On Sept. 27, 1962, Houghton Mifflin published a book by an author named Rachel Carson. That book, called "Silent Spring," which envisioned a world where the agricultural use of DDT destroyed animal and human life, met with considerable criticism from the chemical industry and the agriculture industry.

That book also changed the world—giving birth to the modern environmental movement, giving a push to then-burgeoning trend of returning to organic farming, and leading to a ban on DDT in U.S. food production some 10 years later.

The morale of the story is this: within just a year or two of the publication of "Silent Spring," almost anyone you asked could have told you that DDT needed to be banned on farms, and that it most certainly would be banned. The only people who didn't see the writing on the wall, as it were, were those who were so blinded by their own interests that they couldn't sense the power of a well-written book that strikes a chord in the American psyche. 

You don't want to be that guy.

And we don't want you to be that guy either. So we've put together our list of the books that food executives need to read this year because they are the books consumers, activists and food lovers will want to read. There's not another "Silent Spring" on the list as near as we can tell. But why take a chance? Read them all.

1. COOKED: A NATURAL HISTORY OF TRANSFORMATION
Author: Michael Pollan
Publisher: The Penguin Press
Price: $27.95 (hardcover)

No present-day food writer has had a greater impact on eating habits than Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food." In 2013, Pollan returned to book stores with "Cooked, A natural history of transformation," in which he looks at how the elements (fire, water, air and earth) transform our food.

Pollan is a gifted and influential writer. His work has a tendency to change how people approach food. He's always worth reading. And "Cooked" is a worthwhile investment if only because it features the teachings of a North Carolina barbeque pit master. And few things on earth taste as good as North Carolina barbeque.

2. THE EVERYTHING STORE: JEFF BEZOS AND THE AGE OF AMAZON
Author: Brad Stone
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Price: $28.00 (hardcover)

No business has had a greater impact on how the world shops than Amazon. And with all the attention generated by the Amazon Fresh food-delivery service, it's pretty clear which "business" book is the absolute must-read for food executives in 2013.

Brad Stone's "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon," is generating substantial attention and is almost a sure-bet to take the Goldman Sachs/Financial Times Book of the Year award on Nov. 18. For food executives, the book promises to be full of insights into the often-revolutionary approaches that Amazon takes to distribution, logistics, branding, online transactions, labor management, etc.

You have to read it, even if you hate the widely disliked Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. In fact, if you hate Bezos, just buy the book at Barnes and Noble rather than Amazon. But buy it.

3. VB6
​Author: Mark Bittman
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Price: $26.00

Another leading voice in food writing today is Mark Bittman, a New York Times columnist and author. He's probably best-known for his "Best Recipes in the World," published in 2005, and "How to Cook Everything," published in 1998. 

His newest book is "VB6, Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health ...for Good." Bittman's idea to eat vegan during the day (no meat, dairy or processed foods), and then to eat whatever you want in moderation after 6 p.m. has the feel of "the next big thing." Going all-vegan is hard. Yet millions of Americans are sensing the advantages of such a move. Bittman offers an even-I-can-do-that approach we think will win followers. Besides, we just love the catch-phrase VB6. Last week we heard someone tell their friend over lunch "I'm not vegan, but I'm VB6." Her friend replied, "Yes! I've been telling my husband that's what we should do!"

4. FIZZ: HOW SODA SHOOK UP THE WORLD
Author: Tristan Donovan
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Price: $17.95

The U.S. soda industry is doing a lot of soul-searching these days, thanks to changing consumer habits and bigger opportunities abroad. Coke and Pepsi currently weathering that maelstrom, it's probably a convenient time for Donovan to release "Fizz," which chronicles the ascension of carbonated beverages as both products and brands. For anyone who wants to wrap their head around exactly what soda is and has been to drinkers over the centuries, this looks like a great place to start.

5. COWS SAVE THE PLANET
Author: Judith D. Schwartz
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Price: $17.95

When people ask us what the next craze will be in environmentalism and food-activism, we tell them "dirt." Actually, no one ever asks us that. But if they did we'd give them a lecture about soil. Because that's the part of the food chain that is the most complex and is the least understood. Our sense is that this is about to change.

"Cows Save the Planet, and Other Improbable Ways of Restoring the Soil to Heal the Earth" is perhaps the first book in what we expect to see become a craze. Look for a slew of books on composting (especially in hard-to-imagine-it environments like apartments), the loss of farmable lands, worms, and soil life. Look too for an increasing interest by consumers in what food is grown in, to join their already substantial interest in what seeds and chemicals are used.

6. ICE CREAM SOCIAL: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE SOUL OF BEN & JERRY'S
Author: Brad Edmondson
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Price: $18.95

Few food companies have seen a history quite like the guys behind Vermont's most famous ice brand. In January, journalist Brad Edmondson will release "Ice Cream Social," his chronicle of the successes and stumbles that Ben & Jerry's has experienced over three decades. From the pastures to the board room, this book promises it all, and we're looking forward to seeing what Edmondson has to say.

7. THE TASTEMAKERS
​Author: David Sax
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Price: $25.99

We haven't read the latest from David Sax, author of "Save the Deli." Perhaps no one has other than Sax and his editor, since the book isn't scheduled for release until next year. But we're excited by the premise. The full title of the book is "The Tastemakers, Why We're Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed Up with Fondue."  

The book promises to pull back the curtain on the marketers, farmers, chefs and others who drive food trends. That's worth reading. That's particularly true if you're a marketer, farmer or chef who wants to create the next trend, or if you're an executive who wants to get ahead of the curve. As for us, just we're hopeful that the book will explain why everyone laughs at our beloved fondue pot.

8. KATZ'S: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A DELI
​Author: Jake Dell
Publisher: Bauer & Dean Publishers Inc
Price: $39.95

Have you ever been to Katz's, the legendary Jewish deli on New York's Lower East Side? If so, then you know why we're so excited about a 384-page book filled with gorgeous food porn photos by photographer Baldomero Fernandez and a detailed history of the best deli in the history of history. Katz's is magnificent, and a deep and dedicated study of it can teach more about serving consumers, presenting food and building a brand than anything else we can imagine.

If you haven't ever been to Katz's, all we can say is—actually, there's nothing we can say. You're dead to us now. Go away.

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