Michael Pollan's excellent book The Omnivore's Dilemma is a must for anyone who eats food. That probably includes most of us, at least those in the West. Pollan's book takes a look at three food chains that primarily exist or can exist in the modern age. The Industrial - which is what afflicts most of us; The Pastoral - the one that we all think we want until we actually realize we might lose some of our comforts; and  The Personal - where he describes the many benefits of foraging for your own food with little or no help from the industrial revolution. This one is clearly only for those in Portland. The theme of Pollan's book isn't unfamiliar: Modern food industry is bad in more ways than we can understand and we are doing irreversible harm to ourselves, our environment and our future generations by letting it run rampant. This isn't a new theme. Pollan strengthens this argument by providing more detail than has ever been provided earlier.

He is able to because he didn't just write about the three food chains from his armchair but he participated in them to the extent that he was able to.  This is where he and this book differs from most others.

However, where he is most compelling is with the storytelling. He is engaging, informative and entertaining. His story about the beginning and rise of corn and how it took over the world has a "Planet of the Apes" sensibility to it. Filled with interesting facts and thoughts, The Omnivore's Dilemma is easily the best book on food I've ever read.

Pollan's book is a  must for every user of food, specially in the western world.