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This 'practical manifesto for purposeful decomposition' is authored by Cassandra Marketos.
Composting is more than making your own growing media. It's "deepyl existential, radical and soul-searching", says the author, a Los Angeles-based community composter, artist and writer.
She defines compost as "the breaking down of once-living organic matter into nutrient-rich, biologically active fertiliser".
Humus is the gift to the soil. Aerobic bacteria needs carbon, oxygen and water to break down matter into smaller constituents, which releases nutrients that become available for plants. Knowing this helps you work out how to make your compost pile operate successfully.
Key aspects of maintaining the health of compost heap: keeping a 2-1 ratio of high carbon (woody) and high nitrogen (leafy) materials. Add water and turn the pile. Chop and shred food scraps, and don't add meat or dairy waste if you want to deter rats (or raccoons, or bears). Avoid thick wood and shiny leaves, which do not decompose well.
The book has many black and white illustrations and is a practical, accessible, and readable guide to reducing your waste. You can compost in a bowl on your kitchen counter, or a pair of bags (one for new material and one for older compost) under your sink, using the Bokashi bucket and bran system or through a wormery.
Ultimately, Marketos reminds us that decomposition is not an end, but a beginning. By participating in this ancient cycle, we do more than just reduce our trash—we reconnect with the rhythm of the living world, one banana peel at a time. Through her eyes, a pile of rotting scraps becomes a quiet, powerful act of hope for the future of our soil.
