Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I ordered this because my daughter wanted to try some insect recipes. I should probably explain that we've lived in places where insects are eaten as a matter of course, so there is no ick factor. So I was very disappointed that it was not actually a recipe book. It does have a few recipes in it as well as instructions to raise your own meal worms, but really not much, and disappointingly, no pictures. However I rated it low for other reasons. The book was written by a person who flew to this country to eat this bug and that country to eat another bug and across the states to eat bugs imported from all over the world at a world class restaurant. And in between the stories of her profligate adventures, she exhorted the poor of northern climes to save themselves by farming insects. (and save the planet in the process by reducing the grain required to produce protein and not caring that her own slip was showing, flapping gaily behind her huge jet fuelled carbon footprint) In reality, anywhere insects can be raised easily and reliably, the poor are already eating them. In the warm, moist countries of the world, you can buy them ready to snack on at the market, at the ferry crossing, and if you raise your chin just right, someone will come to your door with a laden bicycle to sell you some. The instructions given for raising various insects to eat require expensive containers, shipments of starter animals, and expensive food to maintan a populaton. (If the poor can buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and honey in the winter, they should probably just eat it.) The book felt self-righteous and condescending. It may appeal to an elite audience but falls tragically short of comprehending issues of poverty or agriculture. There are serious insect cookbooks available, as well as ethnic cookbooks that include traditional insect recipes that are much more worth your time and investment.