The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Poll

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan, was a great read. I came into the adventure without much background regarding what kind of book it was going to be, and to my astonishment it was more of an educational journey than pages of force-fed beliefs. Michael Pollan has a writing style that is both loose and intriguing and really kept my attention throughout. Having already read extensively concerning human nutrition and food, I am usually skeptical when beginning such reads as this one, but I was very surprised that Mr. Pollan was very objective, in that this was seemingly a field trip and journey from environment to plate. I will begin this report with a summary of this great book and delve deeper into the thoughts that the literary family has of it. I will then go on to explain its importance in the development of environmental policy and impact, and end with my thoughts regarding the material and the interaction among social and environmental values and impacts presented by the author Michael Pollan. Summary The book begins with the question of â€Å"What should we have for dinner?† and stands to answer that question the rest of the way. Speaking directly of Americans, Pollan explains in-depth how the Nation tends to jump from fad to fad, first being afraid of carbohydrates, and then switching to fats, and so on. He goes on to explain where this thought process might have come from with the history of the Carter administration in 1977, as dietary goals were issued and the red meat lovers of America were warned to cut back. From that time on it has been an ever-changing lipo-, carbo-, phobia, with a cycle of weight loss and gain. With this question at hand, Michael Pollan begins to dive de... ...ormative history as he travels from the cornfields of Iowa, to the feedlot, to the forest floor in search of chanterelles, and then coming full circle to the dinner table. The information given is not always pleasant, but it is necessary for an informed eater in America to be aware of. The effects of knowing can cause us to be more responsible in what we are purchasing at the grocery store (and essentially voting for). He shows that making the correct decision to the question â€Å"What should we have for dinner?† can also be the choice that tastes the best and is the best for you. Works Cited Kamp, D. (2006). â€Å"Deconstructing Dinner.† New York Times: Sunday Book Review. 26 April 2006.http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/23/books/review/23kamp.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Pollan, M. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. New York. Random. 2006. Print