内容简介
Forthousandsofyearswehavegrown,cookedandtradedfood,andoverthattimemuchhaschanged.Whereoncewesubsistedongritty,blandgrains,wenowenjoyculinarycreationsandepicureandelightsmadewithvegetablesfromtheNewWorld,fishtrawledfromthedeepsea,andflavouredwithspicesfromtheOrient.Buthowdidwemakethatchangefromeatingforsurvivaltotheinnovationsofmoderncuisine?Howhasfoodhelpedtoshapeourculture?Andwhatwillhappenwhenglobalwarmingandpeakoilhavetheirinevitableeffectonagriculture?EmpiresofFoodisanauthoritativeexplorationoftheinnumerablewaysthatfoodhaschangedthecourseofhistory.Theearliestcities,afterall,werefoundedonthecreationandexchangeoffoodsurpluses,andsincethentraderoutesofevergreatersophisticationhavedeveloped.We'vebuiltcomplexsocietiesbyshuntingcornandwheatandricealongrivers,updeforestedhillsides,andintothestockpotsofhistory.Butwecannotgoonforever.AsEvanD.G.FraserandAndrewRimascompellinglyshow,theabundancethatweallenjoycomesataprice,andunlesswethinkofamoresustainablewaytogrow,eatandenjoyfood,wemayfindthatourcivilizationreachesitsbestbeforedate.
作者简介
EvanD.G.FraserholdstheCanadaResearchChairinGlobalHumanSecurityintheDepartmentofGeographyattheUniversityofGuelph,Canada,andisaSeniorLecturerinSustainableDevelopmentattheUniversityofLeeds.Hehasfirst-handexperiencewithfoodproductioninarangeofsettings,includingtheUK,Thailand,Belize,BritishColumbia,andOntario,andhaspublishedmanyscholarlyresearcharticlesandbookchapters,aswellaspolicybriefsonenvironmentalissuesforseniorpoliticians.HelivesinSouthernOntariowithhiswifeandthreechildren.AndrewRimasisajournalistbasedinBoston,Massachusetts.HeistheeditorofTheImproperBostonianmagazineandhasworkedasanassociateeditorandstaffwriteratBostonmagazine.HisworkhasalsofrequentlyappearedinTheBostonGlobe,aswellastheBostonGlobemagazine,theMailonSunday,theOttawaCitizenandotherpublications.AlongwithEvanD.G.Fraser,heistheco-authorofBeef:TheUntoldStoryofHowMilk,Meat,andMuscleShapedtheWorld.