Today: Former New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman to discuss new book, "Animal, Vegetable, Junk"

Best-selling author Mark Bittman, former food columnist for The New York Times, will discuss his new book “Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food, From Sustainable to Suicidal” at a National Press Club Headliners virtual book event at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 13.

This one-hour program will stream live on the Club’s website and YouTube Channel as part of the National Press Club’s Virtual Headliner series, and is accessible to both the press and general public free-of-charge. You can access the event, download a calendar reminder or order a book (discounted for Club members) here.

Viewers are invited to submit their questions for Bittman in advance or during the live program via email to [email protected], with “Bittman” in the subject line.

Bittman, the author of 30 books including the “How to Cook Everything” series and the #1 New York Times bestseller “VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good," was a food journalist and columnist, opinion columnist, and the lead magazine food writer at The New York Times for 30 years.

The New York Times called Bittman's newest book a "sweeping indictment of our modern food system." The book explores the history of food and the catastrophic impact modern agriculture has had on climate, the environment, and human and animal health. Bittman also calls for radical change in how we eat in order to save the planet. Former Vice President Al Gore called the book “a must-read for policymakers, activists, and concerned citizens looking to better understand our food system, and how we can fix it.”