We like consuming words on the page almost as much as we like consuming food on the plate. Welcome to the Scout Book Club: a brief and regular rundown of what we’re reading, what’s staring at us from the bookshelf begging to be read next, and what we’ve already read and recommend.

Currently Reading & Recommended

Plant Magic: A Celebration of Plant-Based Cooking for Everyone, by Desiree Nielsen | The super cool Vancouver-based dietician-cum-author’s fourth book drops on Tuesday, April 23rd – as in, tomorrow! Her latest volume of plant-based recipes hits home Nielsen’s argument that eating can and should be pleasurable, and that you don’t need to be a magician (or even a vegetarian/vegan) OR have a ton of money, time, and chef-level talent to make vegetables, grains, legumes and the like taste damn good. Even better: Nielsen’s book release is well-timed with the advent of spring’s bounty, making its ingredients even more accessible…We can’t wait! — TS

Pre-order your copy from local independent booksellers, such as Iron Dog Books, Massy Books and Upstart & Crow.*

UP NEXT: The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth, by Zoe Schlanger | Although climate journalist and plant-lover Zoe Schlanger’s new book (releasing May 7th by Harper Collins) was prompted by the author’s existential/career crisis, it resists diverging from the subject matter at its centre – plants – into a story of self-discovery. It does, however, manage to maintain an engaging and personable voice throughout, via accounts of personal experiences, interactions and interviews (all in pursuit of botanical knowledge), while still being dense with all manners of controversial, cutting edge and historic plant-related scientific information and references. The Light Eaters is overall a thought-provoking read full of mystery, curiosity and empathy (or something like it). — TS

Pre-order your copy from local independent booksellers, such as Massy Books and Upstart & Crow.*

Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There, by Tali Sharot and Cass R. Sunstein | Malaise creeps up in our lives when something new becomes ordinary and is taken for granted. But what if there was a way to change that perception, by turning the mundane and boring into something thrilling and exciting? This energetic and disruptive new book from Neuroscience Professor, Tali Sharot, and Harvard Law Professor, Cass R. Sunstein presents an innovative way to reignite the sparks of joy in daily life. — JM

Currently available from Iron Dog Books, and as a special order from other local independent booksellers including Upstart & Crow and Massy Books*.

*It would be remiss for me not to mention Vancouver’s various other independent and used book stores, and encourage you to pay them an in-person visit to seek out these and other titles.

Supplementary Reading

Cookbooks Have Always Been Political — Whether Readers Knew It or Not | Aspiring food historian and Saveur Contributing Editor, Jessica Carbone, gives a rundown on the historical significance of cookbooks across the eras among marginalized and imprisoned communities/people, and their political power. Via Saveur.

From Gigante Beans to Grocery Stores: Talking All Things Food with Desiree Nielsen | Speaking of cookbooks: Desiree Nielsen’s newest one, Plant Magic, serves up a fun and supportive approach to plant-based cooking that inspired us to link up with the author to find out more about her ideas about food and wellness. Dig into our brand new interview with the author here.

The best coffee for the planet might not be coffee at all | Global warming is coming for morning Joe. Companies are frantically trying to save the day. Via Grist. — JM

The endless quest to replace alcohol | Non-alcs – they’re everywhere! Via Vox.

WORD: mukbang | In Hungry for Connection: As loneliness increases, watching strangers eat has become a staple in our digital diets, journalist Rachel DeGasperis details the web-video genre’s proliferation, and society’s “growing hunger for mealtime-based social connection.” Via Maisonneuve. Also of note: the theme of print/online magazine’s Spring 2024 issue, which dropped on Friday, April 12th, is “Food for Thought”. Find out how to get ahold of copy here.