Tell Me How You Eat: Food, Power, and the Will to Live

by Amber Husain

An intimate and expansive exploration of how and why we eat, and the relationship between food and empowerment, through the historic feasts and fasts of radicals and tyrants.

Inspired by writer Amber Husain’s unorthodox route to healing from anorexia, Tell Me How You Eat examines not just how society views the refusal to eat, but how we understand the meaning and power of food. Suspecting that the standard courses of treatment—as disempowering as they are ineffective—might in fact be part of the underlying problem, Husain took part in an experimental psylocibin treatment study. Where the medical model typically tries to fix the difficult non-eater, this trial opened her mind to the idea that there might be more to fix beyond the self—that our relationship with food might be closely entwined with our outlook on the world.

Through five chapters taking in hunger, restriction, gorging, feeding, and the making of political demands, Husain turns away from thinking about how people are shaped by food to think instead about how food can inspire people to reshape the world. Each chapter searches for reasons to eat and live through histories ranging from pus-drinking medieval nuns to Black Panther breakfast programs; from 1950s lesbian dinner parties to modern-day Gazan food bloggers.

In a culture that insists “you are what you eat,” and makes every bite a fraught moral choice, Husain argues that we will only feel truly nourished when we can eat in the spirit of restoring a collective right to food, long eroded over centuries of systems and narratives that have normalized deprivation.

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Food, Health, Science

240 pages, Hardcover

Published February 24, 2026

Reviews

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Struggling to find the key to recovering from anorexia, Husain set about looking at some of the meaning that has historically been ascribed to food: food as power, food as rebellion, starvation as power, starvation as rebellion.

I was and still am rather unsure of what to make of the book. Husain traces various political movements (women's suffrage, etc.) and the weaponization of food—whether something to be forced upon somebody (e.g., in response a hunger strike) or withheld (e.g., Israel's starvation tactics in Gaza). It's interesting material, but while the book description says "Each chapter searches for reasons to eat and live", I wondered whether at times Husain was looking less for reasons to eat than for justification for not eating (not eating enough to sustain life, not eating animal products).

There's a depth of curiosity and research here that I appreciate, and Husain is for the most part careful about what details she shares about her illness (I wish more authors writing about eating disorders were so circumspect). I think I ended up not being quite the right reader for this book—the connections were not entirely there for me, though I suspect that some of that is at that some point I lost track of the magic-mushroom context. This may be something to come back to at a future point in time; therapy with substances usually associated with recreational use has been cropping up more often in my reading (e.g., The Tell), and I'll have to keep an eye out for more.

Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.

[Tori Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it has a lot of strong examples of food as a political thing and how that plays out in our lives historically to now. I also appreciate the calling out of Israel using food as an act of war and the support for Gaza shown. Most of what redeemed this book was in the last chapter

The author experienced anorexia and uses that as a basis for their entire book’s thesis and it just doesn’t quite work for me. I don’t want to discount anyone’s experience and if looking at the political effects of food helped her heal, I don’t want to denigrate that. However, it felt that it created a weakness to her whole point in centering eating disorders as political acts when maybe that could be part of it but definitely not true across the board. I think she had a lot of stronger points about food being political but over anecdotally tried to make that 90% of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[jason]

unfortunately this is a case of thinking a book would be for me and it wasn’t. i was expecting this to be an analysis on anorexia/eating disorders, a history of the disorder with some scientific tidbits sprinkled in, and some personal narrative of the author’s own experiences interwoven throughout. what this ended up being was a lot more historical with a focus on how not eating food is a political act. while i don’t disagree with the sentiment that food can be politicized and weaponized, this just wasn’t what i wanted. i also found that the writing was very formal and elevated, and i struggled to get into a good head space to read it. it’s evident that the author was very well read on the subject matter. i think that this can be a very informative and educational read for the right audience, but ultimately i don’t think i’m that target audience. and with this book not working for me, i didn’t want to force myself to finish it and give it a low rating due to my lack of enjoyment, so i’m deciding to dnf.

(dnf @ 33%)

thank you to the publisher for the advance eARC.

[Angie Boyter]

The description of this book REALLY drew my interest. The subject appealed very much. Unfortunately, two elements disappointed me so much that I really do not want to finish it, although I read most of the prologue and the first part of chapter 1. I would not be able to write a positive review, I am sure, and will not be reviewing it. The description did not prepare me for so much detail of the author’s problem with food; to me it was intrusive and not of interest. The second element that turned me off was the writing style, which seemed overly academic. Other readers are enjoying the book, so I will bow out.

[Zinab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tell Me How You Eat is an insightful read with a blend of personal experience and historical analysis, ranging from medieval nuns to WWII to the Black Panthers. Amber Husain tackles the idea of “you are what you eat” from multiple angles, and she probes the action of eating all the way from a personal activity to a political battle.

While the narrative was a little difficult to follow as the book progressed, I appreciated the intellectual examination of food and eating with the incorporation of personal experience that I found very relatable and intimate.

I was not familiar with Husain’s work prior to reading this, but I found myself reading through her essays and adding her other books to my TBR. This will definitely not be the last time I will pick up one of her books, and I highly recommend you do the same.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an eArc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

[liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

To grossly over simplify: no one writes about food better than a former anorexic!

[BethFishReads · Rating 1 out of 5]

NOTE: I stopped reading this around page 60. I don't think I understood what this book was about before I started, and if I had, I probably wouldn't have started it.

Husain's memoir starts out talking about how the health system in the UK treats women and eating disorders. I don't have an eating disorder, but was interested in some of the issues Husain brought up.

My real problem is that she's very vague about her own personal story. I *think* her symptoms emerged during COVID lockdown. I *think* she tried various treatments. I have no idea how she felt about her disorder or how her family and boyfriend reacted. I don't even know how her disorder manifested. Perhaps she gets into it in more detail later????

Anyway, one of the principal things that didn't work for me was not being sure how much she was writing about her personal experience and how much she was writing about a history/research/investigation into the UK medical system's approach to anorexia.

I don't read a lot of memoir, but when I do, I'm looking to connect to someone else's life experiences. Perhaps I didn't give this book enough of a chance, but I wasn't finding that connection.

Thanks to Washington Square Press for the digital galley.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 For The Audacity book club and a very interesting memoir centered in food.

[Allison Damico · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit of a tough one for me and I think that relies heavily on the format of this book. I needed this broken down into more than 5 chapters as the content was heavy and I think I would have preferred shorter chapters. I felt as I got done with one chapter I dreaded that the next long one was coming.

Now for the content of the book itself. The author Amber draws on a lot of her own experience with anorexia which is a heavy topic in itself. Amber dives into the societal pressure of eating as well as getting help for those issues and how complicated it all is. Readers are taken through Amber’s experience with a “magic mushrooms” trial which I found very interesting as well. You go on a journey of history long ago to modern day of how food plays a huge role into who we are and how we view the world. The prologue notes section just shows how far Amber took their research and pulled from so many resources. Thought this was an interesting take on the topic, but it did take me a long time to get through. If this is your cup of tea, you’re going to easily digest this one ;) #goodreadsgiveaway

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone for the ebook.

📝 Short Summary
A reflective, thoughtful exploration of food, identity, and how the way we eat shapes the way we live and see ourselves.

Review
I went into this thinking it was going to be something else entirely, and that probably shaped my whole reading experience. I expected one type of narrative and got something much more reflective and introspective. That is not a bad thing, but I just was not in the right mindset for it.

This book leans heavily into ideas about food as identity, culture, memory, and power. It is more meditative than plot driven. More analysis and thought than traditional storytelling. I can absolutely see how this would resonate deeply with a lot of readers, especially those who enjoy thinking about food beyond the plate and into the emotional and social layers behind it.

For me though, it felt distant. I kept waiting for a stronger emotional hook or a narrative thread to grab onto. The writing itself is intelligent and intentional, and there are moments that feel sharp and observant. I just never fully connected to it. It felt like I was reading it from the outside instead of being pulled into it.

I think timing matters with books like this. Had I picked it up in a different mood, I might have experienced it differently. As it stands, it just was not for me. Not because it was poorly done, but because it did not meet me where I was.

Three stars feels honest. I respect what it is doing. I just did not fall in love with it.

✅ Would I Recommend It?
Yes, especially for readers who enjoy introspective, thoughtful explorations of food and identity rather than fast paced narrative.

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read, but ultimately, I believe it would have been better served as a purely academic book because the memoir portions hindered the coherence of the work. Husain's examination of her own anorexia made me feel really uncomfortable. I have a hard time believing that disordered eating should be seen as a "positive" political act. Often times, she comes across as too detached from her own symptoms/experiences in order to achieve a full circle moment for the sake of narrative. And at other times, the memoir portions feel like a justification of her anorexia, with a good dose of over-intellectualism. Then, there are portions where she simply states that she doesn't know what her anorexia means. But, like, you gave an explanation last chapter? I still have a hard time understanding how she ACTUALLY feels about her own case of anorexia, and I struggle to see the healing process embedded in it. It just felt like, I eat because I have to, for community, I guess? Again, it left me feeling really uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, there's so much to learn here about the way food was/is weaponized towards certain ideologies (whether it be patriarchal men decrying that women should not eat meat due its ability to increase women's passion and aggression, or food becoming a weapon in the hands of the Israeli government and its measuring of calories allowed into Gaza [even before October 7th]). For example, I had no idea that Hitler ruminated on pro-vegetarian/vegan concepts as a rallying cry against Jewish Kosher meat.

An interesting, yet mixed read.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. Overall, there are glimmers of real brilliance in the writing about how food can have a nautical, social, and political impact. However, this book at times did feel like a dry ramblings of the author’s complete focus on her disordered eating pattern. As someone who had worked with the ED population, it really stood out to me as a book that probably wouldn’t exist if the author did find food freedom or had a certain level of healing from her condition. I really want to give the novel the benefit of the doubt, but I hardly think this will appeal to a wide population.

[Amanda Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. It provided insight into another outlook on the necessity of food and how it impacts the entire world. The historically accurate movements referenced allow the reader to comprehend the vast impact food has on one's life and how these movements interact with the author's personal journey.

Hopefully, by the release date, this book gets a solid proofreading as it was difficult to get through at times due to an over abundance of grammatical errors.

Otherwise, fantastic read!!

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

“Tell Me How You Eat” is a mix of personal anecdotes and informative cultural discussion, combining history & experience as a way to unpack the complexity of eating disorders.

This was a heavy, vulnerable read, but I would recommend this for others to pick up.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not prepared for what this book is really about - how food is political. I don’t disagree; I was just expecting more of the author’s experience navigating anorexia and treatment. Instead it was 80% food politics. Many good examples but some felt long-winded.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Washington Square Press for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.

[Paulina Rowińska · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some books simply shouldn't be published. Everyone's entitled to their opinions, but they should be expressed as such. The author mocks evidence-based treatments, presenting her frustrations as facts. These treatments aren't perfect, but they save lives.
I very rarely give one star. I do want to discourage people from picking up this book.

[C.M. Stenquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating information and reading. Recommend

[Kith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and informative It was a good read and well written

[Diyora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic. Really get what the author is trying to do and appreciated the expansive storytelling about her experience with an eating disorder.

[Sophia Eck]

audiobook

[Eman Elkwisni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amber Husain’s Tell Me How You Eat is a fascinating blend of personal reflection and cultural critique. I found it really interesting how she connects her own experiences with eating and body image to larger historical and societal patterns. The way she weaves together memoir, history, and theory makes the book both intimate and thought-provoking. It’s not just about food or disordered eating but what our relationship with food says about who we are and the world we live in. A sharp, insightful read that lingers long after you finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC!