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A Bone to Pick by Mark Bittman Summary

A Bone to Pick
Mark Bittman
3.54 (703 Reviews)
Health
Society
Education
Overview
Key Takeaways
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Overview of A Bone to Pick

Mark Bittman's "A Bone to Pick" serves up uncomfortable truths about our broken food system. What if everything you believed about "healthy eating" was actually designed to keep you consuming? This culinary provocateur's manifesto will forever change how you shop, cook, and eat.

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1

Introduction: The Food System's Broken Promise

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America's food system is broken. As I've observed over my years as a food writer and columnist, we have enough food to feed everyone, yet about one billion people still go hungry. Meanwhile, another billion are overweight. This stark contrast reveals the deep flaws in how we produce, distribute, and consume food. In this book, I'll take you on a journey through the complex world of food policy, agricultural practices, and dietary habits that shape our relationship with what we eat. Drawing from my columns in The New York Times, I'll explore the good, the bad, and the downright ugly aspects of our food system. But don't worry - this isn't just a litany of problems. I'll also share insights on how we can work towards solutions, both as individuals and as a society. So grab a seat at the table, and let's dig in to the meaty issues surrounding our food.

2

Part 1: The Industrial Food Complex

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Part 2: The Politics of Food

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Part 3: The Power of the Plate

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Part 4: Rethinking Our Relationship with Food

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Part 5: A Vision for the Future

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Conclusion: Taking Action for Change

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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
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likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
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star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
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star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
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star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
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201
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
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star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
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star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
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comments
201
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16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
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