REGISTRATION REQUIRED – All book discussion sign-ups are announced at the beginning of every semester on the Honors listserv

• Book: OCEANS OF GRAIN: HOW AMERICAN WHEAT REMADE THE WORLD by Scott Nelson
• Discussion Leader: Dr. Scott Nelson (author), Georgia Athletic Association Professor of History
• Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025, 6:00-8:00pm
• Location: Professor’s home
• Description: Oceans of Grain is a study of how the US became a global superpower. Rather than emphasizing technology, values, or the military, the book argues that power followed logistical pathways for food delivery, and that the US fed much of Europe from 1865 to the 1930s. In 2023 the book was translated into Portuguese, Chinese, and Ukrainian as “Wheat Wars” because Oceans also explores the role of grain in military conflicts over the Black Sea region between 1790 and 1914. It came out two days before Putin’s invasion. The logistics of food delivery has become popular as a talking point for understanding the strategic significance of Ukraine, and has also been discussed by scholars and military leaders who are talking about how that war might end. This should be a great read and discussion for any students interested in learning more about food security, the biology of fungi and water molds, and the political coalition that helped end slavery in the United States.

Contact: Kora Burton, [email protected].