Matthew Evans and Costa Georgiadis

Soil is the unlikely story of our most maligned resource as swashbuckling hero. A saga of bombs, ice ages and civilisations falling. Of ancient hunger, modern sicknesses and gastronomic delight. It features poison gas, climate collapse and a mind-blowing explanation of how rain is formed.

About the Author

Matthew Evans is a former chef and food critic, now Tasmanian smallholder, restaurateur and food activist and star of the long-running SBS TV show The Gourmet Farmer as well as food documentaries What's the Catch? and For the Love of Meat. He is the author of thirteen books, including the authoritative and bestselling Real Food Companion and On Eating Meat.

About the Moderator

Costa Georgiadis was born in Sydney and grew up in North Bondi on the same street as his grandparents and uncle. He is the youngest of three children. His father, Stan, was an electrician. Georgiadis' grandparents fostered his early interest in gardening. He worked as a landscaper whilst studying landscape architecture at University of New South Wales, where he developed an interest in sustainability. From 2009 to 2011, he presented SBS's Costa's Garden Odyssey, a programme that explored the relationship between gardening, sustainability, and spirituality. On 20 December 2011 the ABC announced that Georgiadis would replace Stephen Ryan as the host of Gardening Australia, with his first show airing on 24 March 2012. In 2014, Georgiadis starred as 'Costa the Garden Gnome' in Get Grubby TV on ABC Kids.