The Next Best Book Club discussion

Please forgive me for posting under the wrong topic. I am fascinated by this book by Michael and what it reveals about the organic food industry.

Anyone else reading it?

I have it on my TBR shelf right now. I became very interested in the food industry after reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (which I was somewhat disappointed in). Hopefully this book will live up to my expectations!

Oh, and just FYI....the "Newbies Corner" is supposed to be a place where you just introduce yourself. Below us there is a "Want to discuss this novel?" section where this should probably be. (And you would probably get more responses if it was in that section too!)

:O)

I saw that section (Want to discuss this novel?), but the book isn't a novel. It's nonfiction. So I didn't know where to go to discuss it.

Anyway, I am a lifelong reader. I'm glad to find so many people who share my passion.

Why were you interested in the Kinsolver book? I read it also.

Michael Pollan goes into more depth, including basic science of corn propagation. Don't let this scare you. It is fascinating. He has a talent for breaking down complexity to its simpler parts.

Florence, I read this book recently, and I put it on my "books-everyone-should-read-list" for all the reasons listed below.

I will never look at corn the same way again. After reading it, I am cutting down on my high-fructose corn syrup, (which means no more Cokes :( I am a life-long drinker) and my consumption of corn in general. More than corn, really, it has really inspired me to re-think the kind of food I eat. Besides the occasional box of crackers and frozen pizza (some things you just can't give up,) I make every effort to prepare meals with fresh food. I have found that it is more expensive; but physically, mentally, and a little bit spiritually I feel A LOT better than I would if I were eating pre-prepped foods.

The part about the feedlots was also kind of a downer. My grandfather is a retired cattle broker and pretty much made what family fortune exists on the selling of cattle...from feedlots, which are demonized in this book. I have to say, I am and always will be a meat-eater, but the image of cattle wallowing in their own filth was not appetizing. In spite of the few memories I have of family drives through these feedlots, it's strictly grass-fed beef for me from here on out. Ethically speaking, I have no moral issues whatsoever eating beef, but that does mean that the production of beef itself should not be reformed.

Reading this book also (kind of) inspired me to buy my own rosemary plant. I would love, love, love, to have a garden like Pollan's in which I could plant much of my own food. But I am an apartment dweller living in a city, so this is not possible. For now, I settle on an herb, which I use a lot in cooking. Anyone who is capable of growing their own food should, by all means. At least then you know where it is coming from.

It has also made me more conscientious about buying local. It's not always possible. Like buying fresh food, it sometimes means spending more money. I just do what I can, when I can, and it makes me feel a lot better about what I'm eating. It's also nice knowing that a gallon of oil wasn't used to produce some of the food I eat, nor did it sit on a truck for three thousand miles to get to me.

Primarily, I put it on my books-everyone-should-read shelf, because it really makes one think about where they're food is coming from, which, in an industrial food industry, is really effing important.


P.S. Welcome to the group, Florence! Good thread!

Jane, I already wanted to read the book but it looks like it will be one of those cry books for me. I am too sensitive when it comes to animals.

In some way it looks like fresh food meals are more expensive but I find that it isn't so most of the time. At least not for me. Because while a frozen pizza is for one meal, the fresh ingredients you can also use the day after.

Thanks for your post Jane, liked it a lot!

Welcome to our little group! Okay big group!

Welcome!

Ooh, good point Jeane. Yeah, if you're sensitive when it comes to animals, this could very much be a cry book. Besides the feedlots, there's a part where Pollan personally slaughters animals.

I'm just picking this up at the library today. I'm looking forward to it.

Ouch Jane, no no....it's incredible how sensitive I am to what happens to animals and it doesn't do me anything if it is a person. But even if know it is going to make me re feel really bad, I tell myself to keep reading and watch pictures about what has been done to animals ebcause that way I am confrontated with it daily and I hate it even more. Once in school I covered my school agenda not with something nice like a favourite actor or well whatever we used to put on our agenda. But I cut out all kinds of pictures from magazines where you could see animals being threated bad, hurt, slaughtered...really bad to see and I put them on my agenda. It was my way of confronting people with what was done to animals...

I thought it was a brilliant book. I just recently read it. It certainly changes the way you look at food. I've started looking for local farms in my area to buy my meat and eggs (luckily I live in a predominantly rural state). And I've started paying attention to seasonal foods as well and encouraging the family to buy according to the season.

I could never be a vegetarian (I tried once upon a time) but I'm definitely taking a much harder look at where the animals I consume come from.

(Small spoiler) Even more so than the feed lot parts of the book, I was really troubled by the treatment of egg laying hens. That's just terrible. :(

Oh no, what happens to egg laying hens?

WAIT

maybe I don't wanna know

:(

I read both The Omnivore's Dilemma and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle earlier this year. I liked both, but I prefer Pollan's book to Kingsolver's, which I found a little bit preachy.

Welcome to the club!

Hi Jane.

I enjoyed your comments. I live in Charlottesville Virginia but I was not aware of Polyface farm in the Shenandoah Valley until I read the book. There are many popular farmers markets in the area and I will visit them with new interest come spring.

I'm a vegetarian and have been for 15 years. Before reading the Ominvore's Dilemma I did not appreciate the difference between supermarket meat and meat from animals raised the natural way. There is a huge difference in the treatment of the animals.

I am very tolerant of the thoughtful opinions of others and would like to hear more on the subject of industrial versus naturally grown food.

Hi Jeane.

I had to skip the parts of the book involving slaughter of animals or especially severe and inhumane treatment. I am also sensitive to the plight of animals and I get upset at graphic descriptions of their suffering.

Thank you Emilee

Thank you Lisa

Thanks Leppaluoto. (great name)
I will check it out. I am a very eclectic reader.

Great

Florence, I just force myself to read it...but just hate it!