review
This timely book takes its readers on a fascinating international tour to demonstrate the effects of climate change on the global food chain. Engaging and well researched, the authors’ message is clear: the system of food production and consumption has to change and everyone must play their part.
The book’s twelve chapters focus on crops or commodities that are threatened by climate change, including almonds, coffee, carrots and wine. Many of the case studies reveal the absurdities of monoculture (e.g. soy beans and maize in Iowa and Brazil) and how exposed farmers are if prices fall or temperatures deviate outside the plant’s comfort zone.
Water – either through scarcity or excess – is at the heart of many climate-related agricultural problems. The book makes it clear that government policies and local politics have a huge role to play: how governments allocate water for agriculture and for human consumption involves tough decisions about trade, human rights and environmental concerns. These conflicts of interest are brought to life in Scorched Almonds through the authors’ extensive and meticulous research involving farmers and agricultural researchers all over the world, ensuring that their big-picture arguments are fully supported by everyday examples ‘on the ground’.
about the authors
Wilfried Bommert was born in 1950. He has a doctorate in agronomy, was the founder and leading editor of the West German Broadcasting Station’s environmental department, and is co-founder of the World Food Institute.
Previous work: Regional, innovativ und gesund (2016)
Marianne Landzettel began her career as a German radio reporter before going on to work for the BBC for ten years. She now writes a blog focusing on organic food for the English Soil Association.
Wilfried Bommert was born in 1950. He has a doctorate in agronomy, was the founder and leading editor of the West German Broadcasting Station’s environmental department, and is co-founder of the World Food Institute.
Previous work: Regional, innovativ und gesund (2016)
Marianne Landzettel began her career as a German radio reporter before going on to work for the BBC for ten years. She now writes a blog focusing on organic food for the English Soil Association.
rights information
dtv Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Contact: Andrea Seibert
Tel: +49 89 38167 124
Email: seibert.andrea@dtv.de
www.dtv.de
Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag
In summer 1960, eleven major German hardcover publishers – among them C.H. Beck, DVA, Hanser, Insel, Kiepenheuer & Witsch and Piper – decided to set up their very own paperback publishing house. Almost from the beginning, dtv was not only a paperback imprint for hardcover, but also a publisher of original paperback editions. Since 1996, Wolfgang Balk has headed dtv as publisher. He introduced a new visual brand for the house as well as dtv premium, a quality trade paperback in a larger format, exclusively for original and German first editions. Today, dtv is one of the leading paperback publishers in Germany.
translation assistance
Applications should be made to the
Goethe-Institut.
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All recommendations from Autumn 2017