Eating Between the Lines

by Rebecca Huntley

A different kind of food tour... We live in an age of gastronomic soul-searching. Why is childhood obesity on the rise? Is the traditional family dinner really dying out and if so, does it matter? Jamie Oliver and Bill Granger have marched into the kitchen, but have Aussie blokes followed? What do the contents of our shopping trolleys tell us about the fair go in Australia today? In Eating Between the Lines, Rebecca Huntley ventures into the nation's food courts, supermarkets and suburban kitchens. She speaks to working mums, market gardeners and recently arrived migrants. She asks singles how they feel about eating alone, and considers why the rich and sophisticated have embraced peasant food. Join her on a thought-provoking trip through the deep-fried, sun-dried, cold-pressed world of Australian eating.

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to this text after reading the Penguin Special 'Does cooking matter?' - an updated except from this (the original text).

Written as a collection of essays or passages examining issues of geography, family, culture, food production and modern lifestyles I found this book an easy-going and accessible conversation on food and diet in Australia.

The author (Rebecca Huntley) is a social researcher, journalist and radio presenter. Using her researching background, statistics, current media and film & television references to draw together a wonderful book that insightfully discusses how we eat and the choices we make.

I greatly enjoyed dipping into this book during what has been a hectic period of life for me. And, like many great books it's led me to several other books and writers.

[texbsquared · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely fascinating to read about food and history that's so particularly Australian, but there wasn't enough acknowledgement from the author about her own position of wealth to be able to eat the 'good food' that is heralded as nirvana. There's definitely some good discussion about inequitable access to food, but it could have gone much deeper and actually examined the causes of inequality.

[Chris Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting conversation on food issues in Australia, which mentions the plight of peri-urban farmers facing the pressures of increased urbanisation.

[Oanh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting; perhaps could go further with analysis of food and equality issues but a very good demonstrative book. Well written & engaging.