Gather is a well written monograph on food security, equity, and culture by Dr. Ashanté M. Reese as part of the Norton Short series. Due out 14th April 2026 from W.W. Norton, it's 160 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
Although written in layman accessible simple prose, the author is an academic and the book is well grounded structurally, with copious chapter notes and annotations (which are worth the price of the admission in and of themselves). The writing flows very well, and under the friendly, clear descriptions, lovingly told, is the clearly delineated disparity in justice and access which has been a reality in much of the USA for hundreds of years. Black communities have grown and thrived out of necessity, but there's also a great deal of fellow feeling, mutual aid, community, and generosity threaded through everyday existence.
Food insecurity, food deserts, and mutual aid are taken from the daily headlines but they've been an often stark reality for ages in rural/poor areas of America. Dr. Reese does a good job of describing the realities, but also offering some hope and warmth.
Five stars. A good read, and an important one, especially given the stark political climate in the USA at the moment. Timely. It would be an excellent choice for public or school library acquisition, book club selection, buddy read, or personal library.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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