In 1899, the author's uncle bought the patent to Jell-O from its inventor for $450. The sale would be one of the most profitable business deals in American history, and the generation that followed enjoyed privilege--but were also haunted by suicides, cancer, alcoholism, and mysterious ailments. More than 100 years later, Allie's mother Mary was diagnosed with incurable cancer, the disease that claimed her own mother's life. Mary began researching...

A journalist explores the homogenization of American culture and the impact of the fast food industry on modern-day health, economy, politics, popular culture, entertainment, and food production.

In the summer of 2009, the authors visited twenty farms that form a portrait of the complexity of farming in the United States today. These interviews are designed to depict a sense of place, people, and action to challenge and inspire you.

"Everyone knows how hard it can be to maintain a healthy diet. But what if some of the decisions we make about what to eat are beyond our control? Is it possible that processed food is addictive, like drugs or alcohol? Motivated by these questions, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Michael Moss began searching for answers, to find the true peril in our food. In Hooked, Moss explores the science of addiction and uncovers what the scientific...

From breakfast cereal to frozen pizza to nutrition bars, processed foods are a fundamental part of our diet, accounting for 65% of our nation's yearly calories. Over the past century, technology has transformed the American meal into a chemical-laden smorgasbord of manipulated food products that bear little resemblance to what our grandparents ate. Despite the growing presence of farmers' markets and organic offerings, food additives and chemical...

"Mark Bittman made headlines three years ago when it was revealed that, for the first time, the New York Times opinion page would feature a food writer to help us make sense of the tangled webs of food, health, environment, politics, and culture. As an opinion columnist, Mark has delighted us, enraged us, and inspired us to do more for ourselves and our world with the same no-nonsense style. In the tradition of his NYT bestselling Food Matters, this...