Journal Entry 1 by YowlYY from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Friday, May 28, 2004

Amazon.co.uk Review
John Humphrys, broadcaster, writer, farmer and consumer, has written The Great Food Gamble to address the serious questions he and many of his audience have about the food on our tables in the wake of BSE, foot and mouth, and concerns about the effects of factory farming practices on the nation's health and environment. Humphrys knowledgeably traces such intensive agricultural practices to British food policy from the end of the Second World War to ask whether the relentless drive for more and more food has been a mistake and whether the risks we run are worth it to have what may ultimately prove to be an illusion of choice. Are there really no alternatives, he asks? As readers of Devil's Advocate and listeners to Radio 4's Today programme will no doubt expect, Humphrys has a no-nonsense approach. He has little time or patience with mealy-mouthed politicking. Industrial practices, backed up by political will, is costing our health and our environment too dear, he argues. He counts the cost of intensive factory farming, not only in terms of the destruction of our rural heritage, long-term environmental effects and mounting health concerns about the use of antibiotics and pesticides, but the hard cash cost of subsidies and cleaning up pollution that put the lie to the food industry's claim of providing "cheap" food. Humphrys adds his voice to the great food industry debate along with George Monbiot's critique of the supermarket's control of food production in Captive State and Eric Schlosser's stomach-churning analysis of our unfortunate infatuation with fast food in Fast Food Nation. Humphrys' prose is unashamedly popular: evocative and even nostalgic for a fast disappearing experience of the British countryside, even as he stops short of being romantic. If this means that he substitutes rhetoric for detail, he remains bang on target and knows that to engage people in this debate and connect it effectively to their lives is the most effective way to counter the enormous power wielded by the other side. A bitter harvest indeed. --Fiona Buckland.

Synopsis
John Humphrys is passionate about the state of British food, farming, fishing and agriculture. Here, he looks back to the days of organic farming in England when people shared and swapped food and considered the wildlife as well as the farmed animals, crops and fruits. He examines today's travesties: factory farming, pouring chemicals into the land, the scandal of the supermarket wars and cheap imported goods. He then turns to the future and asks: Can we save this ravaged earth and rebuild our community values? Most of all, can we reverse the damage to ourselves and our longterm health that may result from what we eat? John Humphrys' book requires the full attention of anyone who cares about themselves or the future.

Additional copy, now a bookray.
 

Journal Entry 2 by YowlYY from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Friday, May 28, 2004

The list of participants for the bookray:

Gooner (Ely, UK)
MarianFrench (Buxton, UK)
daemonwolf (Leeds,UK)
Loopy1 (Herne Bay,UK)
ToonFan (Ely, UK))
ermintrude75 (Norwick, UK)
msoma (Exeter, UK)
back to ToonFan (Ely, UK)) 

Journal Entry 3 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 01, 2004

Thank you so much for sending this out as a bookring, Gabriella.

It arrived safely here in Cambridgeshire today - I was working in London and my husband telephoned me to say it had come. Perhaps he'll be wanting to read it. Who knows? 

Journal Entry 4 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Sunday, June 20, 2004

Without a moment's hesitation I place this very near the top of my list of horror stories.

Gabriella has given a much better review than I can.

This is a tale of impending doom for all of us. Big business sponsoring research into food safety is a complete nightmare. JH is brilliant - as always.

It took me a long time to get through, by my standards, as I had to keep putting it down, saying, "I can't bear to read any more of this!" But I picked it up and continued - the cost of ignoring its warnings is just too high.

Thanks for sending it out as a ring, Gabriella. My dear husband would "like" - is that the right word? - to read it but later, please. It's going off to MarianFrench now.

I'm off to find something that I feel safe eating ... that won't be easy. 

Journal Entry 5 by MarianFrench from Buxton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Friday, June 25, 2004

Book arrived safe and sound today - thank you
Marian 

Journal Entry 6 by MarianFrench from Buxton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Friday, July 02, 2004

This is an absolutely excellent book that has been extensively researched and well written. The subject matter is relevant to us all and perhaps should be mandatory reading for all those "scientists" and politicians who keep telling us that our food is safe. I particuklarly liked the last chapter where JH puts together a "typical" author interview - it really summarises the book so well. I shall certainly be seeking out more organic produce. Thanks for sharing this one YowlYY
Marian 

Journal Entry 7 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 03, 2004

Will start reading this one this afternoon. 

Journal Entry 8 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 31, 2004

Finished this book on 01/08/04 after struggling with it for two weeks.

This has been reviewed over on my book blog, all comments welcomed! 

Journal Entry 9 by AlexInLeeds at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases on Monday, August 02, 2004

Released on Monday, August 02, 2004 at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release Controlled Releases.

On to Loopy. 

Journal Entry 10 by loopy1 from Herne Bay, Kent United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 03, 2004

This book arrived here safely this morning, thanks. I now have a few books to read, but I think this is the only non-fiction, so it gets a reading slot all on its own.
I've been reading and thinking a lot about food lately - I look forward to this one. 

Journal Entry 11 by loopy1 from Herne Bay, Kent United Kingdom on Sunday, August 22, 2004

I skim-read a lot of this book - once I'd read the first few pages of each chapter I was already convinced!

It's a frightening picture of just what we're doing to our world in the name of getting more and more for less and less. There's always a hidden cost. The most frightening bit is that there is very little we as individuals can do about it. It's up to the governments and the big chemical companies to show a little conscience and start acting for the greater good rather than for their own profit margin.
Thanks for sharing this book! 

Journal Entry 12 by ToonFan from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Thursday, August 26, 2004

This arrived today, as my DW read it weeks ago, and asked for it to return for me to read.

At last, I've got round to joining BookCrossing, prompted by this book's arrival.

Will journal on completion.

Updated 8 Feb 05 - sad to say, I've got nowhere near starting this book, as other time pressures have occurred. So it's off to Ermintrude asap.

Apologies for the delay. 

Journal Entry 13 by YowlYY from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Thursday, October 21, 2004

Just a quick note to say that ermintrude75 and msoma have joined this bookray...cheers and happy reading from the Robin Hood Country! 

Journal Entry 14 by ermintrude75 from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Friday, February 11, 2005

Signed up for this one after reading Shopped and Not On The Label, as I thought a more farming-focused viewpoint would be a good complement. Will read and journal again before too long! 

Journal Entry 15 by ermintrude75 from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Thursday, April 07, 2005

Sorry for the delay in reading and journalling this - I suddenly had a few other books to read for a deadline! I also got a bit fed up of Humphrys' hectoring tone in the middle of the book, but after a break I was able to make it to the end :)

He does have some good points to make, although isn't hindsight a wonderful thing? Still, perhaps by understanding the mistakes of the past we can avoid some in the future. The book covers a whole range of controversial (some more than others) food production issues, from pesticides and fertilisers to antibiotic use, genetic modification, fish farming, and end by looking at the power of consumer demand and the burgeoning organic revolution. He does tend to labour his points a bit, and repeat phrases (such as giving animals drugs "like Smarties"), but he does know what he's talking about and has clearly done a lot of research (as you would expect from such a respected journalist). Taking the mickey out of himself with an "interview transcript" at the end was amusing, but a really effective summary too.

I guess "food for thought" is an obvious and over-used comment on this book, but it holds true. There is a lot to take in here, including comments on the media, government and scientists as well as farmers and agro-chemical / biotech companies. I'll think twice about buying farmed fish, and hold on to my organic veg box when I have been wavering over stopping it recently, but as for a lot of the points made I'm not sure what else the average person can do as they seem to be too high up and entrenched in politics (especially European politics) to be affected. 

Journal Entry 16 by msoma from Exeter, Devon United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Received yesterday from ermintrude75 - thank you! Will read as soon as possible and send it on its way... 

Journal Entry 17 by msoma from Exeter, Devon United Kingdom on Friday, May 20, 2005

Sorry for the delay, I'm afraid I wont read this for at least another 2 weeks, but I will start (and finish) it asap after that - ToonFan, if you want it sooner pm me and I will send it, if you can wait I will be very grateful! 

Journal Entry 18 by msoma from Exeter, Devon United Kingdom on Saturday, June 25, 2005

Wow! This really was quite a scary book... is nothing safe to eat?! Very well written and easy to read, although a few more suggestions for how to avoid all the poisons I now know I'm surrounded by would have been nice.

Will PM ToonFan now for an address and get this on its way soon. 

Journal Entry 19 by ToonFan from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Friday, July 01, 2005

This one arrived safely this morning. Thanks for sharing, YowlYY, and thanks for posting it on msoma.

Will journal when I've read it.

Updated: As I haven't managed to get round to reading this, Gooner plans to return it to its owner at the Nottingham Meet-up. 

Journal Entry 20 by YowlYY from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Saturday, August 20, 2005

Journal Entry 21 by psychjo from Bristol, not specified not specified on Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Thanks to YowlYY for sending this round (again!).