Few know that world hunger was very nearly eradicated in our lifetimes. In the past five years, however, widespread starvation has suddenly reappeared, with many leading analysts pointing fingers at a single culprit: the new global market in biofuels.

In a startling investigation of “green gone wrong,” Jean Ziegler—one of the world’s leading food experts—lays out in clear and accessible terms how the new sustainable revolution in energy production has diverted millions of acres of corn, soy, wheat, and other grain crops from food to fuel. The results, he shows, have been sudden and startling, with declining food reserves sending prices to record highs and a new global commodities market in ethanol and other biofuels gobbling up arable lands in nearly every continent on earth.

Betting on Famine will enlighten the millions of Americans concerned about the politics of food at home and about curbing the power of the corporations that dominate global agriculture.

From the smallest piece of gold jewelry to colossal statues of kings, Egypt's treasures have inspired the work of painters, sculptors, decorative artists, interior designers, and architects throughout the Western world. In Egyptomania: Egypt in Western Art, 1730-1930, the arrangement of a dazzling assortment of masterworks by western artists side by side with artifacts from ancient Egypt celebrates our perennial fascination with all things Egyptian.

This volume traces waves of Egyptian influence which swept Europe and North America from the first modern use of Egyptian themes in a painting by Poussin in 1647 to Baccarat perfume bottles shaped like Ramses inspired by the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. Egyptian imagery is presented in a spectacular collection of artwork spanning the Baroque to Art Deco, from ceramics by Wedgwood to jewelry by Cartier, murals by Piranesi, architectural designs by Zix , paintings by Tiepolo, furniture by Hope, and many more.

In all, 350 objects are rendered beautifully in 206 color and 630 black and white illustrations. They come from international museums, private lenders such as the House of Cartier, and collections from the Fontainebleau, Versailles, Malmaison, and Buckingham Palace.


In-depth essays by leading art historians from Paris, Vienna, and Ottawa give detailed histories of each object and artist. An extensive introduction by the editors provides a comprehensive overview of Egyptomania-- the artistic legacy of cultural revivals which began in the days of the Roman Empire. Their analysis shows how Egyptomania has been spurred by military conquests, scientific developments, archaeological findings, museum exhibitions, and other events which periodically rekindle our obsession with the beauties, mysteries, and images of ancient Egypt.