The centuries-long quest to discover the critical role of germs in disease reveals as much about human reasoning—and the pitfalls of ego—as it does about microbes.Scientists and enthusiastic amateurs first confirmed the existence of living things invisible to the human eye in the late sixteenth century. So why did it take two centuries to connect microbes to disease? As late as the Civil War in the 1860s, most soldiers who perished died not on the battlefield but of infected wounds, typhoid, and other diseases. Twenty years later, the outcome might have been different, following one of the most radical intellectual transformations in history: germ theory, the recognition that the tiniest forms of life have been humankind’s greatest killers. It was a discovery centuries in the making, and it transformed modern life and public health.As Thomas Levenson reveals in this globe-spanning history, it has everything to do with how we see ourselves. For centuries, people in the West, believing themselves to hold God-given dominion over nature, thought too much of humanity and too little of microbes to believe they could take us down. When nineteenth-century scientists finally made the connection, life-saving methods to control infections and contain outbreaks soon followed. The next big break came with the birth of the antibiotic era in the 1930s. And yet, less than a century later, the promise of the antibiotic revolution is already receding due to years of overuse. Is our self-confidence getting the better of us again?So Very Small follows the thread of human ingenuity and hubris across centuries—along the way peering into microscopes, spelunking down sewers, visiting army hospitals, traipsing across sheep fields, and more—to show how we came to understand the microbial environment and how little we understand ourselves. Levenson traces how and why ideas are pursued, accepted, or ignored—and hence how human habits of mind can, so often, make it terribly hard to ask the right questions. Read more

Graeme Parker, known to millions as The Hoof GP, has captivated hearts across the world with hisunscripted videos, set against the stunning landscape of Southwest Scotland. His humble, down-to-earth charm and the raw authenticity of his work with cattle have earned him billions of viewsand a devoted global following. But Graeme’s route to success wasn’t marked by good fortunefrom the outset.Beneath the surface of viral fame lies a story far more complex than anyone could imagine. Hisrecognisable smile masks a man shaped by deep personal loss, twenty-five years of undiagnosedmental health struggles, and haunting family secrets – including the unsolved mystery of hisfather’s death.In Bruised Sole, Graeme opens up like never before, revealing the vulnerable, human side of his life.It’s a story of survival, resilience, and the search for peace, filled with unexpected twists andmoments of profound reflection. This isn’t just about the man you see online – it’s about thehidden battles we all fight and the truths we often keep buried.The Hoof GP’s story cuts as deep as it gets. Read more

Dig into the science, history, and trivia of baking in this follow-up to the James Beard Award–winning I’m Just Here for the Food. Includes recipes!   Alton Brown explores the science behind breads, cakes, cookies, pies, and custards, explaining it in his own inimitable style. Recipes cover all the basics, from pie crust to funnel cake to cheese souffle. The book also contains appendices and equipment lists.   Recipes include:   Piña Colada Waffles Chicken and Dumplings Free-Form Apple Pie Chocolate Pound Cake Pizza Dough Halloween Mousse Everyday Bread And more!  “I’m Just Here for More Food takes one of the most knotty areas of cooking and makes it delightfully straightforward. For anyone who’s interested in baking, even an expert, this book offers an enormous amount of useful and fascinating information.” —The Austin Chronicle  “An instruction manual for people who want to be better bakers . . . Anyone who has a yen to learn the science and methodology behind good food will find this a fascinating read.” —Publishers Weekly Read more

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From Michael Pollan to locavores, Whole Foods to farmers' markets,  today cooks and foodies alike are paying more attention than ever before to the history of the food they bring into their kitchens—and especially to vegetables. Whether it’s an heirloom tomato, curled cabbage, or succulent squash, from a farmers' market or a backyard plot, the humble vegetable offers more than just nutrition—it also represents a link with long tradition of farming and gardening, nurturing and breeding.In this charming new book, those veggies finally get their due. In capsule biographies of eleven different vegetables—artichokes, beans, chard, cabbage, cardoons, carrots, chili peppers, Jerusalem artichokes, peas, pumpkins, and tomatoes—Evelyne Bloch-Dano explores the world of vegetables in all its facets, from science and agriculture to history, culture, and, of course, cooking. From the importance of peppers in early international trade to the most recent findings in genetics, from the cultural cachet of cabbage to Proust’s devotion to beef-and-carrot stew, to the surprising array of vegetables that preceded the pumpkin as the avatar of All Hallow’s Eve, Bloch-Dano takes readers on a dazzling tour of the fascinating stories behind our daily repasts.Spicing her cornucopia with an eye for anecdote and a ready wit, Bloch-Dano has created a feast that’s sure to satisfy gardeners, chefs, and eaters alike. Read more

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Help your hive thrive with this guide to beekeeping for new-bees.Wouldn't it be great to raise your own bees, have a fresh supply of honey, and bring thousands of healthy pollinators into your yard? Beekeeping for Beginners is a simple, step-by-step guide that helps you learn the fundamentals of modern beekeeping. You (and your bees) will be buzzing with delight.From picking the right hive and bringing your bees home to surviving winter and collecting honey, experienced beekeeper Amber Bradshaw takes you on an easy-to-follow journey through your first year of beekeeping and beyond.Beekeeping for Beginners includes:Just the essentials—Learn everything you need to know to begin your first colony—written with brand new beekeepers in mind.Modern beekeeping—Start your colony off right with guides that feature the newest practices and current, natural approaches.Learn to speak bee—Clearly defined terms and a complete glossary will have you talking like a pro beekeeper in no time.Begin your beekeeping the right way—and avoid getting stung by mistakes—with Beekeeping for Beginners. Read more

New York Times BestsellerInternational BestsellerAn Economist Best Book of 2023 • One of Smithsonian's Ten Best Books About Food of 2023 • A Financial Times Best Food and Drink Book of 2023 • A New Yorker Best Books of 2023 So Far • A Goodreads Choice Awards 2023 Nominee • An NPR 2023 "Books We Love" PickA manifesto to change how you eat and how you think about the human body.It’s not you, it’s the food.We have entered a new age of eating. For the first time in human history, most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food. There’s a long, formal scientific definition, but it can be boiled down to this: if it’s wrapped in plastic and has at least one ingredient that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen, it’s UPF.These products are specifically engineered to behave as addictive substances, driving excess consumption. They are now linked to the leading cause of early death globally and the number one cause of environmental destruction. Yet almost all our staple foods are ultra-processed. UPF is our food culture and for many people it is the only available and affordable food.In this book, Chris van Tulleken, father, scientist, doctor, and award-winning BBC broadcaster, marshals the latest evidence to show how governments, scientists, and doctors have allowed transnational food companies to create a pandemic of diet-related disease. The solutions don’t lie in willpower, personal responsibility, or exercise. You’ll find no diet plan in this book—but join Chris as he undertakes a powerful self-experiment that made headlines around the world: under the supervision of colleagues at University College London he spent a month eating a diet of 80 percent UPF, typical for many children and adults in the United States. While his body became the subject of scientific scrutiny, he spoke to the world’s leading experts from academia, agriculture, and—most important—the food industry itself. But more than teaching him about the experience of the food, the diet switched off Chris’s own addiction to UPF.In a fast-paced and eye-opening narrative he explores the origins, science, and economics of UPF to reveal its catastrophic impact on our bodies and the planet. And he proposes real solutions for doctors, for policy makers, and for all of us who have to eat. A book that won’t only upend the way you shop and eat, Ultra-Processed People will open your eyes to the need for action on a global scale. Read more

Stop wasting time and money on gardening guesswork—unlock the proven secrets of companion planting to boost your organic garden’s yield, health, and beauty!You wake up in the morning, coffee in hand, and step into your backyard.Your eyes scan the garden beds, filled with plants you’ve nurtured from seeds.It should be a serene and satisfying moment, yet you can't shake off that nagging feeling of disappointment.The plants are struggling. Some are overrun by pests, others are simply not thriving as they should.There are gaps in your garden beds where plants should have sprouted, but didn't.You've read books, watched videos, even consulted gardening forums online, yet the results are far from the lush oasis you envisioned.Frustrating, isn’t it? But what if many other green thumbs are undergoing exactly the same issues?The gardening industry is booming, with Americans spending tens of billions of dollars every year on plants, soil, fertilizers, and pest control products.Yet a significant percentage of this effort and money is wasted due to lack of proper knowledge or following advice that doesn't suit your unique garden setting.People are led to believe that expensive fertilizers and hazardous chemicals are the silver bullet, but what if nature already provides a better solution?Now, consider an alternate reality. One where your garden not only flourishes but does so with less effort, fewer chemicals, and more yield. Think rows of plump tomatoes, fields of aromatic herbs, baskets of juicy berries, and flower beds bursting with color—all working in harmony.This isn’t some sort of fantasy; this is the power and promise of companion planting.In fact, according to studies, well-executed companion planting can increase crop productivity by a significant amount.Forget about your past gardening misadventures. It's time to turn over a new leaf.Read this book to know more about the ancient, yet ever-relevant art of companion planting and unlock the secret to a happier, healthier garden.Inside, you will discover:How to master the basic principles of companion planting through the GARDENS approach Ways to assess your soil and nutrients: how to perform simple soil tests and what those results mean for your gardenTools and resources for effective garden planning – know exactly where to place each plant for the best resultsThe benefits and drawbacks of diverse plant pairings – become a plant matchmaker!Techniques for efficient watering – your plants will get just the right amount of moistureHow to navigate common garden pests and diseases – keep bugs and illnesses at bay, and know what signs to look for if things start to go wrong.The science and sustainability aspects of companion plantingAnd much more!Companion planting is versatile, working in harmony with gardens of all sizes, from petite patio pots to expansive backyard plots.Whether you're gearing up for a new growing season or you're mid-way through, it’s never too late to implement these strategies.This isn't a fleeting fad; it's rooted in age-old wisdom and backed by modern science to ensure your garden not only survives but thrives.You've put in the sweat, time, and love into your garden.Now, give it the companion it deserves—knowledge.Because a smarter garden isn’t just a beautiful space; it’s a bountiful one. Start now!Take your garden from meh to magnificent. Scroll up and click “Add to Cart” right now! Read more

Are you striving for improved self-reliance and self-sufficiency for yourself and your family? Author Jessica Sowards of YouTube’s Roots & Refuge Farm is the warm and welcoming guide you’ve been waiting for. Homesteading is a mindset and a lifestyle aimed at living lightly on the land, being more resourceful, appreciating the value of hard work, and understanding the diverse and amazing connections between humans and the planet we live on. Homesteaders constantly strive for a more sustainable life and a greater connection to the cycles of nature and the foods and goods we consume. Starting your very first homestead is a journey of discovery and passion that’s also likely filled with questions and what-ifs. In The First-Time Homesteader, Jessica fills in all the blanks with honesty, humor, and charm. Now you can take those first and most valuable steps toward establishing your own homestead with a seasoned homesteader at your side. Jessica warmly guides you through the process of setting up your property (no matter how small or large), establishing a garden, welcoming animals into the fold, living more resourcefully, and expanding your homestead kitchen tools and skills with grace and confidence. Start your first homestead with lessons on: Raising chickens for meat and eggs Starting and operating a home dairy Housing, fencing, and processing advice for meat animals Planning and planting your homestead vegetable garden Keeping bees for honey, pollination, and beeswax Stocking your medicine cabinet with useful herbs and home remedies Living a resourceful existence by reusing and repurposing Stocking the kitchen with all the tools and techniques you need for success You don’t have to live off-grid or give up contemporary conveniences to homestead. You just have to have the desire to live a more thoughtful and fulfilling life. Take your very first step today, hand in hand with an experienced and enthusiastic guide in The First-Time Homesteader. Read more

Part memoir and part investigative report, Eating Animals is the groundbreaking moral examination of vegetarianism, farming, and the food we eat every day that inspired the documentary of the same name. Bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his life oscillating between enthusiastic carnivore and occasional vegetarian. For years he was content to live with uncertainty about his own dietary choices but once he started a family, the moral dimensions of food became increasingly important. Faced with the prospect of being unable to explain why we eat some animals and not others, Foer set out to explore the origins of many eating traditions and the fictions involved with creating them. Traveling to the darkest corners of our dining habits, Foer raises the unspoken question behind every fish we eat, every chicken we fry, and every burger we grill. Part memoir and part investigative report, Eating Animals is a book that, in the words of the Los Angeles Times, places Jonathan Safran Foer "at the table with our greatest philosophers" -and a must-read for anyone who cares about building a more humane and healthy world. Read more

A New York Times BestsellerWinner of the James Beard Award for General Cooking and the IACP Cookbook of the Year Award"The one book you must have, no matter what you’re planning to cook or where your skill level falls."—New York Times Book ReviewEver wondered how to pan-fry a steak with a charred crust and an interior that's perfectly medium-rare from edge to edge when you cut into it? How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? How to roast a succulent, moist turkey (forget about brining!)—and use a foolproof method that works every time?As Serious Eats's culinary nerd-in-residence, J. Kenji López-Alt has pondered all these questions and more. In The Food Lab, Kenji focuses on the science behind beloved American dishes, delving into the interactions between heat, energy, and molecules that create great food. Kenji shows that often, conventional methods don’t work that well, and home cooks can achieve far better results using new—but simple—techniques. In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more. Read more

NOW WITH TWO BONUS CHAPTERS INCLUDING AN FAQTHE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERFORTNUM & MASON'S DEBUT FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024A TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023AN ECONOMIST, DAILY MAIL, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING and AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONE'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023Chosen by the SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, FT and DAILY MAIL as one of their BEST SUMMER BOOKS OF 2023As seen on Chris' BBC documentary about ultra-processed foods, Irresistible: Why We Can't Stop Eating''Clearly a brilliant book' James O'Brien'If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one' Bee Wilson'A devastating, witty and scholarly destruction of the shit food we eat and why' Adam Rutherford---An eye-opening investigation into the science, economics, history and production of ultra-processed food.It's not you, it's the food.We have entered a new 'age of eating' where most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food, food which is industrially processed and designed and marketed to be addictive. But do we really know what it's doing to our bodies?Join Chris in his travels through the world of food science and a UPF diet to discover what's really going on. Find out why exercise and willpower can't save us, and what UPF is really doing to our bodies, our health, our weight, and the planet (hint: nothing good).For too long we've been told we just need to make different choices, when really we're living in a food environment that makes it nigh-on impossible. So this is a book about our rights. The right to know what we eat and what it does to our bodies and the right to good, affordable food.Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, August 2023 Read more

"Sure to become a game-changing guide to the future of good food and healthy landscapes." —Dan Barber, chef and author of The Third PlatePrepare to set aside what you think you know about yourself and microbes. The Hidden Half of Nature reveals why good health—for people and for plants—depends on Earth’s smallest creatures. Restoring life to their barren yard and recovering from a health crisis, David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé discover astounding parallels between the botanical world and our own bodies. From garden to gut, they show why cultivating beneficial microbiomes holds the key to transforming agriculture and medicine. Read more

"An exquisite love-letter to the goodness of the natural world, and to shepherding family, marriage, and a farm to health and prosperity." —Nick Offerman, award-winning actor, comedian, and writerA heartfelt, unvarnished reflection on the power of domestic life.Helen Rebanks' beautifully written memoir takes place across a single day on her working farm in the Lake District of England. Weaving past and present, through a journey of self-discovery, the book takes us from the farmhouse table of her grandmother and into the home she now shares with her husband, James, their four kids, and an abundance of animals.With honesty and grace, Helen shares her life in days—sometimes a wonder and a joy, others a grind to be survived—weaving in stories that read like a well-written pastoral novel. The Farmer's Wife is a book about the love of life, the nourishing simplicity of everyday work, and sharing stories around a family table full of good food.Full of gentle wisdom, this book is an honest portrait of rural life and an authentic exploration of both the hard work and reward of keeping a home and raising a family—even though the job is often thankless and invisible.Also included are simple recipes and dozens of guilt-free "Survival Mode" meal ideas.About Helen and Her Farm:Along with her husband, James Rebanks (author of The Shepherd’s Life), Helen and her family work as a tight-knit team. Their farm has become globally important through their nature-friendly farming practices and has been a retreat for many, including actor and comedian Nick Offerman. The Rebanks host events regularly at the farm to share their expertise and encourage others to farm sustainably. Read more

Discover how to work with nature, instead of against it, by employing permaculture techniques to create a garden that is not just more beautiful and productive, but also more resilient.While the word permaculture might sound intimidating, the principals behind it are not. The main goal of permaculture is to turn your space into a functioning ecosystem that’s less reliant on external resources and better able to sustain itself through many seasons of growth and change as it resists pests, diseases, and climate extremes. Whatever the size of your space, from a tiny patio garden to a big backyard, and whether you grow food, flowers, shrubs, trees, or a combination of all, The Regenerative Garden is here to help you become a better, more eco-conscious gardener.Through 80 DIY projects, author Stephanie Rose of the popular website Garden Therapy introduces you to basic backyard permaculture concepts in an easy-to-follow, logical way. Each of the six chapters represents a living element of the garden, capable of playing a valuable role in its constant regeneration, including soil, water, plants, climate, ethics, and community. As you check these projects off your to-do list, you’ll find you’ve reduced your long-term work load, conserved water and other resources, turned your yard into a habitat for wildlife, and learned to grow perennial foods in creative ways.The 80 featured projects include step-by-step instructions on how to:Employ intensive planting to reduce weeding and watering choresUse living mulches to amend the soilBuild self-watering planters and wicking beds to reduce water useInstall a rain garden to catch runoffPlant a wildlife hedge to support creatures and create a windbreak and noise bufferCompost projects and systems to repurpose waste on-siteMake a butterfly migration station to support pollinators of all sorts A healthy, organic, regenerative garden is a perfect example of a self-sustaining ecosystem; everything works in tandem, is intricately connected, and comes full circle to create its own never-ending cycle of life. Read more

Bill Buford's Heat meets Phoebe Damrosch's Service Included in this unique blend of personal narrative, food miscellany, and historyIn March of 2009, Erin Byers Murray ditched her pampered city girl lifestyle and convinced the rowdy and mostly male crew at Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury, Massachusetts, to let a completely unprepared, aquaculture-illiterate food and lifestyle writer work for them for a year to learn the business of oysters. The result is Shucked—part love letter, part memoir and part documentary about the world's most beloved bivalves. Providing an in-depth look at the work that goes into getting oysters from farm to table, Shucked shows Erin's fullcircle journey through the modern day oyster farming process and tells a dynamic story about the people who grow our food, and the cutting-edge community of weathered New England oyster farmers who are defying convention and looking ahead. The narrative also interweaves Erin's personal story—the tale of how a technology-obsessed workaholic learns to slow life down a little bit and starts to enjoy getting her hands dirty (and cold). This is a book for oyster lovers everywhere, but also a great read for locavores and foodies in general. Read more

"Engrossing...hard to put down." — The New York Times Book Review“Frostbite is a perfectly executed cold fusion of science, history, and literary verve . . . as a fellow nonfiction writer, I bow down. This is how it's done.” — Mary Roach, author of Fuzz and StiffAn engaging and far-reaching exploration of refrigeration, tracing its evolution from scientific mystery to globe-spanning infrastructure, and an essential investigation into how it has remade our entire relationship with food—for better and for worseHow often do we open the fridge or peer into the freezer with the expectation that we’ll find something fresh and ready to eat? It’s an everyday act—but just a century ago, eating food that had been refrigerated was cause for both fear and excitement. The introduction of artificial refrigeration overturned millennia of dietary history, launching a new chapter in human nutrition. We could now overcome not just rot, but seasonality and geography. Tomatoes in January? Avocados in Shanghai? All possible.In Frostbite, New Yorker contributor and cohost of the award-winning podcast Gastropod Nicola Twilley takes readers on a tour of the cold chain from farm to fridge, visiting off-the-beaten-path landmarks such as Missouri’s subterranean cheese caves, the banana-ripening rooms of New York City, and the vast refrigerated tanks that store the nation’s orange juice reserves. Today, nearly three-quarters of everything on the average American plate is processed, shipped, stored, and sold under refrigeration. It’s impossible to make sense of our food system without understanding the all-but-invisible network of thermal control that underpins it. Twilley’s eye-opening book is the first to reveal the transformative impact refrigeration has had on our health and our guts; our farms, tables, kitchens, and cities; global economics and politics; and even our environment.In the developed world, we’ve reaped the benefits of refrigeration for more than a century, but the costs are catching up with us. We’ve eroded our connection to our food and redefined what “fresh” means. More important, refrigeration is one of the leading contributors to climate change. As the developing world races to build a US-style cold chain, Twilley asks: Can we reduce our dependence on refrigeration? Should we? A deeply researched and reported, original, and entertaining dive into the most important invention in the history of food and drink, Frostbite makes the case for a recalibration of our relationship with the fridge—and how our future might depend on it. Read more

Finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award"A call to action that underscores a common goal: to change the world from the ground up." —Dan Barber, author of The Third PlateFor centuries, agricultural practices have eroded the soil that farming depends on, stripping it of the organic matter vital to its productivity. Now conventional agriculture is threatening disaster for the world’s growing population. In Growing a Revolution, geologist David R. Montgomery travels the world, meeting farmers at the forefront of an agricultural movement to restore soil health. From Kansas to Ghana, he sees why adopting the three tenets of conservation agriculture—ditching the plow, planting cover crops, and growing a diversity of crops—is the solution. When farmers restore fertility to the land, this helps feed the world, cool the planet, reduce pollution, and return profitability to family farms. Read more

Dirt, soil, call it what you want—it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it's no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are—and have long been—using up Earth's soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations. A rich mix of history, archaeology and geology, Dirt traces the role of soil use and abuse in the history of Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China, European colonialism, Central America, and the American push westward. We see how soil has shaped us and we have shaped soil—as society after society has risen, prospered, and plowed through a natural endowment of fertile dirt. David R. Montgomery sees in the recent rise of organic and no-till farming the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations. Read more