The Omnivore's Dilemma

    

"What should we have for dinner?" (Pollan, 1). Though this seems insignificant, as Michael Pollan explains in The Omnivore's Dilemma, the question is intertwined with the evolution of food systems over the course of history. In the novel, Pollan takes his readers by the hand and guides them through the dramatic shifts in food systems and agriculture. Along the way, he untangles the complex process that transforms crops on an innocent plot of farmland all the way to the food on your plate.

    The Omnivore's Dilemma is nonfiction, but it reads like the story it is. Though I am less than a third of the way through the book, Pollan's flawless writing style is one of the aspects I like about this novel. His writing style makes the book accessible to more than just adults, though he has written another version specifically for children, given that some of the sections are difficult to understand. Nonetheless, Pollan will describe a very technical topic and then end it with something relatable. This demonstrates his abilities as a writer to summarize concepts easily for readers. One example of this is when he was describing the photosynthesis of plants. "It is more than just a figure of speech to say that plants create life out of thin air" (Pollan, 21). Another case is when he was explaining just how much processed corn Americans eat, where he stated "Todd Dawson, a Berkely biologist who's done this sort of research, told me 'we North Americans look like corn chips with legs.'.... so that's us: processed corn, walking" (23).

    Overall I enjoy the format of the book. The structure of the novel is basic yet informative, easy to follow yet educational. One way Pollan sheds light on the deep systemic issues plaguing the American food system is by answering simple questions that have become so complicated, bringing in his perspective as a scientist and expert: "What I try to do in this book is approach the dinner question as a naturalist might, using the long lenses of ecology and anthropology as well as the shorter, more intimate lens of personal experience" (Pollan, 6). Additionally, Pollan compares and contrasts multiple food chains to highlight the way food has shifted over time. "The Omnivore's Dilemma is about three principal food chains that sustain us today: the industrial, the organic, and the hunter-gatherer. Different as they are, all three food chains are... linking us, through what we eat, to the fertility of the earth and the energy of the sun" (Pollan, 7). These two methods aim to keep the reader engaged and interested throughout the novel.

    The Omnivore's Dilemma was written for one purpose: to inform readers about the different food systems and how unsustainable practices might affect them directly. Although this topic impacts everyone, it is understandably not the most captivating book for those who would prefer more action or drama, or just less science and more fiction. I do enjoy Pollan's writing style and find the general concept interesting, and would recommend it to everyone interested by this topic. However, there are times when I would also prefer something more entertaining and less informative. Despite that, I still believe it is an important book and will someday read through the entire thing. "Many people today seem perfectly content eating at the end of an industrial food chain, without a thought in the world; this book is probably not for them..." Pollan writes, "But in the end this is a book about the pleasures of eating, the kinds of pleasures that are only deepened by knowing" (11).

-Amelie