March – Booklist
The month of March is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of nutrition and healthy eating habits. Food is a crucial part of our lives. In addition to nourishing us it also can define our cultural and family experiences. Join us in reading books that explore the history and traditions of food and the unique way it intersects with the human experience.
Nonfiction
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
This book examines the industrial, organic, and hunter-gatherer stages of the modern human food chain, from field to table as well as the moral and psychological implications of supermarket shopping and fast-food consumption versus participating directly in obtaining meals from nature.
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer Lee
Lee, a New York Times reporter describes her quest to understand the popularity of Chinese restaurants and her discovery that many aspects of the industry, such as chop suey and take-out cartons, are American. She also explores the experiences of Asian American immigrants. Strong language.
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
Explores the worldwide influence of the oldest and best preservative vital to animal and human survival. Discusses salt’s impact on civilizations when it was a scarce and expensive commodity and its many uses beyond the culinary in the modern world.
The Man Who Ate Everything and Other Gastronomic Feats, Disputes, and Pleasurable Pursuits by Jeffrey Steingarten
To prepare for his career as the food critic for Vogue, the author decided to become the perfect omnivore and rid his soul and palate of food phobias and cravings. The essays include topics like the crispiest French fry and why excessive consumption of salad is detrimental to good health, among other culinary deliberations.
Food: What in the Heck Should I Eat? by Mark Hyman
The author looks at each food group, pointing out which choices nurture health and which pose a threat. Discusses nutrition’s role in reversing chronic disease and shows how our food system and policies also impact the environment, the economy, and society.
Fiction
The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
Two very different sisters–philosophy graduate student Jess and tech CEO Emily–pursue separate goals at the turn of the twenty-first century. Jess’s part-time job in a bookstore leads to its acquisition of a valuable, mysterious cookbook collection, while 9/11, the high-tech bubble, and news about their late mother rock Emily.
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
In an effort to help housewives with World War Two food rationing, a BBC radio program is holding a cooking contest. For four very different women, winning the competition would present a crucial chance to change their lives. Includes recipes.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
First in a series of dessert themed cozy mysteries, Bakery owner Hannah Swensen of Lake Eden, Minnesota, discovers the body of the local dairy delivery man in her alley. Although her brother-in-law, Bill Todd, is a deputy sheriff, Hannah does some sleuthing of her own. Includes cookie recipes.
Image Description: A collection of drawings of colorful varieties of fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods and beverages on a table against a white background.