New Books on Addiction, Food, and the Environment

A History of Food, by Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat. The New York Times raved that this new and expanded version is "indispensible, and endlessly fascinating." The topic is the social history of food. Beautifully illustrated.



Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, by Lester R. Brown. Brown is an "eco-economist." In fact, he's probably the world's most preeminent eco-economist, studying the results of civilization's effect on the environment. The bottom line according to Brown: The business-as-usual path we've been on (Plan A) with regards to the environment is leading us to economic decline and collapse. Brown's Plan B 3.0 will put things on the right track.

Addiction: A Disorder of Choice, by Gene M. Heyman. In this book, Heyman argues that the conventional wisdom about addiction - that it is a disease, a compulsion beyond conscious control - is wrong. Based on extensive research Heyman makes a powerful case that addiction is voluntary. People (some more than others) have a deep-seated tendency to consume too much of whatever we like the best. That reality has relevance beyond drugs and alcohol in our society today.