At various times funny, inspiring, insightful, informative, and deeply emotional - and sometimes all of these at once. Sohla El-Waylly has curated an extremely enjoyable collection. ( )

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

If you love food, if you love understanding it at its deepest, most psychological and personal levels, this book is for you. Every piece in this book has something to teach, whether about the current effort of Black American farmers to reclaim land, or how the Mussel Slough Tragedy of 1881 (which happened 3 miles from where I grew up) is part of the loss of Tulare Lake and the industrialization of Manchester in England, to the bizarre and sordid ways that food can be forms of both love and abuse. All of the publications were originally in 2021, meaning stories of the pandemic are threaded throughout along with tales that touch on other very contemporary things, like injustices committed against bike food deliverers and the current craze of Nashville hot chicken. I loved the diversity of perspectives, cultures, and places. It made me hungry. It made me sad. It made me feel connected to people who understand the beautiful, horrible relationships we all have with the food that sustains our bodies and memories. ( )