An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage

Think of the book report as a review or critique of your assigned text. The general purpose of reviews is to give readers enough information about a book to decide whether it will be of use or interest to them, together with the reviewer’s assessment of the book’s strengths and weaknesses. This assignment tests reading skills, summary skills, and the ability to grasp the argument of a book as a whole. It is not a research paper; it presents your considered response to the book. So you do not need to do further reading, and in fact it is better to stay away from secondary sources (though, if you use any, you must acknowledge and document them with in text-references and a list of Works cited at the end of the essay).

An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage
The book report is an essay. which means that it should have a thesis (summing up your evaluation of the book) and a coherent essay structure supporting that thesis. The length is about 1,000 words. It can, and probably will, have more than five paragraphs! Give your essay its own title, not just ”Book Report.” At the top of the first page, give a full bibliographical entry for the book: author’s name, full title and subtitle, place and date of publication and publisher, and An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standagethe number of pages.

An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage

An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standagethe number of pages.
‘Begin by setting the book in context. What kind of book if this? Who is the author? What is his purpose in writing the book? What is his thesis and how does he structure the book to support it? What audience is he writing for? (Often the language he uses and the way hr refers to sources are clues to this.) Summarize the content briefly, paying special attention to the structure. (This should not be more than, say, a fifth of the essay, i.e. one substantial paragraph.)
You can have and express and opinion. Your reader will appreciate your reaction to the book. Look back at the questions included in my advice on reading. What made an impression on you? Do you think that the writer succeeds in what he set out to do, and why? You might choose to focus on some aspect or theme which particularly interested you.
Remember the convention that we refer to a text we are discussing in the present tense: “Standage described the process whereby….,” “Standage argues that….,” and so on. Be careful to summarize in your own words. When you quote, provide brief parenthetical page references:

An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage

Standage concludes that “turning back the clock is not an option” (232).
Since you are using one text in your essay, that should be sufficient.
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Some thoughts on reading for the book report…
Read actively, critically, with pen or pencil in hand. Mark up your copy!
Take it chapter by chapter! What is the main idea of this chapter? What are the supporting points? I suggest you write a brief summary of each chapter in your own words as you proceed. Any questions? Anything that puzzles you? Note it and ask. Don’t wait.

An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage

Your response to the book is important. Approach with the standard questions in mind. What kind of book Is this? What prompted the author to write it? What is his purpose? Can you identify his thesis? Who is he writing for – what sort of audience? To answer that, you might consider the kind of language that he uses, his vocabulary, any allusions. Also, consider how he uses and documents sources.
How far does the author succeed in what he sets out to do? Consider how he organizes his material. Does he explain clearly? What techniques does he use to involve readers? Does he synthesize source material well? Why does he select the examples he does?

An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage

What surprised you in the book? What DIDN’T you know before? What did you learn from reading An Edible History?
What food for thought has this book given you?
Do you think Standage has any ulterior motive? Is there a persuasive element in the book? Do you detect any unconscious bias in his stance?

An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage

Standage remarks that food has now become a “battlefield” in Western countries (p.194). What light does the book throw on contemporary debates about food? Has anything changed since 2009, when it was published?
Your book report will be an essay, and it will do more than summarize, impersonally, the contents of the book. Your response to reading it will shape your thesis. Think of the assignment as more of a review. You don’t have to answer all these questions! But they should stimulate thought.