In Defense of Food

An Eater's Manifesto

By: Michael Pollan

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 New York Times Bestseller from the author of This is Your Mind on Plants, How to Change Your Mind, The Omnivore's Dilemma, and Food Rules

Food. There's plenty of it around, and we all love to eat it. So why should anyone need to defend it?

Because in the so-called Western diet, food has been replaced by nutrients, and common sense by confusion—most of what we’re consuming today is longer the product of nature but of food science. The result is what Michael Pollan calls the American Paradox: The more we worry about nutrition, the less healthy we see to become. With In Defense of Food, Pollan proposes a new (and very old) answer to the question of what we should eat that comes down to seven simple but liberating words: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Pollan’s bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we can start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives, enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy, and bring pleasure back to eating.

©2008 Michael Pollan (P)2008 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Michael Pollan [is the] designated repository for the nation's food conscience."—Frank Bruni, The New York Times

"In this slim, remarkable volume, Pollan builds a convincing case not only against that steak dinner but against the entire Western diet."—The Washington Post

"A tough, witty, cogent rebuttal to the proposition that food can be reduced to its nutritional components without the loss of something essential . . . [a] lively, invaluable book."—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

One of the most important books you could read

I grew up in America in the 80's at the height of America's reinvention (or perhaps the acceleration) of what it considered heathy and what it called food. My mom, I very much appreciate, cooked us a hot meal every day. But as a newlywed, I was a little concerned that a third of the recipes I had accumulated began with a can of cream of chicken and chicken breast. When I spent time living in Japan, I was surprised how many of the "rules" of healthy eating that traditional Japanese cooking broke, but they seemed healthier regardless. Traditional Japanese cuisine included far more actual food, much more vegetables and much, much less sugar. It also tasted amazing. Pollan does a tremendous job of documenting how we got to be where we are dietarily (in America), and offers useful suggestions on how we can get back on course. Thanks to this book, I finally made it over to our local farmer's market, something I had been meaning to do for some time.

I would also highly recommend French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon (even if you don't have kids) for a fascinating inside view of how the French approach eating (and ideas on how we could improve our Western approach), and Culinary Intelligence (sadly not an audiobook last I checked) by Peter Kaminsky, if like me, you aspire to up your taste level in order to improve your overall well being.

A masterpiece?

I read omnivores dilemma, loving it so, I decided to pick this one up and give it a try. While his former was at the gym be a logical, this one focuses on a more singular scale. Beautifully written and laced with beautiful logic.

Just wishing Michael Pollan had narrated it

The book is great, plenty of compelling data, as Pollan usually provides. I definitely enjoyed the day information provided. But the narrator is way too dramatic, and slightly sarcastic-sounding. Not a great match for the content.

Great book, but narration is not a good fit

I read the hard copy a while ago, and loved it, so I wanted to refresh my memory by listening to this audiobook, but the narration is really not fit for this kind of topic, the overly exaggerated tone is more appropriate for fiction. I am at about one-third of the book but will probably stop there. It would have been so great to have the author also narrate the book, as he is a great speaker.

Enlightening

I have read this book, as well as other Pollan books and enjoy his perspective and education provides to the reader.

Amazing book

This book has changed many of my views on eating. I have definitely fallen victim to the nutritionist mentality. Measuring macronutrients and taking supplements just made sense to me. And now, this makes more sense to me. Who knows, maybe I’ll ping-pong around to some other health advices, but this feels like progress to me. I highly recommend.

Inspiring and Informative

Narrated with an exactly appropriate tone, this book challenges our conventional view of eating, and encourages a return to the fundamental relationship man has with food. Pollan carefully reveals the catastrophic habits of the western diet, yet avoids condemnation, a pitfall of many proponents for organic health. Instead, he inspires the common man with an argument for simpler and better health, all based on a sturdy foundation of logic and current science.

Food for thought

I am sympathetic to Michael Pollan’s way of thinking about food so this was an interesting presentation of what I already believe. I would recommend this book to those of like minds, for example if you enjoyed The Omnivore’s Dilemma. However, I have the same criticism as I did of his previous work. It tends to be a little on the officious side, and as much as I like Scott Brick, he is the wrong narrator for this book. A little officious become downright pompous with Brick’s narration. If I did not agree with the content it would be difficult to finish the book.

I am so going to die.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have to admit, even though I truly liked the book and greatly appreciated the information; emotionally it had me in knots, still feel that way. You know you are being marketed to with every food ad or show on tv, in the store and online. It comes down to who you trust to give you factual information about food and you find that everyone has an agenda and that every choice I thought I was making based on good information is probably killing me slowly. For me, reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma first as has been suggested by other reviewers didn’t help me feel any better about this book, but I do recommend it. I can look at my food choices with scrutiny but with a better understanding of why I made that choice and make a plan of how I go forth in becoming better informed about what I eat. I need to know so much more.

If I have any issue with the book, it's that I'm not a "foodie". I'm well traveled and have been exposed to many foods, but I'm not a foodie like you almost have to be in order to eat like Pollen suggest. Also I wish Pollen could given more about the politics of food. Anyone of a lower income and limited access to food choices either by income or access have not much choice than to be a victim of food companies a well as the healthcare system gaining revenue from our poor "nutrition".

Who was your favorite character and why?

Scott Brick for sure (LoL)

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no, but I might have to seek him out. I bet he could make the process of grass growing seem like a murder mystery.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did.

Any additional comments?

The narration done by Scott Brick was well done, if not just a tad bit too dramatic which I’m sure added to my anxiety but in retrospect probably was helpful in presenting what is not a simple issue.

this will make you think

Most interesting book that gives a compelling narrative as to why the food industry has corrupted all aspects of eating by its clever marketing of ingredients vs. food, and the associated value judgement that goes with "good" vs. "bad" ingredients, vitamins, lipids, minerals, etc. He also makes a compelling argument for the social aspects of food, spanning pleasure, calories, and nutrition. Absolutely worth reading if you have an interest in food

But perhaps the operative word in that last sentence would be the recommendation to read it. The narrator was awful. Easily understood, but sacharine and sanctimonius, leaving one with the constant and nagging suspcion of being preached to and judged unworthy. Admittedly a hard book to narrate, as it has preachy leanings. But, they could have done better! Hecki, anyone could have done better