Podcast Summary

Podcast: New Books Network
Episode: John Oakes, "The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without" (Avid Reader, 2024)
Date: March 15, 2026
Host: Saman Nasser
Guest: John Oakes (Publisher, Author)

Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between host Saman Nasser and John Oakes about Oakes’ new book, The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without. The discussion explores fasting from multiple perspectives—its religious, philosophical, scientific, medical, political, and cultural significance, as well as its use as self-discipline, protest, and self-knowledge. Oakes and Nasser examine fasting’s roots in various world religions, contemporary science, politics, and personal experience, emphasizing both benefits and dangers, and reflecting on fasting’s place in a society defined by mass consumption.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John Oakes’ Background and the Book’s Origins

• Publishing Journey: Oakes describes a decades-long career in independent publishing, starting in the 1980s with Grove Press, founding Four Walls Eight Windows, and later OR Books, eventually becoming a writer himself. (01:56)
• Book’s Central Thesis: The Fast explores fasting not only as a health practice but as a philosophical, cultural, theological, and political act. Oakes was intrigued by how fasting appears in most world religions, and sought to explore its deeper cultural and intellectual ramifications—especially in contrast to modern consumerism.
  • Quote: "Fasting is at the core of so many world religions... but there really wasn’t one book that explored some of the more cultural and intellectual ramifications... what it means to not do something when you have the possibility to do it." (03:45)
• Political Context: Oakes’ interest was partly sparked by the Trump era, which he sees as emblematic of unchecked consumption, leading him to reflect on the value of deliberate abstention. (03:45)

2. Ascetic & Medical Aspects of Fasting

Theological and Ascetic Roots

• Religious Traditions: Fasting is a foundational practice in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, each with different interpretations:
  • Christianity: Penitence and creating space for God. (07:05)
  • Islam: Joyous, communal, and flexible—Ramadan encourages fasting but allows alternatives like charity. (08:58)
  • Judaism: Closely tied to penance and atonement.
  • Buddhism: Fasting as a means of finding inner balance; complete renunciation is cautioned against, emphasizing moderation.
  • Quote: "This basic concept of allowing yourself to be empty really runs through just about every major religion, except really for Sikhism." (07:05–08:54)
• Philosophical Dimension: Fasting as a break from the "fire hose of sensations" of modern life; an opportunity for mindfulness and self-control. (08:58)

Medical and Scientific Discussion

• Health Effects: Brief/intermittent fasting is generally healthful, allowing the body’s systems to reset, lowering blood pressure, and improving overall health.
  • Quote: "Reasonable fasting, including the kind of fasting that is Ramadan fasting, is actually very healthy for you... gives your body a break apart from the spiritual benefits." (08:58)
• Danger and Cautions: Oakes distinguishes between beneficial fasting and extreme forms, warning of risks like muscle wasting and cardiac issues after extended periods without food.
  • Quote: "I am not a fan of these things where people... go for several weeks without food... For me, it’s a means of empowerment... but there is a kind of fasting which can be seen as masochistic." (12:34)
• Illness and Therapy:
  • As adjunct to cancer treatment: Fasting can make chemotherapy more effective (not a cure itself). (16:40)
  • Epilepsy: Extended fasting has reduced symptoms in some patients since the 1920s. (16:40)
  • Studies: Long-term studies indicate benefits for hypertension and blood pressure; limited data on "cure-all" effects. (16:40–20:34)
• Physiological Experience: Introduction of “fasters’ high”—a state of clarity or mild euphoria produced by endocannabinoids during fasting. (16:40)

3. Fasting as Political & Personal Agency

• Agency and Protest: Fasting is framed as a means to reclaim power, even in restrictive circumstances (prison, poverty). May manifest as hunger strikes—examples include Irish and Indian freedom struggles, Guantanamo Bay detainees, New York taxi drivers.
  • Quote: "You are obligating authorities to force feed you... or, if they don’t care, you’re saying, I won’t take your slop. I am going to have a break in the routine... an assertion of the agency we all walk around with, even if we forget we have it—the right to say no." (28:42)
• Successes and Limitations: Not all hunger strikes achieve their aims, but they draw attention and can lead to change—e.g., New York taxi drivers secured better loan terms via fasting protests. (31:41)
• Historical Examples:
  • Ireland: Fasting used as legal intervention; in pre-Christian times it was considered a means to open magical realms, later absorbed into Christian tradition. St. Patrick’s 40-day fast is highlighted. (32:05)
  • India: Gandhi’s fasts significantly influenced public opinion and discipline within his movement; parallels with Cesar Chavez and other labor rights leaders. (32:05)
  • Violence vs. Nonviolence: Emphasizes the moral authority of fasting over violent protest. (32:05–39:02)

4. The Dangers & Commercialization of Fasting

• Commodification: Modern profit-driven schemes exploit the popularity of fasting (e.g., expensive fasting clinics), distorting its ascetic and self-empowering origins.
  • Quote: "People were paying $1,000 a day to go into these clinics where basically you're paying for the privilege of not eating... I find hugely exploitative." (40:58)
• Risks of Extremes: The conversation delves into anorexia and fasting as self-harm, showing the line between healthy ascetic practice and dangerous excess.
• Advocacy: Oakes recommends approaching fasting with boundaries and care, ideally with support, and not as part of modern unattainable beauty standards.

5. Writing Challenges & Cultural Context

• Research Difficulty: Oakes discusses the challenge of writing about a multifaceted subject—religion, philosophy, science, politics.
  • Quote: "If I really wanted to touch every aspect of this subject, it would be a multi-volume series... But I think the book does a pretty good job." (43:51)
• Balancing Empowerment and Danger: Reconciling fasting as empowerment with its associations with self-harm, both historically and today.
• Gramsci’s Cultural Hegemony: Nasser asks about promoting healthy fasting in a society dominated by consumption and elite-driven norms; Oakes frames fasting as a conscious, limited “vacation” from sensory overload—a bordered, intentional state. (46:03)

6. Fasting in Secular and Historical American Context

• National Days of Fasting: Historical tradition in the U.S. for public, even presidentially-declared days of fasting—once common, now unthinkable in American life.
  • Quote: "Can you imagine a US President calling for a national day of fasting?...Lincoln did it at least three times...fasting, humiliation, and prayer." (48:58)
• Secular Reflection: Oakes advocates using fasting as a day for self-reflection, not just religious obligation. (48:58)

7. Practical Tips and Personal Practice

• How to Start Fasting: Oakes’ practice—two long fasts per year (eight or nine days each), lots of fluids, no rigid dates, seeks a break from habit and unconscious consumption.
  • Quote: “I do it sometimes in spring, sometimes in the fall… a great break from routine… Then after a fast, for a brief time, I’m actually intentional in what I’m eating...” (51:52–54:58)
• Importance of Individualization: Fasting must fit one’s own rhythms; recommends flexibility, self-listening, and being “easy on yourself”.

Memorable Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 03:45 | John Oakes | "Fasting is at the core of so many world religions... but there really wasn’t one book that explored some of the more cultural and intellectual ramifications... what it means to not do something when you have the possibility to do it." | | 07:05–08:54 | John Oakes | "This basic concept of allowing yourself to be empty really runs through just about every major religion, except really for Sikhism." | | 16:40 | John Oakes | "There are people who say that fasting can do everything from... curing the common cold... What has been shown... fasting and chemotherapy can make the chemicals more effective..." | | 28:42 | John Oakes | "You are obligating authorities to force feed you... you have to force a tube down someone's throat... it's an assertion of the agency we all walk around with, even if we forget we have it—the right to say no." | | 32:05 | John Oakes | "This tradition has popped up in two places where it's particularly strong—Ireland and India... In pre-Christian Ireland, fasting was seen as opening up a magical realm..." | | 40:58 | John Oakes | "People were paying $1000 a day to go into these clinics where basically you're paying for the privilege of not eating... I find hugely exploitative." | | 43:51 | John Oakes | "If I really wanted to touch every aspect of this subject, it would be a multi-volume series... But I think the book does a pretty good job." | | 48:58 | John Oakes | "Can you imagine a US President calling for a national day of fasting?...Lincoln did it at least three times...fasting, humiliation, and prayer." | | 51:52–54:58 | John Oakes | "I do it sometimes in spring, sometimes in the fall… a great break from routine… Then after a fast, for a brief time, I’m actually intentional in what I’m eating..." |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Oakes' Publishing Background: 01:26–03:36
• Book Thesis & Prompt for Writing: 03:36–06:16
• Ascetic & Medical Aspects of Fasting: 06:54–16:40
• Scientific Studies & Health Effects: 16:40–20:34
• Fasting as Protest/Agency: 21:34–32:05
• Historical/Global Tradition: 32:05–39:02
• Dangers, Commercialization, & Modern Fasting Industry: 40:33–43:44
• Writing Challenges: 43:44–46:03
• Cultural Norms, Gramsci, and the Possibility of National Days of Fasting: 46:03–48:58
• Personal Fasting Practice & Tips: 51:02–54:58

Conclusion

John Oakes’ conversation with Saman Nasser presents The Fast as a rich, accessible exploration of fasting across religion, philosophy, medicine, and politics. Oakes positions fasting as both an ancient tradition and a modern act of resistance to consumerism, emphasizing both its risks and its extraordinary potential for personal and societal transformation. He urges listeners to approach fasting not as obligation or penance but as self-empowerment, reflection, and agency.