An Edible History of Humanity: Tom Standage

"More than simply sustenance, food historically has been a kind of technology, changing the course of human progress by helping to build empires, promote industrialization, and decide the outcomes of wars.  Tom Standage draws on archaeology, anthropology, and economics to reveal how food has helped shape and transform societies around the world, from the emergence of farming in China by 7500 B.C. to the use of sugar cane and corn to make ethanol today.  An Edible History of Humanity is a fully satisfying account of human history."

This book was assigned for one of the most interesting courses I've ever taken:  The Story of Food.  It's an English class where I get to read about food, and even cook!  I recently did a project on the history of the Cornish Pasty -- which was pretty darn delicious, by the way.  HERE is the recipe I used -- thank you to Susan of Farmgirl Fare for her article, and Jamie Oliver for the yummy recipe!

Standage's book was the first that we were assigned to read.  I was instantly drawn in by the novelty of what Standage had to say.  There is no such thing as food that has not been genetically modified?  Humans and their food evolved and changed one another?  Entire wars and the development of empires hinged on food?  The claims were at once astonishing and entirely plausible.  Standage pulls from a wealth of human history and substantial evidence to support his claims.  There were numerous times where I paused to think, "That makes complete sense!  I wonder why I'd never seen that before."  This, I believe, is the mark of a brilliant author.  Standage kept me fascinated, he kept me thinking, and he enlightened me to a great many things.

The book covers how farming came about from out hunter-gatherer roots, then how civilizations were formed around this new way of life.  Standage explains how some people came into power because of this new system (and how their methods were so different form what we perceive a ruler to be in our modern world), just how much of an influence the food trade had on shaping empires, how food drove expansion and the discovery of new worlds, how it played a surprisingly vital role in industrialization and warfare, defined the "Green Revolution," and detailed some of the issues that we might someday soon encounter, and what steps are being taken to avoid disaster of catastrophic proportions.

I simply cannot say enough about Standage's work.  It was informative and interesting.  Though I realize I have made it sound as if it reads like a dry history of humanity, it is far from it.  I have been recommending this book to everyone who will listen.  It is a remarkable lens through which to view the history of mankind.  I believe it poses one of the most important questions that anyone can asks, "Where does my food come from."  I genuinely feel that this is something everyone should ask.  You might be shocked!