The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend A New York Times bestseller that has changed the way readers view the ecology of eating, this revolutionary book by award winner Michael Pollan asks the seemingly simple question: What should we have for dinner? Tracing from source to table each of the food chains that sustain us—whether industrial or organic, alternative or processed—he develops a portrait of the American way of eating. The result is a sweeping, surprising exploration of the hungers that… Product details and pricing info |
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451 Customer Reviews Posted
- Changing the way we answer the question: "What's for dinner?"
- This is educational/advocating writing at its finest. It is written in an engaging style that makes it easy to read. Yet, at the same time, it manages to fill the pages with facts that are, in themselves, challenging. The book has changed the way I think about food, largely just by making me think about food. This is something we do rarely, but it is becoming more and more necessary as food has become a concoction of chemicals and corn and has drifted away from being truly based on plants and whole grains. Just the mere information about how the food gets from the factory to you will make you want to reevaluate the way you eat and think about food.
I have recently turned to a diet based on plants, fruits, and whole grains. As someone who loves good cooking and gourmet restaurants, I was a little worried at first. But, the truth is that this kind of cooking can yield some fantastic flavors and awaken taste buds that seem to have been dormant for too long. Though this decision was not a direct result of this book alone, this book helped me figure out the best ways to go about a fundamental change in diet. For further reading on diet and its relationship to health, I also recommend "The China Study." - 2008-10-09, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- One of the most interesting books you will ever read.
- I went into this book with the expectation it would shove a bunch of ideals down my throat, and try to turn me into a vegan. This couldn't be further from the truth. From the very start of The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan simply presents the facts (and his own experiences) and leaves the rest up to you. But even more, he does this with clear, compelling, intelligent writing that truly opens your eyes and makes even the most mundane science about corn more interesting than you could ever imagine. His conclusions are interspersed with fascinating stories about his experiences at farms throughout the country. And his facts are clearly presented and supported by reliable sources and impressive research. No matter how you look at food (or even if you don't, as I hadn't), this book will keep you intrigued and get you thinking about your eating habits. If you leave the book wanting more concrete advice for what to eat (or what not to), check out Pollan's next book, In Defense of Food, (another great read).
- 2008-10-05, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Excellent Book, Great reading
- Feels good to be aware of what is going on w/ our food, our world, our economy, and others around us. Don't be an Ostrich....
- 2008-09-30, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A Great Two-Thirds of a Book I Couldn't Finish
- My title says it all. I ripped through the first two-thirds or so thinking this was one of the greatest non-fiction books I've read. I learned a ton about the business of food production I never knew, told in a excellent narrative style that made the book a page-turner. But then he went pig hunting and started to bore the bejesus out of me, and the mushroom hunt was even worse. I finally put the book down during the mushroom chapter, never to pick it up again. Five stars before the pig hunt, one star afterwords.
- 2008-09-28, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- An important read concerning global resources
- Ominivore's Dilemma is a must read for those concerned both with the mis-allocation of agricultural resources. Everyone deserves to know what Pollan tells us: the commodity corn industry has perverted the entire food production process, from the destruction of the land due to overplanting of corn and the intense use of nitrogen-based chemical fertilizers, to the force feeding of corn to beef cattle whose bodies can not naturally tolerate it, to the production of health-destroying products such as high fructose corn syrup and many other ingredients upon which the fast food industry is based. The need for markets for subsidized commodity corn encourages cruel and unsanitary practices in the raising of meat animals and poultry, as well as the production of milk and eggs. Even the organic food industry is caught up in this vicious cycle. While Pollan's style is repetitive and his ultimate solution (completely self-sustaining local food production and consumption) a bit out of reach for most of us, his account is one that every informed citizen should read before he or she makes another food purchase or casts another vote.
- 2008-09-18, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
