{"id":10456,"date":"2025-07-09T01:47:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T01:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/books-we-read\/?p=10456"},"modified":"2025-07-02T15:48:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T15:48:03","slug":"summer-reading-food-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/books-we-read\/summer-reading-food-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Reading: Food Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Summer is here! I always seem to read more in the summer \u2013 the longer days and warmer temps give me the opportunity to read outside after dinner, which I can\u2019t do in the winter. In the summer I also enjoy reading at my community pool after swimming laps on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and of course anytime I\u2019m on the beach.<\/p>\n

Many folks associate summer reading with lighter fare (aka beach reads), and I have made similar choices in the past but nowadays I usually just choose something from my \u201cto-read\u201d list. I find the best place to keep track of books I would like to read is Goodreads<\/a>. Every time I see a book that appeals to me, I add it to my \u201cwant to read<\/a>\u201d list, which I started way back in 2012 and is currently over 800 books! This way I can see a synopsis about it, ratings and reviews and if there have been updated editions. And it gives me the opportunity to rate it myself when I am finished. As per the Goodreads site<\/a>, Goodreads launched in 2007 and is “the world\u2019s largest site for readers and book recommendations.” Their mission is to help readers discover books they love and get more out of reading.<\/p>\n

As a writer and researcher of culinary history, my choices skew toward food books, and this is apparent from many of the selections on my list, which has a wide range within that genre, aligning with the research and writing I love to do. This includes history-focused food books such as Breakfast: A History<\/a>, Food City: Four Centuries of Food-Making in New York<\/a> and Edible Memory: The Lure of Heirloom Tomatoes and Other Forgotten Foods<\/a>. These types of books are so telling about the foods humans have consumed throughout history and why, aiding in my research. My list also contains many modern books like Food Rules: An Eater\u2019s Manual<\/a>, The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food<\/a> and Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America<\/a>, which fuels my interest in nutrition and the future of food as climate change and other environmental influences rage on.<\/p>\n

Regional and travel food books can also be good summer reads, offering instructive understanding about cultural norms and preferences (all while whisking you away to an exotic locale!) I just might pick up one of these from my \u201cto-read\u201d list this summer: Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes<\/a>, \u00a0The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii’s Culinary Heritage<\/a> or Cold Kitchen: A Year of Culinary Travels<\/a>. Or perhaps I\u2019ll choose one from my list that focuses on a single food\/ingredient, such as Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon<\/a>, Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages<\/a> and Salt: A World History<\/a>. These \u201cmicro-histories\u201d are fascinating and give insight into many aspects of food, including what is (or has been) considered appetizing and nutritious to humans and why.<\/p>\n

I also find it helpful to read food industry books. Chef and restaurateur memoirs typically serve up juicy inside information about that industry, which can frankly be rather cutthroat. Restaurant Man<\/a> and Yes Chef<\/a> are two on my list and would be especially appealing to fans of The Bear<\/a> (like me!) who are watching Season 4 this summer. Books about the food industry can also be eye-opening, offering awareness, statistics and other little-known facts. Three I want to read are Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man<\/a>, The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars<\/a> and Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health<\/a>.\"\"<\/p>\n

Food fiction is also very appealing, especially for a summer read, and I have several in the queue to read, including Delicious Foods<\/a>, The Cookbook Collector<\/a>\u00a0and Cheesecake: A Novel<\/a>, which is my top pick, and was actually featured in \u201cHere’s What Rutgers Librarians Are Reading for Fun This Summer<\/a>,\u201d a recent article in Rutgers Today.<\/a> In this new novel by esteemed food writer Mark Kurlansky, an ancient recipe for this popular dessert is given star treatment through the eyes of a Greek cheesemaking family who emigrated to New York, transforming the Upper West Side and New York\u2019s famous food scene. As I say in the article, \u201cI can\u2019t wait to dig in!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

For other summer reading inspiration, try past Books We Read posts:<\/p>\n