Book Analysis Essay on an Edible History of Humanity

Introduction

Food is one of the basic needs of human existence. Human societies and empires have risen and fallen based on their ability to gather food. With such a substantial influence on human society, it is understandable why a renowned author like Tom Standage would decide to write about a book about the history of food. Other than being the business editor to the Economist, Tom Andage has produced other works of literature such as the Victorian Internet, The Turk, and A History of the World in 6 Glasses. In his book An Edible History of Humanity, Andage reveals just how too often the subject of food is taken for granted. The 2009 publication is from Walker & Company and is available in both hard and soft copy from major retailers, including Amazon.

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The story, using a bunch of interlocking essays, begins from 11,000 years ago when humans started practicing agriculture in parts of the middle east, the Americas, and China. According to the author, all domesticated animals and plants are human-made technologies. As a result, agriculture has become the basis of human civilization. The author examines the food crisis in western Europe, which led to the age of exploration. Also, the book explains the relationship between agriculture and industrialization. According to the author, a combination of factors such as scientific innovation and new farming techniques allowed farmers to grow more food on limited land. That is part of Standage's argument that the evolution and contents of the industrial revolution were due to comestibles. Items related to agriculture, such as ammonia, which is an efficient fertilizer, increased food production and caused Asian economies to reemerge as well as lifting thousands of people out of poverty (Standage, 2009).

The importance of food has caused it to play an essential role in ideological campaigns as well as politics. Leaders such as Stalin and Mao caused millions of people to die as they tried to formulate new food policies in their countries.

The book should appeal to anyone interested in the politics and history of the world. The author does make a compelling argument regarding the significance of food in human society. Standage take on the role of food in human society is unique, and that is what makes the book interesting. When other people talk about food, or when a person thinks of food, they are most likely to consider the biological aspect of food. That is, food is necessary to sustain human life. However, Standage's argument looks at the issue from the societal perspective rather than the individual perspective. In short, rather than talking about the trees, he is talking about the forest. When people talk about the wars and conquest that have been fought in history, few of them talk about the role of food. Standage talks about the voyages made by Columbus as some of the exploration conquests that have happened because of food. Other elements, such as energy and minerals, are usually given priority over food.

One appealing part of the book is the way the author makes his argument of the case. He brings the reader to see his point of view by subdividing the book into various chapters and sections, each of them dealing with a particular period in human history. For example, when he starts with the Invention of Farming, it gets more comfortable for the reader to follow through and restrict his or her understanding of that specific period. In essence, the reader does not need to know how food influenced society a thousand years later; all they need to comprehend is how food influenced the society back then. As the author continues through different sections, the reader can connect these various points in history hence get a bigger picture of how food has contributed to shaping human society.

Then there is his ability to make use of the available information to support his argument. The right amount of information available in the book is the knowledge that is available to the members of the general public. One does not need to rush to the internet or the library to fact check a particular claim made by the author. For example, Columbus' discovery of the Americas is something that is publicly known. The reason for his voyage, which was in search of a sea route to India, is also a matter of public knowledge. The author only uses this information to prove his point by connecting the voyage to food.

One of the most crucial sections of the book is Chapter 8; The Steam Engine and the Potato. Just as the title suggests, this chapter links the industrial revolution to food. Standage says, "Sugar and potatoes, as much as the steam engine, underpinned the Industrial Revolution." The invention of the steam engine was meant to speed up the production process. The agrarian revolution had increased food production, and that allowed people to produce more with less. Food products such as potatoes had become a staple food among European societies due to their high calories. One particular instant in British history is when the country was in a dilemma. The question was whether the future of the country was in agriculture or industry. The answer came in the Irish potato famine of 1845. Britain had to ban corn laws in order to allow for imports that would solve the potato crisis in Ireland. The result was an accelerated transition from agriculture to industry.

The potato crisis exemplifies how food had played a role in not just influencing politics but human developments in history. The industrial revolution can be considered as one of the most critical events in history. It allowed the human population to transition from a rural-based population to an urbanized population. Making a case using such an essential event of human history should convince the reader of the role that food and agriculture have played in shaping human society. I have given thought to the role of agriculture in the industrial revolution. According to my, agriculture fed the industries that produced consumable food. However, Standage paints a picture of how food contributed through government policies.

Despite the unique approach to the topic, the book is not as extensive as one would expect. There are other essential aspects of human society, such as religion, which the author failed to mention. Religions such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism have certain food customs that have influenced the societies in which they operate in one way or another. The book fails to touch on, such as the aspect of the topic and the uninformed readers, for the lack of knowledge can assume that the relevance of food does not extend to these particular subjects (Standage, 2009).

There are also the benefits associated with combining strains, which have been among the significant developments that have been witnessed in agriculture and food production. The book only makes a single mention of the topic of crossbreeding without going into the details or giving context to the discussion. Lastly, and the most crucial part is food-borne diseases. Food has been attributed to the rise of certain diseases such as cancer and Hepatitis A, which pose a threat to human society. Taking into account the cost that human society has to bear as a result of these diseases, it would have been helpful to include the topic in the discussion.

However, the book is a good read, and I recommend to anyone seeking knowledge on the agricultural history of the world. The author displays an ability to clarify and break down complex scientific concepts to those with a low level of scientific knowledge, such as myself. Despite being overly political in An Edible History of Humanity compared to his previous books such as The Victorian Internet, the book is still enjoyable. For instance, you certainly cannot miss the argument of locavores, which somehow immerses the reader into the discussion and allows them to pick a side on the subject. The main point is, the existence of food exists beyond supporting human life but the society as well. As a result, we should take the role of food more seriously.

References

Standage, T. (2009). An edible history of humanity. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.