The Fruitful City

I wish I could give this 3.5 stars. It is a very well written, well researched work of non-fiction. It is informative and compelling in a number of ways. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in food forests, especially if you want to feel hyped-up about the wide breadth of possibilities out there. It was exciting to learn about all these different projects surrounding fruit trees in cities. What's missing for me is a deeper, more critical lens on the global situation that leads to a lack of knowledge and interest in local food. Specifically, while Moncrieff makes important nods to indigenous food-ways she also romanticizes the colonial system that has displaced indigenous communities. While she makes important notes to the rise in processed food, she doesn't draw the important connection between global capitalism, food scarcity, and malnutrition. It isn't that I expect one book to speak on everything, but I'd like to see books like this go beyond a simple nod or passing mention. I'd like to get excited about what's possible without romanticizing the damage that was done that got us to this point.