Hunger: An Unnatural History (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780465071654)

Every day, we wake up hungry. Every day, we break our fast. Hunger explores the range of this primal experience. Sharman Apt Russell, the highly acclaimed author of Anatomy of a Rose and An Obsession with Butterflies, here takes us on a tour of hunger, from eighteen hours without food to thirty-six hours to seven days and beyond. What Russell finds-both in our bodies and in cultures around the world-is extraordinary. It is a biological process that transcends nature to shape the very of fabric of societies. In a fascinating survey of centuries of thought on hunger's unique power, she discovers an ability to adapt to it that is nothing short of miraculous. From the fasting saints of the early Christian church to activists like Mahatma Gandhi, generations have used hunger to make spiritual and political statements. Russell highlights these remarkable cases where hunger can inspire and even heal, but she also addresses the devastating impact of starvation on cultures around the world today. Written with consummate skill, a compassionate heart, and stocked with facts, figures, and fascinating lore, Hunger is an inspiring window on history and the human spirit.

Author: Sharman Apt Russell
ISBN-10: 0465071651
ISBN-13: 9780465071654
Publisher: Basic Books
Language: English
Published: 09/05/2006
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 8.04h x 5.48w x 0.66d

Review Citation(s):
Kliatt 05/01/2007 pg. 40