Traditionally, many religions have considered that ascetics who pushed fasting to the extreme were closer to holiness or enlightenment. Furthermore, fasting has also been used as a political tool to make one's voice heard, and among the most famous abstainers throughout history we find figures as diverse as Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Franz Kafka, Leon Trotsky, and César Chávez. More recently, this practice has become extremely popular, as science now tells us that it triggers metabolic changes such as astonishing molecular renewal and the strengthening of the immune system. Without neglecting any of these rich facets, John Oakes shares with us his extensive research on this topic, while also narrating his personal experience with fasting. Indeed, with fasting, more than just food is at stake: it is an act of deprivation that ultimately highlights our capacity to take control of our existence, step back from our routines, and rethink our ways of living and consuming. "fasting goes beyond the subject itself and becomes a treaties on..."