what is nutritional. Overall, he advocates a return to whole, unprocessed foods that are better for us, and taste better.

Did I like it?: I enjoyed this book a bit because to some degree, I agree with Pollan: I'd like to eat more whole, unprocessed foods. I have a variety of minor stomach ailments, and find that I feel better when I eat unprocessed foods and cook from scratch. It was nice to see a pseudo-scientific and definitely logical explanation for why those unprocessed foods make me feel better. Some people may take issue with Pollan's condemnation of nutritional science, but I found it quite convincing.

Will you like it?: If you have read The Omnivores Dilemma, this is a good follow-up book. As well, if like many people, you are becoming interested in local eating and whole foods, this is a great book to read. As well, if you are the kind of person that has read a bunch of diet books, or tried a variety of diets, you might find the nutrition section of the book interesting since it debunks (or attempts to) a lot of the traditional diet literature.

But don't take my word for it: The usual publishers blurbs and reader reviews from Amazon, a review from the International Herald Tribune, one from the Wise Bread website, another from the London Times, and one from the LA Times.

Late Nights On Air - Elizabeth Hay

The Basics: Late Nights on Air, Elizabeth Hay, 2007, 363 pages, hardcover, winner of the 2007 Giller Prize

How I found it: I decided to read this book when the Giller shortlist came out. However, I was on the waiting list at the library so long that Hay's book had won by the time I read it.

What's it about?: This novel follows the lives of several staff members at the Yellowknife CBC radio station in 1975. The story begins as an ensemble piece and slowly explores the lives of quite a few characters. However, by the end of the book, the plot focuses on Harry, the grizzled veteran broadcaster at the tail-end of his career, and Gwen, the young self-conscious rookie. Late Nights on Air is concentrated around the social interactions of the characters, and their resulting insecurities. All of this is set against a backdrop of the Berger Inquiry into the (at the time) proposed Mackenzie Valley Pipeline.

Did I like it?: I really enjoyed this book and was surprised that I had never read any of Hay's work before. The novel was very character driven, which was good, since the characters were very well written and three-dimensional. The pace of the book was a little slow, but somehow I wasn't bothered by that. I have done some research on current issues to do with the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, so it was also interesting to see a dramatization of the issues surrounding the decision to go forward with the pipeline in the areas that would be most affected by it. I am not completely in love with this book, but I agree that it is well written and a great story, so I think it is well-deserving of its Giller win.

Will you like it?: I you like good contemporary Canadian literature this is required reading. I especially recommend this book because it tackles important issues not usually seen in Canadian fiction: the realities of living in the urban North, and the environment.

But don't take my word for it: The usual publisher-approved reviews and reader reviews from Amazon, a review from The Walrus, one from Vancouver's The Georgia Straight, another from The Tyee, and finally one from the blog Kailana's Written Word.

Servants of the Fish: A Portrait of Newfoundland After the Great Cod Collapse - Myron Arms

The Basics: Servants of the Fish: A Portrait of Newfoundland After the Great Cod Collapse, Myron Arms, 2004, 242 pages, hardcover

How I found it: I found it in the featured local non-fiction section of the Halifax Public Library. I travelled around Newfoundland a few summers ago so this book looked interesting.

What's it about?: Arms had sailed up from his home port in the Eastern United States to Newfoundland every summer for several years before the closure of the cod fishery. This book details his circumnavigation of the island by sailboat several years after the cod fishery was closed. He stops in at some of the same small fishing villages and outports and talks to old friends from previous trips. His aim is to understand and document the human face of the cod collapse.

Did I like it?: I found this book fairly interesting. As a Western Canadian, I don't really know too much about the cod fishery, except that there used to be tons of cod and now there are none. I didn't really understand the effect that the collapse of cod stocks had had on Newfoundland until I read Arms' book. While the book was interesting as a study on the effects of the cod fishery, and as a sailing travelogue, I have read much better books in both veins (namely The Secret Life of Lobsters, and An Embarrassment of Mangoes).

Will you like it?: For pure reading pleasure, I recommend either of the two books above over Arms' book, but if you are interested in life in rural Newfoundland, I do recommend this book.

But don't take my word for it: Some reader reviews from the American Amazon, and the author's website are all I could find.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life - Barbara Kingsolver

The Basics: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver, 2007, 370 pages, hardcover

How I found it: This book got a bit of buzz this summer around the same time that The 100-Mile Diet came out. I decided to read Kingsolver's book as well since it also sounded interesting.

What's it about?: Kingsolver is an acclaimed novelist. She was living in Arizona with her husband and two girls when she decided that they should move to the family farm in Virginia and attempt to eat off the land as much as possible. The book chronicles their first year on the farm, including their efforts to grow fruits and vegetables, raise poultry, and make their own cheese and sausage. Kingsolver and her family were experienced gardeners before they began their experiment, and overall, it was a success. However, the book is more about a family rediscovering what it is like to live in a close-knit community and cooking together. The book also contains interludes from Kingsolver's husband, Steven Hopp, about the politics of farming and food, and some brief sections from her college-age daughter Camille on nutrition, cooking techniques and recipes.

Did I like it?: I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would have liked. Overall, I found that it was a cross between The 100-Mile Diet and The Omnivore's Dilemma, both of which I like more. However, it was fairly enjoyable and I felt newly inspired to grow my own food, or at least support the local farmers market. I even took Kingsolver's advice about how to make your own cheese - I checked out a book on home cheesemaking from the library and made some myself! I did find that the book was a bit preachy at times and was more about returning to a pastoral, small farming community way of life than it was about environmentalism. Not my favourite, but still excellent reading for those at all interested in food politics.

Will you like it?: Kingsolver writes well and doesn't idealize farm life - she tells it like it is, and is clear that despite the hard work, she loves her life on the farm. For pure reading enjoyment, I would probably recommend The 100-Mile Diet over this book, but for practical tips on how to really eat local, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is probably better.

But don't take my word for it: The usual publisher-sanctioned reviews and reader reviews from Amazon, a review from the International Herald Tribune, one from Treehugger, an environmentalist website, another from Heavy Petal, a gardening blog, and the author's website.

Shadow of the Bear: Travels in Vanishing Wilderness - Brian Payton

The Basics: Shadow of the Bear: Travels in Vanishing Wilderness, Brian Payton, 2006, 304 pages, paperback

How I found it: I read an excellent article in the winter 2007 issue of Explore magazine by J.B. MacKinnon (c0-author of The 100-Mile Diet). The article, entitled "To Kill a Bear" mentioned a book by MacKinnon's friend Brian Payton, and it sounded fascinating so I picked it up.

What's it about?: Payton travels around the globe to visit the habitats of the world's eight remaining bear species. He explores the relationship between the bears and the people they live near, the cultural importance of the bears to those people, and the struggles facing each bear species. The book is part travel writing, part investigative journalism, and part bear biology and behaviour manual.

Did I like it?: I really loved this book. I learned a lot - for instance, I had no idea that there were bears in South America (the spectacled bear), India (sloth bears), and South East Asia (sun bears). I also really enjoyed the way Payton presented the book: it was a personal journey for him to learn about these bears and their threatened existence. However, Payton is often self-critical of his opinions and quick to realize that there are no easy solutions. I couldn't put it down, and in some ways wished it was longer.

Will you like it?: If you are at all a fan of non-fiction, I think this is a must-read. Payton writes well and is engaging. The book is divided into neat chapters - one for each bear species, making the book easy to read in chunks when you have time. But you'll probably want to read it all at once!

But don't take my word for it: The usual major media blurbs from Amazon, a review from Green Living Online, one from the Winnipeg Free Press on the Bear Matters BC website, another on Bear Matters BC, this one from the Vancouver Sun, and the author's website.

The 100 Mile Diet - Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon

The Basics: The 100-Mile Diet, Alisa Smith and J.B. (James) MacKinnon, 2007, 266 pages, hardcover, published under the title Plenty in the USA (apparently so it doesn't get stuck in the diet book section along with all the Atkins and Weight Watchers books).

How I found it: This book has been heavily hyped in the alternative media that I frequent, including The Tyee, Canadian Geographic, Grist.org, Treehugger, and Kootenay Co-op Radio's Deconstructing Dinner.

What's it about?: Alisa and James are two Vancouver-ites who decide to eat only food from 100-Miles of their home for a year. Although Vancouver is in the fertile Fraser River valley and there are lots of farms around, their experiment proved much harder than they thought it would. The book is about their struggle to find local food, the adventures they had tracking down necessities like sugar (from honey) and flour (from an experimental Vancouver Island wheat farmer). They also meet lots of great farm people and rediscover their relationship with each other.

Did I like it?: I loved this book. I think it took me less than 24 hours to read. James and Alisa are very endearing people, and in a lot of ways they reminded me of myself and my life. The bravery they showed in taking on this experiment is commendable. I was also really impressed with how well they were able to write about their experience without sounding holier-than-thou or having to justify themselves. Those were main complaints about Judith Levine's Year Without Shopping, and by the end of her book I couldn't stand her. By the end of reading The 100-Mile Diet, I felt as if they were long lost friends and that I should call them up to go to the Halifax farmer's market with me, then come over for an awesome dinner.

Will you like it?: This is a good book for people interested in food politics, environmentalism, etc. But, it is not a sky-is-falling type book. It is about real people, real farms, and real food. It is about getting to know the region around you and what you can get from the earth. It is a book that makes you want to plant a garden in containers in your balcony and bike to Richmond or Delta for farm-fresh produce on the weekends. It is inspiring.

But don't take my word for it: The usual collection of literary and reader reviews from Amazon, some from the blogs Lectio and Green LA Girl, another from Treehugger, one from The Tyee, and the official 100 Mile Diet website.

Hooked: Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish - G. Bruce Knecht

The Basics: Hooked: Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish, G. Bruce Knecht, 2006, 278 pages, hardcover

How I found it: My dad recommended this one, even going so far as to send me a special email urging me to read it.

What's it about?: This is the true story of a boat of Australian fisheries enforcement officers trying to stop illegal poaching of the Patagonian toothfish in their territorial waters. The Patagonian toothfish, more commonly served in North American under the name Chilean Sea Bass is a fish of recent popularity, but is fast becoming as overfished and endangered as cod. The Uruguaian poachers don't care though - they just want to make money. The book follows the course of a multi-day high seas chase through dangers Antarctic waters as the fisheries officers attempt to arrest the poachers.

Did I like it?: While this book didn't really sound like something I would typically be interested in, I couldn't put it down. It is well written, a great story, and has a good environmental message. It actually made me want to take a Law of the Sea course next year, although I can't ever imagine practicing Maritime Law. It is a real life action adventure story, as well as a bit of really interesting background information about how the fish we eat gets to our plates.

Will you like it?: If you like good non-fiction, this is a must read. It's a great story and it will teach you a bit about the state of our oceans while you are at it. This book is far from dry, despite its subject.

But don't take my word for it: the usual collection of reviews from Amazon, a brief review from the Sacramento News and Review, one from Scienceagogo.com (scroll down), an article about the book from the environmentalist website Grist (which I love), and one from the BC-based Tyee (which I actually read every day - I guess I missed this article).

Waiting for the Macaws and Other Stories from the Age of Extinctions - Terry Glavin

The Basics: Waiting for the Macaws and Other Stories from the Age of Extinctions, Terry Glavin, 2006, 318 pages, hardcover

How I found it: I believe this book was recommended to me by Amazon.ca's recommendations service. Or I could have seen it on either the Tyee or the Canadian Geographic book reviews linked below. Either way, it has been on my list of books to read for about a year but I never really got around to it.

What's it about: Glavin is a conservationist and was an early member of Greenpeace. In this book, he travels around the world visiting the habitats of some of the world's extinct or soon to be extinct species to learn about them and the greater picture of increasing global extinctions. Despite his extremist past, Glavin is quite moderate in his attitude. He does really come to any conclusions about what can be done to save any of these animals and seems to have conflicted feelings on the helpfulness of zoos, breeding programs, etc.

Did I like it?: I didn't mind this book, but it took me quite a long time to get through it. Some of the sections were particularly interesting, especially the final section on the Naga people and their unique agricultural practices in India's Eastern Himalayas. Other sections seemed disjointed and convoluted and I wasn't sure how they tied together. Overall, it was an interesting read, but not a terribly good one.

Will you like it?: This is one of those "the sky is falling" environmentalist books that has become so popular lately. However, it is presented in a way that tells the stories behind the statistics, shows us the people, plants and animals that are threatened. That makes the book worthwhile and lends the cause a bit more credence since we can more clearly see the effect we have on our world.

But don't take my word for it: The usual collection of review quotes and descriptions from Amazon.ca, a review from the Globe and Mail, one from Vancouver Review, another from The Tyee, one from Canadian Geographic, and finally, the author's blog.