The Omnivore's Dilemma

A Natural History of Four Meals

De: Michael Pollan

Narrado por: Scott Brick

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

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

life-changing

This book was life changing for me. I thought I knew a lot about what I ate, but Michael Pollan opened my eyes to what I am putting in my mouth and my family's mouth . After listening to this book I became a full fledged vegetarian - that was about 10 months ago. I still cook meat for my family, but am much more thoughtful about what I buy. He can drone on a bit, however, and goes into more detail than necessary, at times.

Great reporting, very informative book

This is fantastic reporting by Michael Pollan on the state of food production in the US.

He first points out the huge problems of Industrial food production in the US with emphasis on Corn. He also talks of Legislative actions that encourage this cycle of producing Corn at the expense of everything else and it's pervasive destructive effect on the farmers and the ultimate consumers, that is, us.

Then he goes on to Organic farming which is also now almost or fully Industrial with a cynical play on not using antibiotics but then treating animals almost the same way (with CAFOS and other contraptions of industrial farming).

The last part is on Alternative farming methods that have sprung up in the US as a reaction to Organic Industrial farming and how this is done very well and with consideration for nature. Nature in general and nature of animals.

Pollan in writing this book has travelled to the Midwest Corn Belt as well as Alternate Farms and watched the action first hand including slaughter of animals where he was allowed to do this.

Very eye opening and extremely important book in my opinion.

wake up, obese America

Superbly written, albeit a bit long-winded in places. The narrator does have some of the previously mentioned "whiney" attributes, however, his command of accentuation and short stops in long sentences more than makes up for any shortcomings.
This book should scare the heck out of us, I am disgusted with the typical fat American way of thinking when it comes to food: make it cheap, make the portions huge, and I really don't care about the consequences.
I can only say that I am overjoyed to live in Europe, where I have choices regarding purchasing food, and I am not forced to consume mass-produced, hormone and antibiotic-laden material.
The part on hunting and gathering, which comprises about a third of the book, could be a bit shorter but overall this is an excellent 'read' (listen).

A must read

So intresting to know know where your food comes from and how it is made and processed, this book has changed the way I eat.

Excellent

A well balanced and reasoned look at modern American food production.

The Best Book you will Ever Read.

Everyone should read this piece. Beginning to end it is a must read, and it is spoken very well additionally.

second listen

Really amazing and well done all around. I've sent it as the first free Audible book to at least 5 people this time around.

Spoiler alert: eating food will never be the same for you

The book does an excellent job of uncovering the real cost and process of today's food culture. Initially the book spends a lot of time on "corn" but you only realize the importance of that "drag" later in the book. The book definitely grows on you as you listen on. Sometimes stretched too much and for my taste, narration is slow, but again that's why you have speed feature (1.25x for me). Also, being a vegetarian, the book provokes my dietary preference and the justification thereof.

Excellent reminder of where food really comes from

Such a good book; it should be required reading for everyone. I love meat, but we should all step back and eat less, but higher quality meat.

One of the best narrators, one of the best books

One of the best narrators, one of the best books. I do find the premise of the authors disdain for industrialized food somewhat shortsighted. For example, he points out much of the bad but little of the good. For example, industrialized farming has eradicated hunger in wealthy nations and been part of the foundation for much human economic production and innovation since.