This new book by historian Christiane Berth takes a fresh look at the Nicaraguan Revolution (1979–90) through the lens of food culture and policy. Her study makes a welcome contribution to the existing literature on revolutionary food policy by shedding light on food security matters over the several decades leading up to the revolution and during the revolution itself, explaining how these were consequential for the ultimate success of the revolutionary project. The novelty of Berth's approach is twofold: on the one hand, she broadens the analysis of (pre)revolutionary food politics to include international relief agencies, and, on the other hand, she places Nicaraguan consumers at the center of her analysis.
The main premise of the book is that “insufficient access to food contributed to the rise and demise of the Nicaraguan Revolution” (5). Berth develops this thesis over six chronological chapters, followed by a seventh chapter that explores the...
