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Breaking Bread: How Baking Shaped Our World by David Wright
The Blurb On The Back:
In Breaking Bread, expert baker and food writer David Wright explores bread’s deep connection to culture, health and the environment, whilst addressing challenges like industrialisation, food trends and bakery closures. He examines bread’s pivotal role in civilisations, food security and sustainability, questioning its future in a changing role.
David Wright is a baker, writer and presenter. This thought-provoking book examines bread and its role in society and the economy, its impact on health and the environment and industry challenges (which is particularly strong and draws on Wright’s own experiences with his family bakery). I wanted more on how gluten intolerance decreases when “proper” bread is eaten and Wright constantly repeats his credentials but it definitely held my interest.
I picked this up because I love bakeries - bread and baked goods in general are kryptonite for me so I was keen to learn more about it, especially given Wright’s credentials.
Wright structures the book around 10 chapters, The majority of the chapters look at the economics and process of making bread, including the rise of industrialisation and the domination of the plastic-wrapped sandwich loafs that we all know from supermarkets together with a look at the economics of the industry and the impact on and future for small, artisan bakeries in particular.
I was particularly interested in what he has to say about the process of making bread and the difference between artisan bread making and industrial bread making - especially the additives that have to be added to replace those removed by the industrialisation process. Wright makes a damning - and very valid point - about food labelling and why governments won’t reform it. I hadn’t appreciated that there had been bread strikes in the 70s that lead to the end of price controls and he also makes cogent points about the role of supermarkets in the move to drop the price of bread, using it as a loss leader to entice customers for other products.
He mentions in one chapter that people with gluten intolerances tend to report reduced symptoms if they eat ‘proper’ bread that has been made from scratch with natural ingredients and non-industrialised flour and I would have liked to have read some more on this, including some scientific studies on it. I also wanted more on international types of bread because his chapter of the ties between bread and religion was really interesting.
Wright weaves in his own experience (albeit he does have a way of constantly repeating how he’s a third generation baker) and that of his family into the text and the section at the end where he talks about the failure of his family bakery was moving. I also enjoyed his interviews with other people involved in making bread - especially how he starts by asking them what they think of when they think of bread - as it brings different perspectives to the issues that he’s discussing.
All in all I found this an absorbing read that genuinely made me think deeper about bread and its role in society and the economy and it has definitely succeeded in making me think about the bread that I eat and it’s quality. On that basis, I think it’s an interesting read and I look forward to reading what Wright writes next.
The Verdict:
David Wright is a baker, writer and presenter. This thought-provoking book examines bread and its role in society and the economy, its impact on health and the environment and industry challenges (which is particularly strong and draws on Wright’s own experiences with his family bakery). I wanted more on how gluten intolerance decreases when “proper” bread is eaten and Wright constantly repeats his credentials but it definitely held my interest.
BREAKING BREAD: HOW BAKING SHAPED OUR WORLD was released in the United Kingdom on 20 March 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
In Breaking Bread, expert baker and food writer David Wright explores bread’s deep connection to culture, health and the environment, whilst addressing challenges like industrialisation, food trends and bakery closures. He examines bread’s pivotal role in civilisations, food security and sustainability, questioning its future in a changing role.
David Wright is a baker, writer and presenter. This thought-provoking book examines bread and its role in society and the economy, its impact on health and the environment and industry challenges (which is particularly strong and draws on Wright’s own experiences with his family bakery). I wanted more on how gluten intolerance decreases when “proper” bread is eaten and Wright constantly repeats his credentials but it definitely held my interest.
I picked this up because I love bakeries - bread and baked goods in general are kryptonite for me so I was keen to learn more about it, especially given Wright’s credentials.
Wright structures the book around 10 chapters, The majority of the chapters look at the economics and process of making bread, including the rise of industrialisation and the domination of the plastic-wrapped sandwich loafs that we all know from supermarkets together with a look at the economics of the industry and the impact on and future for small, artisan bakeries in particular.
I was particularly interested in what he has to say about the process of making bread and the difference between artisan bread making and industrial bread making - especially the additives that have to be added to replace those removed by the industrialisation process. Wright makes a damning - and very valid point - about food labelling and why governments won’t reform it. I hadn’t appreciated that there had been bread strikes in the 70s that lead to the end of price controls and he also makes cogent points about the role of supermarkets in the move to drop the price of bread, using it as a loss leader to entice customers for other products.
He mentions in one chapter that people with gluten intolerances tend to report reduced symptoms if they eat ‘proper’ bread that has been made from scratch with natural ingredients and non-industrialised flour and I would have liked to have read some more on this, including some scientific studies on it. I also wanted more on international types of bread because his chapter of the ties between bread and religion was really interesting.
Wright weaves in his own experience (albeit he does have a way of constantly repeating how he’s a third generation baker) and that of his family into the text and the section at the end where he talks about the failure of his family bakery was moving. I also enjoyed his interviews with other people involved in making bread - especially how he starts by asking them what they think of when they think of bread - as it brings different perspectives to the issues that he’s discussing.
All in all I found this an absorbing read that genuinely made me think deeper about bread and its role in society and the economy and it has definitely succeeded in making me think about the bread that I eat and it’s quality. On that basis, I think it’s an interesting read and I look forward to reading what Wright writes next.
The Verdict:
David Wright is a baker, writer and presenter. This thought-provoking book examines bread and its role in society and the economy, its impact on health and the environment and industry challenges (which is particularly strong and draws on Wright’s own experiences with his family bakery). I wanted more on how gluten intolerance decreases when “proper” bread is eaten and Wright constantly repeats his credentials but it definitely held my interest.
BREAKING BREAD: HOW BAKING SHAPED OUR WORLD was released in the United Kingdom on 20 March 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.