A Life Without

John Oakes delves into the origins, politics and biology of giving up food

- GARIMA SADHWANI

Few weeks ago, Muslims all over the world celebrated Eid—a festival which follows a 30-day period of fasting from sunrise to sunset. Fasting is defined by the Britannica English Dictionary as an "abstinence from food or drink or both."

Though usually done for "health, ritualistic, religious, or ethical purposes," as the dictionary says, what happens when someone keeps a week-long fast to reset the "chaotic universe" in which they find themselves? In the case of John Oakes, publisher of The Evergreen Review and editor of OR Books, what comes out of it is an immense reflection on the act of "doing without", and also a book.

Originally published in February 2024, The Fast, as promised in the subtitle, takes you through the history, science, and philosophy of abstinence from eating or drinking or both. The book traces the origin of fasting through Hinduism, Buddhism, and Greek traditions, as well as talks about the Abrahamic rituals associated with the act. But that's not where it stops. It also goes on to discuss what fasting does to our body and learning to live with the absence of sensation.