This new book is attractively presented, clearly written, and well illustrated with photographs, maps, diagrams, charts and tables. The text is divided into three parts, each with three chapters. Part One, entitled ‘Perspectives on Food’, begins by outlining the different types of foods in different parts of the world and the importance of each type, then examines the physical, economic and social factors which influence food production. It ends with an examination of the distribution of world food resources in relation to population. This section illustrates the fact that food production has to be considered in conjunction with a number of factors and cannot be considered in isolation.