Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"We may believe that we make informed decisions about food choice, but we cannot do so if we are oblivious of the ways food companies influence our choices."

For most Americans, the acts of choosing, purchasing and consuming food occur on auto pilot. While it may seem that we're making conscious, educated decisions regarding the foods we eat, this may be more illusion than fact. Nutritional misinformation and confusion abounds, and we've got the health outcomes to prove it. But how did we get here?

In Food Politics, Marion Nestle tells the story of how politics have influenced the way we eat. Nestle delves into a variety of tactics used by the food industry in order to create a regulatory environment favorable for business. She provides ample evidence to show how our collective understanding of nutrition has been shaped more by what's beneficial to corporations than what's beneficial to our health.

This book is an excellent summation of how the politics of food has evolved as industry has grown. Nestle also does a great job of showing how the decisions made by food companies, legislators, advertisers, and health professionals directly impact the choices consumers make when it comes to food. Though it's been almost two decades since its original publication, Nestle's pointed criticisms towards the unholy alliances between corporations and government remain relevant.

I appreciate the fact that rather than simply throwing a bunch of problems at us, Nestle calls upon her expertise to provide recommendations for tackling the problems plaguing our nutritional landscape. While much of it remains unheeded, Nestle's suggestions are a solid blueprint for how we can create a society that promotes and supports healthy lifestyles.

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Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America by Kurt Andersen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was the riveting title and an interview of Kurt Andersen on The Hill's Rising which first compelled me to pick up Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America. The urgency in his voice during that interview is fully reflected in this work: it is a call to action for all American citizens to finally and totally reject the delusional haze of nostalgia that has effectively brought this nation to the brink.

It's a very particular kind of nostalgia, which Andersen does a very entertaining job of elucidating. This thorough body of work draws vivid comparisons between various eras in American history to show how economically, politically, and culturally, we've been held in a sort of stasis that has prevented us from making the progress necessary to protect ourselves from the challenges of our current time. The narrative is compelling. We're taken through the story of the purposeful alterations of our political and economic systems via changes to law and policy by captains of industry in order to rig the game completely in their favor. It is the story of how we've come to the point of socioeconomic stagnation and extreme wealth inequality burdening us today.

Rather than relying on conjecture, Andersen does a great job of collecting writings, interviews, meeting minutes, and the pivotal texts which undergirded the scheme to reverse the gains of the New Deal in order to reinstate the more laissez faire free market system which existed prior. It was a slow burn, a long game which involved making specific changes spanning from the particulars of the legal system to utilizing the media to influence public opinions regarding the role of big business in American society. Individuals like Milton Friedman and his ilk left no stone unturned when it came to executing their plan to mold the American economy in their image. Andersen does a great job of fleshing out this history and the cultural changes which happened in parallel.

As the book progresses, Andersen's call for change becomes more urgent. He raises the pressing question of automation and what this will mean for jobs. He brings up climate change and how our lack of preparation stems from the rash of deregulation which has occurred over the previous decades. He even rounds it all out with our current viral pandemic that we were naturally completely unprepared for. In laying out our current landscape and the challenges facing us all, Andersen is clear and comprehensive.

However, there were moments when I felt that much of his ire was directed quite stridently towards one end of the political spectrum while somewhat glossing over or ignoring the role of politicians on the other. Yes, he brings up many instances where Democrats clearly either dropped the ball or became "useful idiots" (I don't like this term) for "the other side", and he briefly mentions the changes in the Overton Window which have pulled many Dems further to the right, but I find myself unsatisfied with this narrative. I think a more nuanced view would have spent a bit more time deconstructing the ways in which corporate money has also become a damaging influence on the left, and how this has worked in synchrony to help propel the big business agenda of the right. It almost slipped into this angel/devil dichotomy which laid the bulk of the blame on the right while painting our politicians on the left as helpless actors within this system. A more thorough analysis of the corrupting nature of money in politics on both sides would have allowed for a more complete picture of how we got to where we are. The greed for green is a monster that has permeated the Democratic party far deeper than Andersen seemed willing to probe. Which is a shame because it is also a major obstacle preventing the institution of the very sociopolitical changes which Andersen himself pushes for in this book.

All in all, this was a very engrossing read. Oftentimes such works can be honestly boring as hell, but Andersen's entertaining voice, cool cultural references and relevant anecdotes helped to quicken the pace. In spite of my gripe regarding how soft he went on Democrats, I do feel that this is an important read which serves as a clarion call for us all to step up to the challenges of our time and demand the political and socioeconomic changes that will create a strong, fair and equitable society.

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Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a story about addiction and greed. It's the story of how Americans (and inevitably the rest of the world) became unwitting pawns in the never-ending corporate quest for profits. It's about much more than how salt, sugar, and fat have been manipulated to make food more addicting. If you've ever looked around and asked yourself, 'how have we become so sick?', the answers can be found between the pages of this book.

It's very well written and thoroughly researched, laying bare a lot of insider knowledge regarding exactly how processed food products have been invented and marketed to consumers. This can be a very empowering read for those who are still unaware of the harmful nature of much of what is sold to consumers as food. It can help one to take a closer, more critical look at the things that have become second nature and even ritualistic, from the foods that we choose to eat, to the frequent, mindless ways we've come to consume them.

It's quite a shame that in spite of the damning nature of much of the information contained in this book, not much has changed. However, in the continued fight towards educating and empowering consumers to wrest back control of their nutrition and ultimately their health, this book is a powerful resource.

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Psycho-Cybernetics, A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life by Maxwell Maltz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Though written in the 1960s, this book offers a timely and compelling blueprint for altering negative thought patterns, adopting rational thinking, and becoming a more positive, goal-oriented person. I was given this book by my mother and I did not expect it to have as much of an impact on my day to day living as it has. The crux of the book's message is this: happiness isn't something that just happens. It is a habit that is acquired through practice. The book provides lessons on how to do just that. Many of the techniques mirror those that I've also learned from therapy, giving much credence to the positive impact that this book can potentially have on mental health. It is a worthwhile read that can do precisely what the book's back cover claims: "put more living in your life!"

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Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty by Dorothy Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was first introduced to this book via excerpts that were assigned in college courses on race and reproductive health. The excerpts alone were very fascinating, but I do believe that this is a book that should be consumed in its entirety. Dorothy Roberts' argument, that Black women have long been denied reproductive autonomy (and worse, that this structural denial of reproductive justice threatens the liberty of all women and all Black people), is thoroughly researched and documented. I challenge anyone to come up with an equally researched counterargument. Dorothy Roberts scarcely makes a claim that isn't backed up with ample proof, making it quite difficult to refute her argument.

That all being said, this is not an easy read, particularly if you are a woman, but especially if you are a Black woman. This book is a thorough accounting of the ways that the U.S. (government officials, medical institutions and private citizens alike) have sought to control the reproductive lives, and subsequently the bodies of Black women. From rape and forced breeding during slavery to eugenics, forced sterilization and the coerced use of birth control to the denial of assistance for fertility issues, the details are stomach-churning, frightening, and angering. Roberts proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the preservation and perpetuation of white genetic lineage has taken precedence over ensuring the liberty of Black women.

This is a hefty read. With the academic language and heavy subject matter, this isn't a book that you'd want to read in one sitting. I took the book chapter by chapter, and each took time to reflect upon and digest. However, this is a book that is worth the effort. Though it was written in 1997, it has particular relevance in today's atmosphere of Black Lives Matter & the renewed struggle for reproductive justice.

The best part about this book, in my opinion, is that unlike many similar Sociological works, Roberts doesn't simply lay out the problem, she also provides a solution. She provides a good argument for centering race not only in feminist movements, but also in constitutional interpretations of liberty. I love a thorough read, and Dorothy Roberts more than delivered on that front. I doubt that anyone could read this book and not be convinced by Roberts' argument.

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In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Eating with the fullest pleasure - pleasure, that is, that does not depend on ignorance - is perhaps the profoundest enactment of our connection with the world. In this pleasure we experience and celebrate our dependence and our gratitude, for we are living from mystery, from creatures we did not make and powers we cannot comprehend." - Wendell Berry

The best thing about this book is its simplicity. It is not a diet book, and can even be classified as an anti-diet book. It is not a difficult text on nutrition science. It is as it claims to be: a defense of food. Food untouched by the unscrupulous capitalist aims of food corporations, free from the reductionist trappings of science & gov't-backed "nutritionism", and free from the pressures and prescriptions of well-meaning yet often misguided health officials. Michael Pollan's suggestion for better health and better life is simple: eat a diverse diet, rich in real, whole foods in their most natural state. No calorie counting, no minimizing food to their nutrient parts, no removing & refortifying or any of the other questionable methods of modern agriculture. Just clean, whole foods.

Pollan's aim isn't to solve heart disease or hypertension or make a prescription for addressing obesity. He isn't even solely addressing the sick. He's talking to all of us who have been led away from the foods that our bodies need for optimal health, who have fallen victim to the perpetual need for cheap, fast, convenient food. He calls upon us all to truly examine our relationship with food, not just in a nutritional sense, but also within the context of family, culture, and ancestry.

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Unbought And Unbossed by Shirley Chisholm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Though the term has been carelessly tossed around over the past couple years, Shirley Chisholm embodied the definition of "political outsider". A regular, Black woman schoolteacher from Brooklyn, Chisholm knew that her very presence ran counter to the political agendas within both New York & national politics, but she gathered the guts to take them to task anyways. Chisholm understood how to run a real grassroots political campaign, standing firm in her decision to be a voice for the most disenfranchised, even when - no, *especially* when it meant possible political suicide. With a keen and knowing eye, Shirley studied the ways of local and national politics in order to work both within and around their confines, to do as much work for her people as possible.

Unbought & Unbossed is quite honestly a timeless read. Shirley Chisholm's struggles in Washington under the Nixon administration provides a blueprint for working within politics today. It conjures up the old adage: the more things change, the more they stay the same. And there is much to be learned from a true political outsider's foray into the mouth of an old and unyielding political beast. Chisholm is brutally honest about the shortcomings of American politics, from the unwillingness of the old guard to yield power, to the carelessness and nauseating misbehaviors of so-called representatives in Congress. Chisholm identifies and calls out the Old Boy's club for what it is, and makes it clear that true change will come not from our local govts or Washington, but from the collective efforts of grassroots movements made up of a coalition of the disenfranchised.

It's a shame how little we discuss Shirley Chisholm's brave and tenacious political career; I admit that I didn't know much more about her than her given moniker of "first woman to run for President". It's a shame - and a testament to the strength of this nation's enduring sociopolitical structure - because that is precisely how she did *not* want to be remembered. I urge everyone to read her own words and take the time to know Shirley Chisholm the woman, the Black woman, the citizen, the insistent voice of the downtrodden and discarded. For sure, you'll find more bravery within these pages than can be found in most political spaces today. Shirley Chisholm, an underacknowledged catalyst for change, is a true unsung American hero whose use of agency, tenacity and determined, progressive action should serve as an inspiration for us all.

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Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you're a fan of any of Anthony Bourdain's TV shows, then you'll definitely enjoy Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain writes with unflinching honesty about his experiences in the restaurant business. He's forthcoming about his bad behavior, his missteps, and being a general "punk" as he so knowingly refers to his younger self. Bourdain is clear that this isn't the authoritative story of the dark side of the restaurant industry, but rather, that it is uniquely and quite honestly his story. I appreciate honesty, even if the things I'm being presented with aren't the most pleasant.

After reading about the antics that Bourdain experienced during his years as a chef, you absolutely will start to approach eating out with a different eye, regarding many restaurants and the meals they serve with suspicion. No doubt, Bourdain gives a no-holds-barred look into the seething "culinary underbelly", with brutal honesty and a refreshing dose of humor. You will cringe, you will squirm, you will be shocked, you will laugh. You will get just about everything you'd expect from Bourdain, and then some. If you're an aspiring chef, or simply a curious foodie, this book is definitely worth the read.

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Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Agency is such a powerful thing. Anyone familiar with Tupac's "Dear Mama" knows the story of Afeni Shakur - or so it may seem. I can attest that it doesn't even come close to illuminating the complexities of the life of Afeni Shakur. Speaking with such profound clarity, Afeni holds no illusions about her mistakes and her imperfections. But she is so much more than her missteps, and Jasmine Guy craftily ensures that we see Afeni as a whole woman.

Afeni's story is the story of Black women in America. Her story, and that of her son and daughter shed light on the way pain is passed between generations. Indeed, it is a story of struggle, but also one of reconciliation, rebirth, and the wisdom that only comes from living through the deepest depths of despair. It is a story about womanhood, about Blackness, about injustice, about honesty, personal responsibility, and truth. There is so much to be learned from Afeni's story, way beyond being mother to one of hip-hop's most legendary names. This is a story that needed to be told and that absolutely should be read.

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Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching: A Young Black Man's Education by Mychal Denzel Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can't remember the last time I devoured a book like this one. Probably because despite the difference in gender, Mychal Denzel Smith spoke so perfectly to me and my own struggles. In his candid, raw, and honest accounting of his short life as a young black man thus far, I saw my brother, my uncle, my absent father, my husband, and countless other men I know. But I also saw myself.

Lots of empty references to the millennial generation tend to overlook race, thereby ignoring the specific struggles that being Black and millennial in the age of Obama have brought about. Smith, though not claiming to speak as the racialized voice of a generation, still manages to do so by addressing the political problem that has characterized our lives: the cognitive dissonance of accepting the overarching notion of racial progress in the face of endless Black death.

This painful reality has given birth to a radical movement that is a purposeful detour from those that came before, and Smith champions this. All the while, still contending with the same dark issues of mental health, self-hatred, rampant misogyny, homophobia, and countless other issues that come with being Black in America. Smith leaves no stone unturned, speaking truth to power by taking everyone, including himself, to task for the ways we venture away from the very thing that has the power to save us, the very thing that should be at the heart of any radical movement for a just future: love.

This is a book about a young Black man grappling with what he's been taught is the meaning of being a young Black man in America, and with so much truth, clarity and honesty, turns it all on its head.

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