Book: The Omnivore's Dilemma

[Animeniax]

Currently reading this book by Michael Pollan. Considering how important food is in our lives, not just for nourishment but as a past-time, art, and social underpinning, I thought it would be good to learn more about how food is brought from the farm to our dinner tables.

Some of the details are disturbing and you may never look at a hamburger the same again (some people might go vegetarian after reading this book) but nothing is really graphic or added for shock value. Pollan discusses subjects that you probably already know but just would rather not think about, like high-capacity feed lots, chemical fertilizers, hormone injected animals, etc. But it delves deeper into farms and crops and the agricultural business complex that controls what is available to us as consumers and the misinformation we're given by trusted federal regulators like the USDA.

Right now I'm reading the section about how high-priced mainstream "organic" foods aren't much better from the processed goods in the market.

Very interesting book, worth a read if you can stomach it.

[Ryllharu]

You'll definitely want to check out his follow-up book, In Defense of Food.

I can't say I've read either of them (I really should), but I've heard a lot about them, even a couple of interviews with the author on NPR.

Eat Food,
Mostly plants,
Not too much.

"Food" being defined as edible content that is perishable, because that's not synthetic garbage loaded with corn syrups. Most easily found around the perimeter of stores. Mostly plants is pretty self-explanatory. Go easy on the meats and fats, and you'll be in good shape. You do not have to go vegetarian or vegan. If it's perishable, you can eat it without too much worry. I think he may have said fish or poultry is preferable to other meats, but I can't be sure. Lastly, moderation is always key. A lot of people overeat because the stuff that isn't "food" stays around inside, even though it may not satisfy you when you first ate it.

[Animeniax]

Yep I was planning to read that book too, if Omnivore's was good. So far, it's a great read.

I'm kind of stuck on one part though, only reading 5 or 6 pages before I just start reading words and not paying attention to what's being written. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so I'll be vague. It's a part where his opening thesis makes sense and kind of goes without saying, but he goes on to elaborate anyway in order to verify the thesis and its kind of boring. Hopefully it gets back on track.

[Buffalobiian]

Sounds interesting. I'll pick this up (hopefully) soon, but my local library doesn't have it, and the city one's got a massive waiting list. All the more reason to read it.

What's his writing style like? Matter-of-fact, persuasive, concise&to the point, elegant and flamboyant, sarcastic? Some styles just don't sit well with me.

[Animeniax]

Hmm, good question. I haven't taken a critical writing course in so long, it's hard to say. I'd guess it's somewhat matter-of-fact, somewhat persuasive (he's trying to sell a point), but mostly just like a documentary of findings that he himself finds shocking and ultimately resigned to.

There's a lot of interesting history in the book, like the German chemical warfare expert who is the father of man-made fertilizer, and the origins of the "organic food" movement and its pioneers.

I'm only 1/3 way through, so I can't discuss much more right now.

[Animeniax]

I'm now almost half way through the book and it definitely gets better. He describes the biological cycle of life on the pasture, where grass feeds cows whose manure feeds the grass. Add in chickens that eat the maggots out of the cow manure and add their own nitrogen-rich crap to the grass to help it grow to feed the cows to produce more manure. At the of the food chain are the humans who benefit from all this. It's a wonderful cycle that makes sense. Unfortunately with the speed of business and industry, people don't want to wait for cows to become meaty from grazing, they want to feed them corn which grows cows much faster, but destroys the biological cycle that produces healthy soil and healthy animals and therefore takes away healthy food for us to eat.

The sad thing is, there are natural farmers out there who do things the right way, but they don't sell their products any further than the local market on weekends, so big city folks like most of us will never get to taste this wholesome chemical and disease free food.