Book Review: Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD DrPH

 

Food Is Medicine is a book that hits squarely on a topic I care deeply about. The ideas in it genuinely made me want to start a farm, grow my own food, and rethink the way nourishment fits into everyday life. The subject matter is compelling, timely, and somewhat revolutionary.

Mozaffarian brings an extraordinary level of expertise to the table, weaving together nutrition science, medicine, and public policy. His argument is clear: the food we eat is making us sick, not because we’re eating too much, but because we’re eating too little of what actually heals. The book lays out how the right foods can prevent illness, treat chronic disease, and reduce the enormous cost of poor health in our communities. It also explores how we can transform the entire food system — from farms to grocery stores to legislation — to make nourishing food accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

That said, this is a highly academic read. It’s dense, wordy, and packed with research. I found the content absolutely fascinating, but it’s not a breezy book you can casually flip through. It requires focus and patience, and at times feels like a textbook.

Still, the payoff is worth it. Mozaffarian’s blend of science, storytelling, and optimism paints a powerful vision of what food could be — medicine, yes, but also pleasure, abundance, and a path toward a healthier future.

If you’re interested in nutrition, food policy, or the future of health, this book is an eye‑opening resource. Just be prepared: it’s a lot to digest.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Henry Holt and Co.
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 20, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250394287
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250394286

I downloaded this book from NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, and I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller

 

Women ahead of their time, living in a world that doesn't accept them, forging new paths that change the world for future generations of women, is the story you find in Vanessa Miller's The Ladies Hall. 

When Mary Church Terrell and Anna Julia Cooper enter Oberlin College, they soon learn the promise of equality doesn't match reality for Black women on campus. Mary and Anna enter the men’s academic track and immediately face resistance from classmates and faculty who doubt they belong. Joined by the quiet and steady Ida Gibbs Hunt, the three women navigate academic pressure, social hostility, and the unspoken rules of the Ladies Hall, where every interaction tests their resolve. Their shared fight for dignity and opportunity transforms them from isolated students into a united force, proving that progress is built through courage, intellect, and sisterhood.

What an amazing story. Vanessa Miller’s The Ladies Hall is a compelling blend of history and heart, offering readers an intimate look at three Black women determined to claim their place in higher education during the 1880s. Miller’s storytelling shines in the way she balances fact with emotional depth, giving Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, and Ida Gibbs Hunt distinct voices that are authentic and deeply human.

The novel’s greatest strength is its portrayal of sisterhood. Through moments of quiet support, shared frustration, and hard‑won triumph, Miller shows how these women shaped one another as much as they shaped history against the vivid backdrop of Oberlin College and the Ladies Hall. Their progress is constantly tested, making every victory resonate. 

For lovers of character‑driven historical fiction, you will find a touching story of three women who come together against odds they refuse to let defeat them. The Ladies Hall is an inspiring novel that is rich in history. It’s the kind of story that you won't be able to put down and won't stop thinking about even after you've turned the last page. 

• Publisher: ‎ Thomas Nelson
• Publication date: ‎ August 11, 2026
• Language: ‎ English
• Print length: ‎ 384 pages
• ISBN-10: ‎ 1400351103
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1400351107

I downloaded a copy of this novel from NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, and I have not been compensated in any way.

NetGalley/Audible Book Review: Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined PacSun by Brieane Olson

 

Discover the story of how PacSun embraced co-creation and transformed itself from a retailer of established brands to a purpose-driven retailer that collaborates and partners with a community that informs its approach in Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined PacSun by the company's CEO, Brieane Olson.

Author and narrator Olson brings the reader through the challenges of what PacSun was and the excitement brought about by their shift to a purpose-driven retailer that listens to its collaborators, staff, and most importantly, its consumers. From its early collaborations with Kendall & Kylie to its more recent partnerships with the LA Rams and Formula 1, readers engage with the amazing transformation that the mindshift has brought to a company that filed for bankruptcy in 2016 amid burgeoning high mall rents, when mall traffic declined while online shopping increased. 

Olson discusses how embracing change in consumer habits and ever-evolving technology has allowed the company to increase its market share, and how listening to its community has allowed the company to make a greater impact and create new initiatives that support its mission and the community it serves. 

I will be honest: I have never stepped foot in a PacSun. My daughters did in their teens, but my only recollection of PacSun was walking by it in the now-demolished mall closest to us to get to another retailer, and the store closed way before the mall did. So, why did I request this book? 

• The title intrigued me.
• Purpose-driven leadership inspires me.
• Authenticity is one of the most important things I strive for in business. 

Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined PacSun explores the company's new model that has made such waves that it is now a Harvard Business School Case Study. If you are in business and are determined to make an impact, this is a book you should read. 

Listening Length	5 hours and 36 minutes
Author	Brieane Olson
Narrator	Brieane Olson
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	May 12, 2026
Publisher	Forbes Books
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0GVPMZMCF

I requested this book from NetGalley and own it on Audible. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Recent Reads/Listens on NetGalley and Audible

I had finished This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman a few weeks ago. Liked this much better than I thought I would, but there are so many characters that it is easy to get lost. 

I started Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined PacSun by Brieana Olseon, PACSUN CEO, a while ago. In fairness to the author, it's not that I'm uninterested. The story sounds fascinating. I just overloaded my spring reading calendar. I added this to Audible because I think my NetGalley time will run out before I read it. 

I have 22 days to finish The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller. I have loved what I have read so far. 

I didn't make it far into Jesus Listens for Lent & Easter: Prayers for the Season by Sarah Young, but that's because it has a narrator I don't connect with. I've read and enjoyed other devotionals by Young, so I will need to order a printed version to appreciate it. 

Last week, I finished listening to Hi Honey, I'm Homo: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture by Matt Baume. This was a well-researched and engaging account of queer representation in sitcoms and how this representation transformed a genre once thought to be headed for the television graveyard. 

I downloaded The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida after reading Jack Balderrama Morley's Dream Facades, in which he cited Florida's book. Not sure that it is what I expected, but I am intrigued so far.