2012-2013 Common Reading
Hungry Planet
What The World Eats
by Peter Menzel & Faith D’Aluisio
Food. It doesn’t just keep us alive; it is an indispensable part of our lives. What we eat, where we eat, how we eat, when we eat, how much we eat—these tell others as much about us and our culture as what we believe or what language we speak…
Because food touches on so many aspects of our lives, it is studied by scholars in business, politics, religion, sociology, psychology, literature, communication, just to name a few.
Take a journey around the world as you explore the place of food in modern culture. The Hungry Planet: What the World Eats is a photographic study of families from around the world, revealing what people eat during the course of one week. Each family’s profile includes a detailed description of the weekly food purchases; photographs of the family at home, at market, and in the community; and a portrait of the entire family surrounded by a week’s worth of groceries.
In this photographic essay from the award winning author and photographer Peter Menzel and Faith D’Alusio the reader is invited into the home of Nadia Mohamed Ahmed in the crowded confines of Cairo, Egypt. There we will eat mashi—grape leaves stuffed with a lemony mixture of rice, garlic, and lamb.You are welcomed in and seated at the low traditional Japanese table of the Ukita family of Japan as the elders eat sushi and seaweed while the youngsters venture out to McDonald’s, KFC, and Wendy’s.
About Common Reading Program
The Florida Southern College Common Reading Program provides a shared intellectual experience for all members of the community, promoting campus-wide dialogue. Please be sure to read it prior to your arrival. Themes from the book will be used throughout orientation and during the semester.