Last night I finished reading World Hunger: Twelve Myths by Lappe, Collins, and Rosset. World Hunger Relief Inc., the farm that Faith and I are moving to in a month, suggested it as good reading before the big move. It was definitely an insightful read, to say the least.

In World Hunger, Lappe and friends discuss the epidemic of hunger while providing staggering statistics and facts. They propose, investigate, and disprove 12 "common" myths held regarding world hunger. At times they tend to be repititive. There were portions of the book where I felt as if I had read the exact same paragraph a few pages before. Further, a couple arguments aren't as strongly debated as others.

That said, the book is definitely worth a read. Even though I've been involved with the Christian relief non-profit scene for over five years now, Lappe and Co. helped me realize just how naive I was when it came to the world's most wide-scale problem right now. I've found myself believing that the best way to battle hunger was simply to give more cash, donate more unwanted canned goods, or load more ships up with rice and beans. World Hunger exposes this line of thought and points out why exactly this just doesn't work across the world.

The twelve myths of World Hunger that Lappe and Friends point out are:

1. There's Simply Not Enough Food
An excellent opening to the book, as we look at a world that is rapidly approaching 7 billion residents.
2. Nature's to Blame
We often blame drought and famine. The crisis in Niger right now is a prime example. This chapter does well by noting that drought and famine simply shed light on already existing problems.
3. Too Many Mouths to Feed
4. Food vs. Our Environment
5. The Green Revolution is the Answer
I wasn't very aware of the "Green Revolution", but it goes into great detail regarding a topic we're all aware of--biogenetics. You know, the whole "I don't want seeds in my grapes" deal.
6. Justice vs. Production
7. The Free Market Can End Hunger
8. Free Trade is the Answer
In the shadow of this week's CAFTA approval by Congress, this will really cause us to try to figure out why we aren't more vocal towards our representatives.
9. Too Hungry to Revolt
A chapter that should have been better dissected by the trio. In it, they point to striking examples of the poor standing up for themselves across the world, but they didn't really investigate too much into each case.
10. More U.S. Aid Will Help the Hungry
Probably the myth I've been guilty of holding fast to.
11. We Benefit from their Hunger
12. Food vs. Freedom

Each myth deserves more attention than time and space permit right now, but I do hope to revisit at least a few of these in upcoming posts. In the meantime, grab yourself a copy of World Hunger: 12 Myths and be ready to shatter your beliefs.