Food & Freedom: How the Slow Food Movement Is Changing the World Through Gastronomy - Hardcover

"Petrini's central message is that everyone who eats should only buy food that is good, clean, and fair. Without being didactic, the author vigorously stresses the importance of all three components in his discussion of food policy, as well as case studies from all over the globe." -ForewordReviews.com "[Carlo Petrini] exudes so much joy, hope, and optimism in his new book that it's hard not to be swept away by his impassioned arguments for social, political, and environmental justice. . . Food & Freedom celebrates boundless pleasures. A hedonist's guide to feasts and food fellowship, it also takes real delight in political argument as befitting an Italian familiar with European ideologies. Political activists both young and old might find Food & Freedom useful reading." -NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS "For anyone who has a passion for food, [Food & Freedom is] an important book. Read it slowly, in appreciative nibbles, rather than gobbling it down like a fast-food meal during a time-crunched lunch break. Be a gastronome, and appreciate it as you read it and later, in its recollection." -THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Inspiring the global fight to revolutionize the way food is grown, distributed, and eaten. In the almost thirty years since Carlo Petrini began the Slow Food organization, he has been constantly engaged in the fight for food justice. Beginning first in his native Italy and then expanding all over the world, the movement has created a powerful force for change. The essential argument of this book is that food is an avenue towards freedom. This uplifting and humanistic message is straightforward: if people can feed themselves, they can be free. In other words, if people can regain control over access to their food-how it is produced, by whom, and how it is distributed-then that can lead to a greater empowerment in all channels of life. Whether in the Amazon jungle talking with tribal elders or on rice paddies in rural Indonesia, the author engages the reader through the excitement of his journeys and the passion of his mission. Here, Petrini reports upon some of the success stories that he has observed firsthand. From Chiapas to Puglia, Morocco to North Carolina, he has witnessed the many ways different peoples have dealt with food problems. This book allows us to learn from these case studies and lays out models for the future.