There are people dedicated to improving the way we eat; and people dedicated to improving the way we give birth. A Bun in the Oven is the first comparison of these two social movements. The food movement has seemingly exploded; but little has changed in the diet of most Americans. And while there’s talk of improving the childbirth experience; most births happen in large hospitals; about a third result in C-sections; and the US does not fare well in infant or maternal outcomes. In A Bun in the Oven Barbara Katz Rothman traces the food and the birth movements through three major phases over the course of the 20th century in the United States: from the early 20th century era of scientific management; through to the consumerism of Post World War II with its ‘turn to the French’ in making things gracious; to the late 20th century counter-culture midwives and counter-cuisine cooks. The book explores the tension throughout all of these eras between the industrial demands of mass-management and profit-making; and the social movements—composed largely of women coming together from very different feminist sensibilities—which are working to expose the harmful consequences of industrialization; and make birth and food both meaningful and healthy. Katz Rothman; an internationally recognized sociologist named ‘midwife to the movement’ by the Midwives Alliance of North America; turns her attention to the lessons to be learned from the food movement; and the parallel forces shaping both of these consumer-based social movements. In both movements; issues of the natural; the authentic; and the importance of ‘meaningful’ and ‘personal’ experiences get balanced against discussions of what is sensible; convenient and safe. And both movements operate in a context of commercial and corporate interests; which places profit and efficiency above individual experiences and outcomes. A Bun in the Oven brings new insight into the relationship between our most intimate; personal experiences; the industries that control them; and the social movements that resist the industrialization of life and seek to birth change.
#2129530 in Books CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2012-06-08Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .85 x 6.00l; 1.11 #File Name: 1477607897374 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Great summary of Indian Vedic CultureBy hariThis book is an eye-opener on Indian Vedic Advancements and its importance/influence on modern world. What I am highly impressed with is the amount of supporting references/details mentioned in this book as it sifts through the immense advancements and contributions of this civilization! Immaculate proofs and evidence are provided to date the important events recorded in this civilization's history. Being from India; I am only saddened that I never read such history in my school years about Indian Civilization (perhaps due to variety of speculations that have been refuted only in recent times with series of major archeological discoveries)!2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating historyBy pdkLike Knapp's other books; it is very well referenced and detailed. He covers many topics of ancient India's acheivements in the arts; sciences; agriculture; manufacturing; architecture; and especially interesting to me; governance; and other aspects as well. My only complaint is that the book is too short! I wish he had gone a bit more in depth; but he covered so many topics the book would have had to be a few hundred more pages.India's real history has been hidden - for some reason the ancient histories of Egypt and other civilizations are well known; but India's secrets have not been so. It's time that changes; as it is now becoming clear that advanced civilizations in India pre-dated others all over the world. In fact; the more they dig; the more ancient finds they make. Much of what is taught as history is but bits and pieces; and history books will need to be re-written to include the ancient past of greater India.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Exposing misread historyBy Jayana ClerkStephen Knapp's findings compels one to look at history afresh. It is time to reexamine old information with neutral perspective; New awareness invariably requires a revision of old theories.
