Book Find: The Omnivore's Dilemma
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan is one of the most thought-provoking books I've read in the past year. Considering my bookshelf is stocked with non-fiction tomes designed to make me think, that says a lot.
What impressed me was the author’s handling of a seemingly simple subject: food and where it comes from. Combine that with a no-nonsense, witty, yet sensitive delivery and I was hooked.
Divided into three parts, the book explores three different food chains:
Industrial – Focused on the production of corn and its place in the industrial food chain, topics covered in Part I range from the origin and reproduction of corn (the latter in a section brilliantly called “Corn Sex”), to its role in industrial feedlots, to its eventual transformation into the processed food we find at supermarkets and fast food outlets. Be forewarned: Pollan's description of industrial feedlots is not for the faint at heart.
Pastoral – Focused on grass, Part II is for the most part set at Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm where the author spends a week discovering a complex but serene symbiosis between Grass, Cow, Chicken and Pig. He explores the ecological, ethical and economical aspects of industrial vs. small-scale farming, referring back to the idealistic origins of organic gardening and its transformation to the industrial-scale organic operations of today. Be forewarned: any illusions you have about industrial-scale organic milk and free-range eggs may be shattered.
Personal – Part III refers to the hunter-gatherer food chain. Here Pollan's goal is to prepare a meal consisting almost exclusively of food he hunted, gathered, or grew himself. This is where he delves into the omnivore’s dilemma and its potential side effects, the ethics of eating meat, and the challenges that come with hunting it. He ends his personal quest for food with a fascinating foray into the world of mushrooms. Be forewarned: you might feel a sudden urge to gather chanterelles.
The author engaged me with this book. I thought, I questioned, I cringed. If you want to know more about the food that you eat, I recommend you read it. Get it from the library, but be forewarned: you might end up wanting to buy it.
What impressed me was the author’s handling of a seemingly simple subject: food and where it comes from. Combine that with a no-nonsense, witty, yet sensitive delivery and I was hooked.
Divided into three parts, the book explores three different food chains:
Industrial – Focused on the production of corn and its place in the industrial food chain, topics covered in Part I range from the origin and reproduction of corn (the latter in a section brilliantly called “Corn Sex”), to its role in industrial feedlots, to its eventual transformation into the processed food we find at supermarkets and fast food outlets. Be forewarned: Pollan's description of industrial feedlots is not for the faint at heart.
Pastoral – Focused on grass, Part II is for the most part set at Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm where the author spends a week discovering a complex but serene symbiosis between Grass, Cow, Chicken and Pig. He explores the ecological, ethical and economical aspects of industrial vs. small-scale farming, referring back to the idealistic origins of organic gardening and its transformation to the industrial-scale organic operations of today. Be forewarned: any illusions you have about industrial-scale organic milk and free-range eggs may be shattered.
Personal – Part III refers to the hunter-gatherer food chain. Here Pollan's goal is to prepare a meal consisting almost exclusively of food he hunted, gathered, or grew himself. This is where he delves into the omnivore’s dilemma and its potential side effects, the ethics of eating meat, and the challenges that come with hunting it. He ends his personal quest for food with a fascinating foray into the world of mushrooms. Be forewarned: you might feel a sudden urge to gather chanterelles.
The author engaged me with this book. I thought, I questioned, I cringed. If you want to know more about the food that you eat, I recommend you read it. Get it from the library, but be forewarned: you might end up wanting to buy it.
posted by Steph at 10:37 p.m.
1 Comments:
You write so well, Steph how can I not be intrigued?!
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