Books: The Omnivore's Dilemma

Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma *** - It was a lazy day in Seattle.  It was a bit chilly out so I ran into a downtown Barnes & Noble to warm up.  I warmed up my thoughts by grabbing a copy of Fodor's Caribbean 2010.  Then a salesperson sold me on Pollan's book.  "It's a must if you love food."  I really don't know anyone who abhors food, but I read the back cover and it certainly seemed interesting enough.  The book tries to answer the question what to have for dinner and where food comes from.  The answer, sometimes, isn't pretty.  It's not supposed to be.  The book isn't meant to condemn carnivores or really hold an opinion on anything really.  It makes you think.  It follows the path of three different meals, from production to presentation.  Supermarkets and Chicken McNuggets appear completely different.  How whole is food from Whole Foods?  (This leads to a wonderul take on the new literary genre of Supermarket Pastoral.)   Corn is the true culprit behind the obesity epidemic.  Organic is a word without meaning any more.  Food went from ritualized to convenient.  It's intriguing to see the numerous steps between production and consumption in modern agriculture, but how true organic places still do exist and their transparency is refreshing.  It's an engaging and well-written piece.  Be prepared to defend how you eat and what you eat.  Therein lies the omnivore's dilemma.  Read this book; it's a must if you love food.