In Defense of Food

Yes, I know that Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food does not qualify for my Supernatural Summer theme, but it's okay to take a break every now and then.  Next week, I promise I will continue with the vampires, witches and fairies, and all that.

But right now we're going to talk about food.  Reading this book will make you more privy to your own common sense - and you do have it, we all have it, it's just a matter of listening to yourself.  That might sound new age-y but at this point in the American diet, new age-y might save you from all the Western diseases that Pollan claims emerged from the terrible food fads, diets and "nutritionism" the past few generations have held so dear.  And let me say that there is nothing new age-y about the short, sweet tagline on the front cover that explain the contents of Pollan's book:  Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly Plants.  Now, picking this up in the library, I glanced at this and thought, well everybody knows that already, what about it?  I knew this already, somewhere in my mind.  Do I actually make an effort to recognize these things in my diet?  Nope, I'm too lazy and too cheap to go buy organic, I don't have a garden and I'm pretty skinny already so why wouldn't I want to eat too much?  Of course, Pollan knows these excuses and more.  He also knows the history of the Western diet (although I would rather call it the American diet) and explains in Ishmael-fashion how things came to be this way, what we should do (or think on) to change it, and most importantly why we should bother at all.

You may find it difficult to believe me when I say that this book kept me up at night.  Not just reading it, because it was fascinating, but thinking about food (and salivating at the descriptions of home-cooked, fresh meals we should all be eating).  Pollan explains all of his ideas clearly, simply and common-sensibly, just as he should considering the theme of the book.  I really think everyone should read this - it's a small, quick read, and it deals with probably the most important and complex issue in America today, with journalistic competence and easy-to-read language.  Pollan's attack on nutritionism as an ideal is well-founded and a real anvil if you're not already aware of the food industry's ploy to make America fatter and even "more desperate".  Although I do agree with this reviewer of Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, who criticizes the lack of grand-scale solutions or possibilities in that read, but this book - which I actually read - is more about thinking for one's self.  Buy a copy so you can lend it to all your high-fructose corn syrup-chugging friends, and knock that inherent common sense into your veggie-deprived American self!