The Omnivore's Dilemma

A Natural History of Four Meals

By: Michael Pollan

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

The best-selling author of The Botany of Desire explores the ecology of eating to unveil why we consume what we consume in the 21st century.

"What should we have for dinner?" To one degree or another, this simple question assails any creature faced with a wide choice of things to eat. Anthropologists call it the omnivore's dilemma. Choosing from among the countless potential foods nature offers, humans have had to learn what is safe, and what isn't, which mushrooms should be avoided, for example, and which berries we can enjoy. Today, as America confronts what can only be described as a national eating disorder, the omnivore's dilemma has returned with an atavistic vengeance.

The cornucopia of the modern American supermarket and fast-food outlet has thrown us back on a bewildering landscape where we once again have to worry about which of those tasty-looking morsels might kill us. At the same time we're realizing that our food choices also have profound implications for the health of our environment. The Omnivore's Dilemma is best-selling author Michael Pollan's brilliant and eye-opening exploration of these little-known but vitally important dimensions of eating in America.

We are indeed what we eat, and what we eat remakes the world. A society of voracious and increasingly confused omnivores, we are just beginning to recognize the profound consequences of the simplest everyday food choices, both for ourselves and for the natural world. The Omnivore's Dilemma is a long-overdue book and one that will become known for bringing a completely fresh perspective to a question as ordinary and yet momentous as "What shall we have for dinner?"

©2006 Michael Pollan (P)2006 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Gold Medal in Nonfiction for the California Book Award • Winner of the 2007 Bay Area Book Award for Nonfiction • Winner of the 2007 James Beard Book Award/Writing on Food Category • Finalist for the 2007 Orion Book Award • Finalist for the 2007 NBCC Award

"Thoughtful, engrossing . . . You're not likely to get a better explanation of exactly where your food comes from."—The New York Times Book Review

"An eater's manifesto . . . [Pollan's] cause is just, his thinking is clear, and his writing is compelling. Be careful of your dinner!"—The Washington Post

"Outstanding . . . a wide-ranging invitation to think through the moral ramifications of our eating habits."—The New Yorker

Elegant Expose of American Food Culture

Michael Pollan's writing never ceases to delight - not only in it's many detailed observations, multi-faceted viewpoints and thoroughness - but in his breathtaking writing style that leaves you wanting more. He has left no stone unturned in this exposition of the food industry in modern capitalist America - which brings up many existential questions for the reader. In the end, however, Pollan generates enthusiasm for how each of us can contribute to a meaningful food revolution.

The Omnivore's Dilemma

This is a great read, some of the questions that nagged me since childhood were answered in a way not to bore, but to enlighten. The story of discovery is something that will entertain again and again.

Corn Walking

This book expanded my knowledge of what was given to us in Food, Inc. I love how it talks about the 4 meals. The story that goes with them.

Worth it just for the corn explanation.

I knew corn was important to capitalism but I never thought about the husk issue. A+++.

What we Eat 101: a well written, informative guide

If you could sum up The Omnivore's Dilemma in three words, what would they be?

In the era when the choice of what we eat for dinner is no longer dictated by our environment, the book provides an insight to what this really means...

What other book might you compare The Omnivore's Dilemma to and why?

Food Rules - another book by the same author that encapsulates the conclusions one might reach after reading Ominvore's Dilemma...however, while Food Rules can be read by a third-grader... Ominvore's Dilemma is a deeply informative and entertaining journey for an adult.

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

Scott Brick is just awesome! I have not listened to his other performances yet but if I see one, I may be swayed to try out knowing that I will enjoy the "performance" of the content.

Wake up call to the likely true cause of obesity

I have been eating differently than my family and childhood friends for about 3 decades, choosing mostly veggies, wild caught and organic food. I've noticed many differences in how we all look decades later. I also have eschewed soda pop for over 3 decades. Reading this book sheds a light for me on why we have turned out differently in our health and general condition. most of them are obese and with many of the diseases/illness this book discusses. it's eye opening view of various food access and lifestyles should be read widely. we can reverse this process, if we care to.

This is one of those books that changes you!

This book and a handful of others has indelibly influenced my outlook on the world D con of me and my own personal lifestyle if you have any interest in improving your own diet for the economy or even strictly environmental interest this book is fantastic.

A must read/listen for all

Eye opening and inspiring! An an education on the American food industry from the farm to the factory to the table.

Will change the way you think about food

This book changed the way I think and feel about the food on my plate. It isn't a particularly enjoyable read, Pollan is a bit didactic at times, but the narrative string is there enough to follow through as you learn about the industrial food change, organic and beyond organic foods, and even hunting and gathering (although in retrospect I might have stopped reading before that last chapter).

thank God! actual journalism and not a food cult

thank God someone did actual Journalism on this topic without becoming a cult leader of "buy my mud pills" 😜
i appreciated how equally critical the book is towards all types of food production, organic and inorganic and inbetween.
my only point of contention is that he kept referring to this pastoral ideal of the past and neglects to remember that in many parts of the world that was only achieved by slave labor. so it never really existed. beyond that nitpick though its a well reasoned and even handed look at America's food industry. anyone thinking of doing any kind of cuisine lifestyle from vegetarian to meatatarian should read this 1st.