The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without

by John Oakes

A fascinating deep-dive into the unique history and biology of fasting—an essential component of many traditional health practices, religions, and philosophies, resurging in popularity today—perfect for readers of Breath by James Nestor and Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.

We fast all the time, even when we’re not conscious of doing so. A fast manifests the idea of holding back, resisting the animal impulse to charge ahead. Its flip side is similarly everywhere: call it splurging, self-indulgence, or a variant of “self-care.” Based on extensive historical, scientific, and cultural research and reporting, The Fast illuminates the numerous facets of this act of self-deprivation. John Oakes interviews doctors, spiritual leaders, activists, and others who guide him through this practice—and embarks on fasts of his own—to deliver a book that supplies readers curious about fasting with profound new understanding, appreciation, and inspiration.

Fasting has become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons—from health advocates who see fasting as a method to lose weight or to detox, to the faithful who fast in prayer, to seekers pursuing mindfulness, to activists using hunger strikes as an effective means of peaceful protest. Fasting is central to holy seasons and days such as Lent in Christianity, Ramadan in Islam, and Yom Kippur in Judaism. Advocates for justice who have waged hunger strikes include Gandhi in India, Bobby Sands in Ireland, and the Taxi Workers Alliance in New York City. Whether for philosophical, political, or health-related reasons, fasting marks a departure from daily routine.

Fasting involves doing less but doing less in a radical way, reminding us that a slower, more intentional contemplative experience can be more fulfilling. Ultimately, this book shows us that fasting is about much more than food: it is about reconsidering our place in the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Health, Food, Science, Audiobook

320 pages, Paperback

Published February 25, 2025

About the author

My first book, The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without, was named one of Publishers Weekly's best books of 2024 and has been translated into Spanish, Italian, and Dutch. It was also published in Australia, the U.K., and India. "The Fast transcends its topic and becomes a study in the complexity of our species.”—The Wall Street Journal. I am the publisher of The Evergreen Review and live in NYC.

Reviews

[Max · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book was far from what I expected. Even though it is filled with historical background on fasting, it feels hollow. Empty, like reading Wikipedia pages. The references are not indicated in the text, which makes it very difficult to fact check, something I felt like I needed to do often. From minor things like the (incorrect) definition of narcolepsy, to the one-sided simplified view of Anorexia nervosa, I feel like the author researched a lot, but can't weave it into a story and connect it to their own experience. The writing is needlessly complicated, with many bloated words. There's constant switching between wether fasting is healthy or not. I understand the research is inconclusive, but that should be properly acknowledged in all chapters where these claims are being made. I feel bad, disliking a work where obviously so much time has gone in to, but this really needs to be said. I actually found the small introductions to each chapter where the author describes their seven-day fasts the most fun to read. And I guess that shows what I had expected and hoped to read.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC to read & review. These are my honest opinions.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a huge disappointment.

First of all, there was no coherent theme. The chapters of the book are divided into days. Each day begins with a little journal type entry sharing how the author thinks or feels during the days of his week long fast. It is then followed up by a random topic like: Quiet Places, fasting in Abrahamic traditions, fasting as protest, or fasting frauds and fads.

For each of the topics, the author doesn't go deep but rather broad. He will cover a LOT of material, but only on the surface level, and quite often the material he covered was misleading, outdated, or downright wrong. In part, I don't really blame Oakes for that. By all accounts, it seems like he was just summarizing a bunch of Wikipedia articles or other top page internet results from his Google search. It felt like he was skipping from one article to the next wherever his stream of consciousness would take him but had about as much concern for the truth of those articles as might ChatGPT. When talking about both the Abrahamic traditions, Buddhism, or the ancient Greek Philosophers, I would quite often find myself thinking, "That's a misquote" or, "You're taking that out of context and drawing the wrong implications." This is what happens when someone never goes deeper than a Wikipedia article about the subject they are discussing. This is what happens when investigative journalism is outsourced to amateurs "investigating" from their living room couch with a good internet connection and the TV on in front of them.

I guess for a world where truth is learned through the infinite scrolling of Tiktok, this book might be a step up. But if someone is looking for a real book about fasting... keep looking. You have not found it here.

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept for a book with mixed results on execution. Oakes discusses the history and significance of fasting (mostly fasting from food, but lots of other things are shoehorned in as well) in various world cultures and religious traditions, as a social status symbol-of-sorts, and as an act of protest. There was a fair amount of repetition; shortening and focusing by a more stringent editor would have been helpful. The random tangent about fasting from noise by going to ultra-quiet rooms set up in research facilities was totally irrelevant to the narrative.

[📚Vanessa📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting in its discussion of fasting and self denial as a way of being intentional in our rejection of excess. The idea that fasting for days (a week or more, even more than we need to reach autophagy) allows a body to reset and fix what isn’t right makes sense. That overindulgence is not good is something that we pretty much already know. But the author goes further than that. Way further.

He went into the history of fasting, the way people have historically used fasting in rejection of conventional medicine, or as a xenophobic response to foreigners and the cooties they bring. Yep. But what def caught my attention was the additional discussion of hunger strikes by extension — as a method of rejecting conditions in the world — hunger strikes by Gandhi, environmental activists, political activists like members of the IRA, even Guantanamo Bay prisoners. I learned that force feeding became the response because it was meant not as a way to keep the prisoner alive but more as a way to break their spirit, to be a foil to their attempts at agency.

I suppose you can take all of that and circle back to the idea of fasting as a way of taking control of our body when there is turmoil and upheaval and lack of balance around us. Or hey, lack of balance within our very selves. Fasting then becomes a person’s exercise in asserting agency/autonomy, taking control of at least our body in our search for balance/order/something better than what is. And yet people have died from fasting too long. Asserting autonomy can result in death. But hey….. maybe, just maybe…. when people fast long enough to cause their own deaths they are making that final claim of control over their life and their non-negotiable conditions of what they deem acceptable for life to continue. They are living on their own terms.

Anyway, it’s kind of crazy where this book took me considering that I only picked it up to learn more about fasting in the context of jump starting weight loss. It ended up being a lot more enlightening historically and existentially in its discussion and for that I’m thankful.

[Rudi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een leuk boek over vasten , het boek is opgedeeld in 7 stukken. (de schrijver vast een week ) met iedere dag een kort stukje over de schrijver zelf en dan aangevuld met thema weetjes over vasten , bv wat het medisch met een lichaam doet , religie en vasten , geschiedenis van vasten , anorexia, filosofie van vasten , hongerstaking enz. ,
Bij thema hongerstaking vond ik de verschillende redenen waarom personen of een groep personen het doen , altijd om onrecht aan te kaarten en dat is er nog heel wat ,
Voedsel, voeding , gezondheid, hoeveelheid, de keuze (…?…) hoeveel men wel of niet eet , voedsel en humeur , het boek heeft me wel wat doen nadenken onder andere over onrecht en dankbaarheid,
4 sterren door de verschillende thema’s leest het boek vlot weg ,

[claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a year to finish this, and in that time it stayed with me through multiple 72hr fasts. I loved how the book flowed between philosophy, religion, history, and science without losing focus. A great read for anyone curious about the deeper meaning and context behind extended fasting - not just the science, but the soul of it too.

[Assja Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need this for my library someday. Really well researched especially about hunger strike or fasting as a form of protest. I understand the need for change, but I believe on be a go getter by doing that needs to change while protesting.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: The history, science, philosophy, and promise of doing without, set against the author’s own experience of a seven-day fast.

I suspect many of us have fasted either for religious reasons or in preparation for medical tests or procedures. After reading John Oakes book on fasting, I realized that there are other reasons for fasting: spiritual and philosophical ones apart from religious observance, for health reasons, for protest, and as a choice leading to death. I also discovered how pervasive the practice is, and like many other practices, subject to fads and frauds.

Oakes writes this book against the backdrop of engaging in a personal seven-day fast from food. Each of his chapters begins with a journal entry for each day of his fast, what he feels and experiences. He experiences hunger early on, but not significantly after the third day when the body transitions to metabolizing ketones. He grows aware of how much of our days revolve around food preparation. Intermittently, he feels weak or jittery, and sometimes struggles to focus. But most of the time Oakes is able to carry on most of his ordinary activities.

He considers the function of fasting as similar to that of silence as a “space between,” as a way to focus awareness and attentiveness. Oakes explores Greek, Buddhist, and Abrahamic roots of fasting and other ascetic practices. He weighs asceticism against the moderation of Epicureanism, the mean between deprivation and excess that was the place of pleasure. He notes the renewal of fasting in churches that stress personal transformation. Turning from philosophical considerations, he investigates the physiology of fasting over time, the benefits that may accrue particularly from intermittent fasting and the harmfulness of fasting for weight loss.

Perhaps one of the most illuminating chapters was that chronicling the use of fasting as a form of social protest. From the 12th century BC in Kashmir, to early Christians in Ireland (including Patrick), and to modern day activists like Angela Davis and Caesar Chavez, fasts were an effective means of protest. But protest fasts are also the occasion for brutalities, such as the force-feeding of Muslim detainees at Guantanamo post 9/11.

He includes a chapter on those who use fasting for fame and fortune, often engaging in fraud or faddism. These range from those claiming to never eat to those promoting fasts of various lengths for health reasons, sometimes with deleterious effects. This, in turn leads to a consideration of fasting as self-cancellation, a willful choice, sometimes genetically influenced as in anorexics, including “holy anorexics” like Catherine of Siena, who died of starvation at thirty-three.

In the end, the author concludes he will continue to embrace this practice, writing:

“That is the strange quality of fasting: its inside out invertedness, the idea and the reality that cutting back can add, that diminishment can bring strength and a measure of serenity. And when implemented as a hunger strike, fasting amplifies resistance.”

Nevertheless, he cautions against self-destructive excess of fasting enthusiasts and is careful to advise consultation with doctors before engaging in fasts.

The author approaches his own fasting from a non-religious perspective. Therefore, his book should not substitute for religious teaching from one’s particular faith on fasting. Rather, he sets the fast in both a personal and global context. We are introduced to the experience through the author’s journaling. We catch a global perspective on various cultural expressions of fasting. He carefully outlines both benefits and dangers associated with the practice. Above all, he reminds us of the ways our lives may be enriched by periodically doing without.

____________________

Disclosure of Material Connection. I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer Program.

[David Partikian · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Oakes’ The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without completely lives up to its title. It exhibits old school liberal arts scholarship and humanities erudition that has largely disappeared from contemporary bookstore shelves. Oakes’ prose straddles a fine line, never veering into the realm of stultifying academic press verbiage while also never straying into the territory of light pop facts, e.g. Everything you ever wanted to know about. . . or Fasting for Dummies.

The book is an engaging read with impeccable citations. One reviewer here on Goodreads complained that there were no citations, completely overlooking that there is an extensive note section. Avid Reader Press, like many other non-fiction publishers, made the astute decision to not include distracting endnotes on every page. All a reader need do is check the note section for any particular page and there will be a couple of citations to reference.

Although I’ve never contemplated conducting a fast, after reading The Fast, I am intrigued enough to consider one now for both the psychological insights and potential health benefits. Oakes’ fasted for a week, which is better than most of us have ever done, but hardly up there with the religious fasters and hunger strikers who grace the pages of his work.

On the lighter side, this book may upset the routine of readers who like to snack while reading. I found myself unable to nibble on my customary pretzel sticks while reading about hunger artists from the fin de siècle and Bobby Sands.* I was also unaware of the extent that hunger strikes upset government officials who are being shamed; somehow the various hunger strikes at Guantanamo Bay escaped my ken. While the media is partially to blame, I am too for not being more aware of hunger strikes initiated by prisoners being held by my government.

Anyone who is interested on the science, history and cultural relevance of fasting will find this book . . .edifying. . .**



*****************************
*It reminded me of the uneasy feeling I had reading Diary of a Young Girl while on a Thai beach.
**I couldn’t resist.

[Felipe Souza · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a disappointment. I bought it thinking it would provide an account of the historical, scientific, and philosophical aspects of fasting, but what it offers is far from that. The fact that the author has no training in any of these areas certainly contributed to the poor result of the manuscript. It is incredible that it was published. Overall, the book is a mess, confusing and without method. Some references were cited incorrectly and without the proper care to verify their credibility, such as on page 60, where he reproduces a claim from an article in *Bustle* that claims that “most people using intermittent fasting as a weight-loss tool gain back their weight within five years.” The *Bustle* article was actually based on a scientific article that, when read with a minimum of care, says absolutely nothing about intermittent fasting. This is an unfortunate example of a chain of errors.

In addition, there are several contradictions in the book, and chapter 3 is full of them, such as the author’s indecision in defining whether fasting is good or not for one’s health. In the first parts of the chapter he is emphatic in saying that it is not good, but later he starts weighing the positive sides of fasting for health, which in the end contradict what he had said before. There are other criticisms related to the author’s lack of precision in better describing the various types of fasting protocols that exist out there, which by itself already makes the book lose a good part of its credibility. Perhaps if he had done better research he would have discovered that the fast he undertook, besides being dangerous (he practiced a 7-day fast without preparing beforehand, such as by doing intermittent fasting and gradually moving to more prolonged forms of fasting, of 24h, 48h, etc.), was in fact not really a true fast, since he consumed soup at some point. Even while fasting, he got it wrong.

In short, the book is a disappointment and a waste of money.

[Luc · Rating 2 out of 5]

Excited to read this, but was very disappointed. Oakes (and his rarely mentioned wife) decide to fast for seven days during Spring 2020, in the height of lockdowns in the US from covid, and that decision - rather than help our community, let's literally stare at our dwindling stomachs in our fancy house for a whole week, then make money off our experience by commodifying it into a book! - set the stage for such rampant privilege across the narrative.

Oates gives brief mentions to Eastern and non-Anglowestern traditions, but focuses strongly on white traditions and figures; he misquotes often and has numerous factual errors (that his lack of detailed references obscure); he gives a highly one-sided and limited account of anorexia nervosa, then dismisses it all as a problem of women; and his writing throughout is scattered, with lengthy asides and Wikipedia-style summaries that feel some combination of stream-of-consciousness, overwrought, and just (again) a well-to-do white man deciding he can declare authority on a topic with a lot of armchair research while the world is suffering just outside his doorstep.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read about the history of fasting, along with many cultures' philosophies and broad overviews of different religions.

The silent room was enlightening. I had no idea.

I think he said only two or three religions in the world do not practice fasting. They are very small, and new aka not indigenous. He also covers hunger strikes towards the end, which I found fascinating.

It is very interesting some people decide to starve to death instead of a euthanasia injection at the end of life. I personally do not want to be on a ventilator or feeding tube, I also do not feel euthanasia would be right, but I could see myself not eating and passing peacefully. Many people do stop eating the last 2 or 3 days of life, but in the book he refers to weeks when someone has a terminal diagnosis.

[David Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without ** Read in Eastern Province, KSA (Mar-Apr 2024)

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good high-level overview of fasting through the ages. The greatest areas of interest were the personal anecdotes of Oakes' week long fast during covid lock down. Almost feel that he begins to get into the 'meat' -pardon the pun - of the book in the epilogue. In-depth exploration of individual impact of fasting on the body, psyche, and spirit would be welcome from this author.

[Gi V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting presentation of lived experience and research. I'm working through weight management issues at the moment and was considering "intermittent fasting" or some such trend, and wanted to learn more about the history of the practice before I read about the possibility of using the concept as a weight management tool. This book provided exactly what I was looking for.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. The author narrates his own experience of a long fast (7 days), whilst delving into the history and science of fasting. It advocates for the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of fasting.

[P Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical and philosophical side to why fasting may or may not be good. It is also sprinkled with study data that corroborates the evidence put forward in the book.

[Hanna Auer · Rating 2 out of 5]

bro whatEVER

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introduction was my favorite part, but if it weren’t for that, I would’ve given this 2 stars. A lot of interesting information sprinkled throughout, but some parts I skimmed. I guess I would’ve liked it more if it had more about the effects of fasting on health and spiritual connection. I just had a hard time figuring out the point of the historical examples used.