The Sushi Economy ─ Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy

Now in paperback, the highly acclaimed exploration of sushiA's surprising history, global business, and international allure

One generation ago, sushiA's narrow reach ensured that sports fishermen who caught tuna in most of parts of the world sold the meat for pennies as cat food. Today, the fatty cuts of tuna known as toro are among the planetA's most coveted luxury foods, worth hundreds of dollars a pound and capable of losing value more quickly than any other product on earth. So how did one of the worldA's most popular foods go from being practically unknown in the United States to being served in towns all across America, and in such a short span of time?

A riveting combination of culinary biography, behind-the- scenes restaurant detail, and a unique exploration of globalizationA's dynamics, the book traces sushiA's journey from Japanese street snack to global delicacy. After traversing the pages of The Sushi Economy, youA'll never see the food on your plateA-or the world around youA-quite the same way again.

Sasha Isenberg is a journalist at The Boston Globe and has written for Slate, The Washington Monthly, Inc., Philadelphia, and George, where he served as a contributing editor.