海角大神

Whether you are sitting on the beach, stuck at the airport, or cuddled up next to the fire this winter, these 18 books can help satisfy your mind, soul, and stomach.

These books help eaters find the most nutritious and delicious produce at the supermarket, provide recipes that are good for teen chefs, educate readers about the importance of saving indigenous seeds, and provide home cooks the inspiration they need to start canning and preserving. Moving memoirs like听Poor Man鈥檚 Feast听补苍诲听Wisdom of the Last Farmer听will leave readers intrigued, touched, motivated鈥攁nd hungry.

Consider adding these 18 books to your holiday wish list.

听by Libby O鈥機onnell

Libby O鈥機onnell, the Senior Vice President and Chief Historian for the History Channel and A&E Networks, fills this book with fascinating food facts, including how meatloaf was a product of wartime rationing in the United States and became a symbol of the home front鈥檚 effort to support the war effort. Readers can explore America鈥檚 culinary evolution, from popcorn to animal crackers, in this tantalizing book of short stories.

听by Ted Genoways

Author Ted Genoways gives a vivid听view into the modern meat packing industry. Using an incident at Hormel Foods as a starting place, this book travels across America鈥檚 heartland to collect stories from hog breeders, factory line workers, union leaders, farmers, and activists.

听by Denis A. Hayes and Gail Boyer Hayes

After an eye-opening trip the United Kingdom, husband and wife team Denis and Gail Boyer Hayes听set out to explore the environmental and social implications of cattle production and consumption. The books begins by looking at the co-evolution of cows and humans听and evolves into a quest to build a better food system.

听Published by Tudor Rose and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization

2014 was designated by the听听(FAO) as the International Year of Family Farming. FAO recently released the book听Deep Roots, which examines family farming on multiple levels听including policy, youth involvement, food security, and nutrition. Currently, a听听of the publication is available for听free.

听by Nicolette Hahn Niman

Biologist and environmental lawyer turned rancher, Nicolette Hahn Niman argues that through proper management, cattle production can have many benefits, including sustaining grassland ecosystems and producing more nutritious meat and milk. Hahn Niman uses scientific data to dispel many popular misconceptions about the negative health effects of eating red meat and advocates for pasture-raised meat as part of a healthy diet.

听by Rozanne Gold

Renowned chef and author Rozanne Gold brought together a team of teen chefs to create a cookbook emphasizing creativity in the kitchen and eating healthy. This fully-illustrated cookbook is packed with more than 80 fun recipes and kitchen tips.

听by Jo Robinson

Since humans began farming, plants have been subjected to both natural and artificial selection. Over time, these processes have created fruits and vegetables that are high in starch and sugar and low in essential nutrients. Robinson discovered that if you know where to look, and what to look for, local grocery stores often sell many flavorful and nutritious varieties. This book was created as a guide for how to shop at the grocery store, farmers market, and in seed catalogs.

听by Jules Pretty

From the mountains of China to the lush hills of New Zealand and beyond,听The Edge of Extinction听is an adventure of discovering people around the world who are living close to the land. This book is full of insight听on how various small communities live sustainably, and how they may be key to听a more sustainable future.

听edited by Rosamond Naylor

Rosamond Naylor and a group of scholars take a multidisciplinary approach to investigating the dynamic nature of food security. Real-world examples and stories bring to life the complexity of securing food across the planet.

听published by Farmer鈥檚 Seeds

This book provides great insight into improving farmers鈥� rights and agricultural sustainability from a European perspective. Case studies on countries, including France, Hungary, Scotland, Romania, and Italy, discuss relevant issues, such as seed protection, current political support for sustainable agriculture, and the听state of agrobiodiversity within these countries. A听听of the publication is currently available for听free.

听edited by Udaya Sekhar Nagothu听Coming Soon!

This soon-to-be-released book is a comprehensive and pragmatic look into food security. Dr. Udaya Sekhar Nagothu and his team examine nine countries through a multidisciplinary lens in order to gain perspective on the causes of food insecurity. Each case study also discusses听the current successes and failures that are shaping the food system, and provides potential solutions to the failures.

edited by Roni Neff

The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future recently released this important textbook about the United States food system. Contributions come from more than 100 food system experts who use an evidence-based approach to examine the complex relationship between public health, the economy, the environment, and food production. Suitable for both students and non-academics alike, this textbook includes information about social justice, food insecurity, food marketing, nutrition, and ecological degradation.

听by Amy Bentley

Amy Bentley, a New York University associate professor, writer, and food journal editor, investigates the history behind baby food and the impact it has had on culture, nutrition, medicine, and parental care. This book is a story about infant feeding habits during a boom of commercialization and industrialization, and the implications for motherhood and consumerism.

听by Elissa Altman

Based on Altman鈥檚 James Beard Award-winning blog, 鈥淧oor Man鈥檚 Feast,鈥� this book is a heartfelt and often hilarious food memoir. Growing up in a home with a food-obsessed father and an extremely weight-conscious mother, Altman has an interesting relationship with food. Embedded within this poignant and honest narrative are 27 recipes.

听edited by Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW)

Sacred Seed听was created through a collaboration between the Global Peace Initiative of Women and environmental leader Dr. Vandana Shiva. It contains writings from various mystics, shamans, and esteemed religious leaders. This collection of essays provides a conduit for re-connecting to the mystery and significance of seeds, as well as the race to protect them.

听by Kevin West

Preserve the season鈥檚 most flavorful foods, create one-of-a-kind jams, or make spicy kimchi with Kevin West鈥檚 newest cookbook. Full of unique recipes, bold flavors, and beautiful photography, this cookbook can help eaters enjoy each season鈥檚 bounty all year long.

听by Kerry Dunnington

This cookbook helps chefs and eaters learn what鈥檚 available according to the time of year, not what鈥檚 available in the grocery store. These 250 recipes are tailored for each season, and the book is peppered with insightful commentary about the evolutionary and experimental process that created this book, as well as Dunnington鈥檚 views on the importance of local, fresh, whole food.

听by David Mas Masumoto

Set on a sprawling 80-acre organic peach, nectarine, and grape family farm, Mas Masumoto鈥檚 memoir revolves around the emotional, financial, and familial implications in the aftermath of his father鈥檚 stroke. This story brings awareness to the hard work and dedication needed for an immigrant family to lay down roots and establish a productive orchard.