What do you think?
Rate this book
A Place at the Table: The Crisis of 49 Million Hungry Americans and How to Solve It
Forty-nine million people—including one in four children—go hungry in the U.S. every day, despite our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food for all. Inspired by the acclaimed documentary A Place at the Table, this companion book offers powerful insights from those at the front lines of solving hunger in America, including:
• Jeff Bridges, Academy Award–winning actor, cofounder of the End Hunger Network, and spokesperson for the No Kid Hungry Campaign, on raising awareness about hunger
• Ken Cook, president of Environmental Working Group, unravels the inequities in the Farm Bill and shows how they affect America’s hunger crisis
• Marion Nestle, nutritionist and acclaimed critic of the food industry, whose latest work tracks the explosion of calories in today’s “Eat More” environment
• Bill Shore, Joel Berg, and Robert Egger, widely-published anti-hunger activists, suggest bold and diverse strategies for solving the crisis
• Janet Poppendieck, sociologist, bestselling author, and well-known historian of poverty and hunger in America, argues the case for school lunch reform
• Jennifer Harris, of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, uncovers the new hidden persuaders of web food advertisers
• David Beckmann, head of Bread for the World, and Sarah Newman, researcher on A Place at the Table, explore the intersection of faith and feeding the hungry
• Mariana Chilton, Philadelphia pediatrician and anti-hunger activist, tells the moving story of her extraordinary lobby group, Witnesses to Hunger
• Tom Colicchio, chef and executive producer of television’s Top Chef, presents his down-to-earth case to Washington for increases in child nutrition programs
• Andy Fisher, veteran activist in community food projects, argues persuasively why we have to move beyond the charity-based emergency feeding program
• Kelly Meyer, cofounder of Teaching Gardens, illuminates the path to educating, and providing healthy food for, all children
• Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush, the film’s directors/producers, tell their personal stories of how and why they came to make the documentary
Hunger and food insecurity pose a deep threat to our nation. A Place at the Table shows they can be solved once and for all, if the American public decides—as they have in the past—that making healthy food available, and affordable, is in the best interest of us all.
• Jeff Bridges, Academy Award–winning actor, cofounder of the End Hunger Network, and spokesperson for the No Kid Hungry Campaign, on raising awareness about hunger
• Ken Cook, president of Environmental Working Group, unravels the inequities in the Farm Bill and shows how they affect America’s hunger crisis
• Marion Nestle, nutritionist and acclaimed critic of the food industry, whose latest work tracks the explosion of calories in today’s “Eat More” environment
• Bill Shore, Joel Berg, and Robert Egger, widely-published anti-hunger activists, suggest bold and diverse strategies for solving the crisis
• Janet Poppendieck, sociologist, bestselling author, and well-known historian of poverty and hunger in America, argues the case for school lunch reform
• Jennifer Harris, of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, uncovers the new hidden persuaders of web food advertisers
• David Beckmann, head of Bread for the World, and Sarah Newman, researcher on A Place at the Table, explore the intersection of faith and feeding the hungry
• Mariana Chilton, Philadelphia pediatrician and anti-hunger activist, tells the moving story of her extraordinary lobby group, Witnesses to Hunger
• Tom Colicchio, chef and executive producer of television’s Top Chef, presents his down-to-earth case to Washington for increases in child nutrition programs
• Andy Fisher, veteran activist in community food projects, argues persuasively why we have to move beyond the charity-based emergency feeding program
• Kelly Meyer, cofounder of Teaching Gardens, illuminates the path to educating, and providing healthy food for, all children
• Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush, the film’s directors/producers, tell their personal stories of how and why they came to make the documentary
Hunger and food insecurity pose a deep threat to our nation. A Place at the Table shows they can be solved once and for all, if the American public decides—as they have in the past—that making healthy food available, and affordable, is in the best interest of us all.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2012
14 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Peter Pringle
22 books15 followersPeter Pringle is a veteran British foreign correspondent. He is theauthor and coauthor of several nonfiction books, including th ebestselling Those Are Real Bullets, Aren't They? He lives in New York City.
Series:
* Arthur Hemmings Mystery
Series:
* Arthur Hemmings Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 7, 2022
"A Place at the Table" is a participant's guide to a movie of the same name. I didn't watch the movie, so this is a review of the book alone.
This book was quite disappointing in its approach to the authors' purported goal of solving the problem of hunger in America. It spent a lot of time sidetracked on other issues, especially obesity, which is related to hunger but isn't the same issue. The "solutions" proposed in the book sometimes sound like they would make the problem of hunger worse in their attempt to solve other problems.
For example, the book talks quite a bit about providing breakfast and lunch to schoolchildren. I think most people can get behind that idea. We certainly don't want children to go hungry and have trouble focusing on their schoolwork! But then the book starts criticizing schools that sell food in addition to the federally-approved school lunches. Supposedly, this "makes a mockery of the carefully wrought federal nutrition standards". Now we're venturing into a very different issue than child hunger. This is actually arguing for limiting children's access to food, because we don't want them eating foods that aren't approved by the federal government (even if the school and their parents are okay with those foods). An argument was even made for forcing all children to have the same, federally-approved breakfast and lunch at school together. No bringing food from home, because it might not meet with the government's approval! I guarantee that if this were to happen, it would CAUSE some children to be hungry during the school day. Some children just won't eat food that they don't like (especially if they have enough to eat at home). And some children might be going through growth spurts and need more than the amount of food provided by the school, or they might be slow eaters and they just can't get in enough calories in the allotted time without some calorie-dense foods being included (the federal government wants to limit the fat and calories in school meals). And what about children with food allergies or intolerances or religious restrictions? Is it reasonable to expect the school to track all of that because they don't want parents choosing their children's food? I'm in favor of making nutritious food available to children at school, but I don't think having the federal government restrict children's choices is a good way to reduce child hunger.
I had similar issues with the book's discussions of the SNAP program. An argument is made for further limiting the types of foods that can be purchased with SNAP. I understand the ideas behind the argument, but they're counterproductive if the issue at hand is hunger. For example, when I was pregnant, I had morning sickness and couldn't tolerate most foods. One of my dietary staples for a short period was citrus-flavored soda (it had to be citrus - pregnancy is weird). My doctor approved this, because the goal was to stay fed and hydrated when it was difficult to keep most foods down. Banning soda purchases with SNAP would limit the choices of people in situations like this, based on the idea that the federal government knows better than poor individuals what they should eat. I don't think we can solve the problem of hunger if we aren't content with letting people make their own food choices. On one hand, we're trying to improve access to food, but on the other hand, we're restricting access to food.
The book lost a lot of credibility with me by repeatedly claiming that the maximum SNAP benefit is not enough to feed recipients an adequate diet for a month. I know that it is enough, because I regularly feed my family with less. There may be some exceptions in extremely expensive areas or for people with restrictive diets, but in general, the maximum SNAP benefit can feed people well if they have the appropriate skills (looking for sales, cooking at home, generally choosing less expensive types of food). The book never brought up the idea of putting funding toward optional classes to help SNAP recipients develop useful skills. It just complained because "healthy meat, like lean beef, is really expensive, and so is frozen fish." But those aren't essential components of a healthy diet. There are many perfectly healthy vegetarians. Maybe we could teach people (including the authors of this book!) how to eat without buying really expensive, unnecessary ingredients.
This book had many different authors, and some of them made good points. I just thought the good points were drowned out by the counterproductive ideas that the book supported.
This book was quite disappointing in its approach to the authors' purported goal of solving the problem of hunger in America. It spent a lot of time sidetracked on other issues, especially obesity, which is related to hunger but isn't the same issue. The "solutions" proposed in the book sometimes sound like they would make the problem of hunger worse in their attempt to solve other problems.
For example, the book talks quite a bit about providing breakfast and lunch to schoolchildren. I think most people can get behind that idea. We certainly don't want children to go hungry and have trouble focusing on their schoolwork! But then the book starts criticizing schools that sell food in addition to the federally-approved school lunches. Supposedly, this "makes a mockery of the carefully wrought federal nutrition standards". Now we're venturing into a very different issue than child hunger. This is actually arguing for limiting children's access to food, because we don't want them eating foods that aren't approved by the federal government (even if the school and their parents are okay with those foods). An argument was even made for forcing all children to have the same, federally-approved breakfast and lunch at school together. No bringing food from home, because it might not meet with the government's approval! I guarantee that if this were to happen, it would CAUSE some children to be hungry during the school day. Some children just won't eat food that they don't like (especially if they have enough to eat at home). And some children might be going through growth spurts and need more than the amount of food provided by the school, or they might be slow eaters and they just can't get in enough calories in the allotted time without some calorie-dense foods being included (the federal government wants to limit the fat and calories in school meals). And what about children with food allergies or intolerances or religious restrictions? Is it reasonable to expect the school to track all of that because they don't want parents choosing their children's food? I'm in favor of making nutritious food available to children at school, but I don't think having the federal government restrict children's choices is a good way to reduce child hunger.
I had similar issues with the book's discussions of the SNAP program. An argument is made for further limiting the types of foods that can be purchased with SNAP. I understand the ideas behind the argument, but they're counterproductive if the issue at hand is hunger. For example, when I was pregnant, I had morning sickness and couldn't tolerate most foods. One of my dietary staples for a short period was citrus-flavored soda (it had to be citrus - pregnancy is weird). My doctor approved this, because the goal was to stay fed and hydrated when it was difficult to keep most foods down. Banning soda purchases with SNAP would limit the choices of people in situations like this, based on the idea that the federal government knows better than poor individuals what they should eat. I don't think we can solve the problem of hunger if we aren't content with letting people make their own food choices. On one hand, we're trying to improve access to food, but on the other hand, we're restricting access to food.
The book lost a lot of credibility with me by repeatedly claiming that the maximum SNAP benefit is not enough to feed recipients an adequate diet for a month. I know that it is enough, because I regularly feed my family with less. There may be some exceptions in extremely expensive areas or for people with restrictive diets, but in general, the maximum SNAP benefit can feed people well if they have the appropriate skills (looking for sales, cooking at home, generally choosing less expensive types of food). The book never brought up the idea of putting funding toward optional classes to help SNAP recipients develop useful skills. It just complained because "healthy meat, like lean beef, is really expensive, and so is frozen fish." But those aren't essential components of a healthy diet. There are many perfectly healthy vegetarians. Maybe we could teach people (including the authors of this book!) how to eat without buying really expensive, unnecessary ingredients.
This book had many different authors, and some of them made good points. I just thought the good points were drowned out by the counterproductive ideas that the book supported.
March 16, 2021
So many non-profits, churches, food pantries, soup kitchens etc. etc. are trying to feed America and the real problem is the minimum wage and the economy. Eye opening essays by many working in this field (and there are many). The bottom line is that charity cannot feed America. It will take the federal government to put in place programs that work, SNAP being the best one at this time in addition to WIC and others, but they need to be expanded, not continually cut back, and based on current economic and demographic information, not what was used during the Depression.
January 19, 2021
A great introduction to the landscape surrounding food-insecurity and hunger in America. Drives home that while non-profits and food banks are integral to helping aid those in need, they alone cannot eradicate hunger without systemic changes in federal/local policy and investment to address the root causes and contributing factors to the problem.
January 16, 2023
I think this book did a great job of educating the reader on the issues that American’s face with food insecurity, the history of how it happened, and providing multiple solutions of how to solve this. I liked the in depth look on school lunches, community food projects, and the historical aspect of all of these programs for food assistance.
April 5, 2014
(For the May 2014 issue of my church's newsletter)
This month’s theme for the Year of Outreach is Hunger: Enough Food for Everyone. I admit that when I think of the issue of hunger, my mind fills with images of people suffering in countries far away. Somewhere else. Not in the US. Not in Pittsburgh. I’m not sure why my mind jumps to other places. Maybe it’s from images in the media. Maybe it’s self-preservation so that I don’t have to think that I live in a country, in a city, where people are suffering.
To challenge this incomplete image, I decided to review A Place at the Table: The Crisis of 49 Million Hungry Americans and How to Solve It. It was edited by Peter Pringle and each chapter was written by different experts. The book walks the reader step-by-step through all parts of the problem and the actions that can be taken to alleviate it. It grabbed me from the first paragraph:
Some people might think that hunger is a moral problem. Some think it’s political. Some consider it a mere economic problem. Although hunger is each of these, it is also a major public health problem. Not only does hunger hold us back today, but it will burden us for generations if we don’t take bold action to treat and prevent it.
This book refers to itself as a “participant guide” to the documentary by the same name. A participant guide suggests that we are supposed to become involve in the process of alleviating hunger, to take bold action. That reflects Jesus’s words regarding his return to Earth to separate the sheep from the goats:
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink… Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ...And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:34-35, 37-38, 40)
There is a story in the book about Rev. Bob Wilson of Plateau Valley Assembly of God Church in Collbran, Colorado that exemplifies Jesus’s call. Some church members came to him asking to start at local food bank at their church. At first he was reluctant to take on such a project, but after prayer and discussion his church decided to go for it. They opened the food bank in 1999 and distributed 27,000 pounds of food to their community. Their growth was amazing as the community got involved, and in 2011 they distributed 240,000 pounds of food! When asked why they did this, Rev. Wilson said “The answer is simple: it is what churches should do, and that is why we do it. We do this to tell people about Jesus, not through our words but through our actions.”
There are many ways that you can get involved through Westminster to help stop hunger, in Pittsburgh and around the world. Keep your eye on the announcements and then sign up to help with Produce to People, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Garfield Farms, or Stop Hunger Now. Together we can help alleviate hunger and tell people about Jesus through our actions.
This month’s theme for the Year of Outreach is Hunger: Enough Food for Everyone. I admit that when I think of the issue of hunger, my mind fills with images of people suffering in countries far away. Somewhere else. Not in the US. Not in Pittsburgh. I’m not sure why my mind jumps to other places. Maybe it’s from images in the media. Maybe it’s self-preservation so that I don’t have to think that I live in a country, in a city, where people are suffering.
To challenge this incomplete image, I decided to review A Place at the Table: The Crisis of 49 Million Hungry Americans and How to Solve It. It was edited by Peter Pringle and each chapter was written by different experts. The book walks the reader step-by-step through all parts of the problem and the actions that can be taken to alleviate it. It grabbed me from the first paragraph:
Some people might think that hunger is a moral problem. Some think it’s political. Some consider it a mere economic problem. Although hunger is each of these, it is also a major public health problem. Not only does hunger hold us back today, but it will burden us for generations if we don’t take bold action to treat and prevent it.
This book refers to itself as a “participant guide” to the documentary by the same name. A participant guide suggests that we are supposed to become involve in the process of alleviating hunger, to take bold action. That reflects Jesus’s words regarding his return to Earth to separate the sheep from the goats:
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink… Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ...And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:34-35, 37-38, 40)
There is a story in the book about Rev. Bob Wilson of Plateau Valley Assembly of God Church in Collbran, Colorado that exemplifies Jesus’s call. Some church members came to him asking to start at local food bank at their church. At first he was reluctant to take on such a project, but after prayer and discussion his church decided to go for it. They opened the food bank in 1999 and distributed 27,000 pounds of food to their community. Their growth was amazing as the community got involved, and in 2011 they distributed 240,000 pounds of food! When asked why they did this, Rev. Wilson said “The answer is simple: it is what churches should do, and that is why we do it. We do this to tell people about Jesus, not through our words but through our actions.”
There are many ways that you can get involved through Westminster to help stop hunger, in Pittsburgh and around the world. Keep your eye on the announcements and then sign up to help with Produce to People, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Garfield Farms, or Stop Hunger Now. Together we can help alleviate hunger and tell people about Jesus through our actions.
January 29, 2016
A powerful companion to the documentary, A Place at the Table is an informative and thought-provoking book filled with statistics, stories, and strategies that can be used to end hunger. Because each section is written by a different author, there's enough variation to keep the book interesting and engaging. The stories shared are raw, real, and heartbreaking, yet they help convey the real struggle that is faced by 49 million in America. This book is full of facts, yet it is insightful and interesting. It also gives proposed solutions as to how we can take steps to end the hunger crisis. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to be informed about hunger and food insecurity in America. I would also recommend this to anyone who cares about raising awareness and ending hunger.
May 13, 2016
This book was very interesting and definitely worth the read. As an individual that has been essentially "living in a bubble" her whole life, it is really interesting to see just how vast our food problem is in the United States. I think this is a book that is very important to read because it gives the readers ways to try to help our society as well as just an overall awareness to the problems and how to recognize them in our society. It is a bit of a slow read due to all the research and facts. If you are looking for a thrilling story, this is not the book for you, but if you are interested in our food crisis in America and want to see change, it is definitely worth the read.
July 2, 2013
Like the film, the book breaks your heart, then gives you hope. The compilation of work here by people who know really empowers you to be part of the solution. In honor of Fourth of July, I think the most patriotic thing anyone in America can do is read this and/or see the film, then find a way to help. It is embarrassing to have this problem in a country as rich as ours. But we can change that. And "A Place at the Table" is a good start.
November 22, 2013
Started out stronger than finished. The essays were written by different people, so a lot of the information was repetitive and redundant. The writers all had impressive backgrounds. You could tell the writers were deeply committed in making a difference in the world. It did not have as much insightful or fresh information as I was hoping, but I did learn a few things.
February 28, 2013
I highly recommend this book. It is extremely informative and inspiring. The book is a participant guide to a documentary that is coming out March 1, 2013 . A must read for everyone who cares about the food crisis.
July 26, 2013
This rating is for the participant's guide edition of the book. There were many references to the film, which I did not see prior to reading the book. I believe my rating of the book would have been higher if I had viewed the film first.
November 11, 2013
Essays related to the pieces of the powerful documentary. Recommended for communities studying the need for policies that truly address and end hunger.
December 3, 2018
really interesting essays. well-researched.
May 1, 2015
ok book about hunger in america
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews