Friday, February 27, 2009

Agriculture primer for consumers contains too much story, not enough substance, reviewer says

In Farm to the Table: What All Americans Need to Know About Agriculture, author Gary Holthaus' emphasis on narrative overshadows the goal of his book, Kentuckian David Mudd writes in a review for the Daily Yonder. Mudd concedes that Holthaus' 2006 University Press of Kentucky book, recently issued in paperback, provides "succinct" information on the current agricultural landscape, and compelling evidence that big agricultural operations are not sustainable long-term, but says other writers provide similar information with less extraneous information.

"Story-telling is a worthy skill in a writer of books. But the urge can get out of hand and become seriously off-putting in nonfiction," writes Mudd. "In From Farm to Table, we must hike through five chapters before getting to what we really 'need to know.' For example, will the U.S. be able to go on feeding itself as ever-rising energy costs erase the rationales for mega-farming and long-distance transport of agricultural products? That's a compelling question, even for people who don't give a fig about farming." (Read more)

1 comment:

BeyondGreen said...

There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources.Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. The cost of fuel effects every facet of consumer goods from production to shipping costs. After a brief reprieve gas is inching back up.OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel.If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV's instead had plug-in electric drive trainsthe amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.There is a really good new book out by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now.