Joan Gussow

Joan Dye Gussow is a professor emerita of nutrition and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a pioneering advocate for sustainable agriculture and locally-grown food. She has authored multiple influential books including "The Feeding Web: Issues in Nutritional Ecology" (1978) and "This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader" (2001). As one of the earliest voices linking nutrition with environmental concerns, Gussow served on the National Organic Standards Board and helped establish criteria for organic food certification in the United States. Her academic work and writings consistently emphasize the connections between healthy food systems, environmental sustainability, and human wellbeing. Through her personal example of maintaining a self-sufficient organic garden in New York, Gussow demonstrated the practical possibilities of local food production. She continues to influence contemporary discussions about food systems through her writing and speaking engagements, having shaped the thinking of many current food movement leaders. Her most recent book "Growing, Older: A Chronicle of Death, Life, and Vegetables" (2010) combines personal memoir with continued advocacy for sustainable food systems. Gussow's work bridges the academic study of nutrition with practical applications in agriculture and food policy.

Readers appreciate Gussow's practical wisdom and no-nonsense approach to food politics. Her books This Organic Life and Growing Older received strong praise for combining personal narrative with insights about sustainable eating. Multiple reviewers noted her ability to make complex food system issues relatable through gardening stories and cooking experiences. Readers highlighted: - Clear explanations of food industry problems - Personal examples from her own garden - Realistic advice for eating locally - Humor despite serious topics Common criticisms: - Some found the writing style rambling - Too much focus on her personal life - Dated references in older works Ratings: Goodreads: This Organic Life - 4.0/5 (891 ratings) Growing Older - 4.1/5 (156 ratings) Amazon: This Organic Life - 4.5/5 (72 reviews) Growing Older - 4.7/5 (31 reviews) Several readers noted her works helped change their approach to food choices and gardening, with one calling This Organic Life "the book that made me want to grow food."

This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader (2001) A personal narrative documenting Gussow's experiences growing food on her property along the Hudson River, including practical gardening insights and perspectives on sustainable food systems.

Growing, Older: A Chronicle of Death, Life, and Vegetables (2010) Gussow reflects on aging, loss, and continuing to garden after her husband's death while examining connections between food, environment, and personal resilience.

The Feeding Web: Issues in Nutritional Ecology (1978) An examination of the relationships between nutrition, food production systems, and environmental impacts.

Chicken Little, Tomato Sauce & Agriculture (1991) A collection of essays analyzing industrial agriculture, nutrition education, and food policy in the United States.

The Nutrition Educator's Guide to the New Nutrition Science (2007) A technical guide connecting nutritional science with ecological principles for nutrition educators and professionals.