Naomi Klein, author of No Logo and the Shock Doctrine calls Stuffed and Starved
"One of the most dazzling books I've read in a very long time. The product of a brilliant mind and a gift to a world hungering for justice."
J. B. MacKinnon, co-author of The Hundred Mile Diet says
In plain but passionate word, Raj Patel proves that 'free' trade - free of any ethical limits, that is - is the last solution we should look to in the struggle to feed the world. He then reveals better 'ways of being free, ' showing why 'strong local food systems first!' is a rallying cry as much for Zambia as for Canada, as much for India as for the United States. Can we eat healthier, tastier food and give the world's poorest the power to feed themselves? We can, and Patel will help us write the recipe.
The press have also reviewed the book, which was named as a book of the year in the Australian Book Review. Here are the all the ones I've seen (if I've missed any, please let me know). You can now also join a discussion group about Stuffed and Starved on Facebook.
- "a book full of insight, that makes an important contribution to understanding that the politics of food is not a narrow matter of shopping, ethical or otherwise." The Guardian
- "Magesterial... this is the kind of book from which you emerge enlightened, surprised, angry and determined." The Independent (London)
- "I hope this book will be remembered as long as Small is Beautiful has and gain as much influence. Patel has written what we can only hope will be an incredibly influential critique of our food systems..." Publishing News
- "Patel's broad treatment helps the layman connect the dots, as well as hear the voices of those who occupy the lower rungs of the global food chain." Time Magazine
- "Patel writes with ... precision and clarity" New Statesman
- "Global food distribution is suddenly big news, as a result of poor populations rioting over dramatic price increases in rice and other staples in Cambodia, Indonesia, Egypt, Haiti and in countries throughout Africa. The predictably superficial US media discussion of this rioting leaves an enormous vacuum, which Patel's book fills nicely." OhMyNews
- "Naomi Klein ... is absolutely right; it is a must-read for anyone keen to understand how the present system of food production and distribution grinds the poorest in the word while making the rich richer" The Morning Star
- "captivating historical analysis... essential reading" Management Today
- "Patel shifts effortlessly from dissecting the historical processes leading to the spate of farmer suicides in India to the global epidemic of starvation and obesity that plagues roughly a billion people each" Tehelka
- "...a timely, well researched, and challenging book. The terrain it covers is vast, embracing the totality of the agricultural supply chain from land-use and food production through to the role of retailers and personal health..." The Lancet
- "From the downside of food aid to the rise and rise of soybeans, Patel grounds each segment in exhaustive research, building up an accessible critique that is deeply rooted in history."Daily Mail
- "In past years, the food system has been the focus of several writers, such as Eric Schlosser with Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan with The Omnivore's Dilemma. Patel significantly adds to the topic with a thorough and impassioned work that looks at how corporate control and global trade markets have wounded farmers and consumers around the world. He successfully connects the dots of seemingly disparate issues like hunger, obesity, free trade, rural depopulation and food safety to create the picture of a food system run by corporate greed."Globe and Mail
- "an important and radical contribution to the literature on the food we eat and the world in which we live" Socialist Review
More print reviews and interviews
Africa
Americas
Asia-Pacific
Europe
Other Media
Breaking News
Stuffed and Starved was named as a Book of the Year in the Australian Book Review (available here).
Slightly older news
I'm quite chuffed that Stuffed and Starved made it onto the bestsellers list at the Brisbane Writers Festival. They'd have sold more, but they ran out.
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Posted on 6 September, 2007 - 22:06
Raj Patel.
Join the Facebook group.
Nice Reviews. What a best way to describe your view. Thanks for sharing with us. Really like your informative article. Hopefully we will get more interesting topic from you in future.