At some point in the near future, you’ll find yourself on summer vacation — or, at the very least, perched on a park bench. It’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to read. The good news is that there are a bunch of new books all about food and eating. Here are Grub’s picks for the new and upcoming books that look like the most promising options to grab during your upcoming lazy days.
Driving Hungry: A Memoir by Layne Mosler
After Mosler — an anthropologist — asked a taxi driver for a restaurant recommendation and ended up eating an incredible steak, she repeated the experiment all over the world. And to make things more exciting, she eventually started driving a cab herself. (July 14)
Pig Tales: An Omnivore’s Quest for Sustainable Meat by Barry Estabrook
Estabrook’s Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit was a huge hit, and his follow-up, an investigation into the pork industry, is following suit. (Available now)
In Search of the Perfect Loaf: A Home Baker’s Odyssey by Samuel Fromartz
A unique assignment inspired this journalist to travel the world and learn about the history and science of making bread by hand. There are recipes and tips, of course, but it’s more about his journey. (July 21)
In the Country: Stories by Mia Alvar
In her debut book of short stories, Alvar writes about Filipinos from every walk of life, and food serves as a powerful, recurring theme. (June 16)
You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery by Mamrie Hart
The comedian — and YouTube star — has compiled her funniest drinking stories into a book of essays. Plus: Each chapter is accompanied by a cocktail recipe. (May 26)
Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food by Megan Kimble
The author made a pledge to go an entire year without eating processed foods — on a tight budget and in a tiny apartment. She goes macro by tracing the history of America’s problematic food system, but also offers specific tips on how to do things like date normally while avoiding processed foods entirely. (June 23)
The Land of Milk and Uncle Honey: Memories From the Farm of My Youth by Alan Guebert and Mary Grace Foxwell
Here’s a good Father’s Day gift: This father-daughter team wrote this book together about Guebert’s grueling work on a 700-acre dairy farm. (May 15)
Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness by Sasha Martin
This food blogger made it her mission to cook a meal from every country in the world, and it ended up helping her heal the wounds of her tumultuous childhood. (Available now)
It Was Me All Along: A Memoir by Andie Mitchell
What does it mean to have a “healthy” relationship with food? Mitchell tackles a difficult topic — weight loss — in a smart, poignant way. (Available now)
Year of the Cow: How 420 Pounds of Beef Built a Better Life for One American Family by Jared Stone
Sure, there are plenty of books written about the implications of eating meat, but this one isn’t condescending or overwrought. Stone purchases 420 pounds of beef directly from a rancher and delves deep into the complexities of the meat industry as he cooks his way through it. (Available now)
