In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

3.99 AVERAGE

rigolettgo's profile picture

rigolettgo's review against another edition

3.75
challenging informative reflective medium-paced
alwaysaloaf's profile picture

alwaysaloaf's review against another edition

5.0
funny informative inspiring medium-paced

orangeblood's review

4.0
Contains important lessons and common sense -- heavily influenced the way I eat.

e_ellson's review

4.0
The rules are so simple, and yet, require quite a bit of explanation - "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much." As Michael Pollan notes, this book wouldn't have been able to be written at any other time in history - it wouldn't have made sense. A resounding "Duh" would have been the response. But, today, it seems as though it is needed. The first two sections of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto were really informative and eye opening and I enjoyed these parts the best. I Had never thought about the shift from talking about food to talking about nutrients, but it really is essential to our food culture now. The third section was the chunk I thought I would enjoy the most - the part where Pollan was going to discuss the wonderful food cultures of France, Italy, Japan, etc. I figured he would explain just how important it is to sit down, with family and friends, to a lovely meal. And, I guess in a way, he did, but it came off as somewhat condescending and it just wasn't as enjoyable to read. I understand the audience for this book is likely upper middle class foodies, but I didn't really want it pushed in my face that while "poor people can't afford my rules, us wealthier people can" (obviously I'm paraphrasing here). I get it, but it wasn't all that useful to a broader audience, and I think he missed an opportunity to really make a bigger difference here.
michelle_schenker's profile picture

michelle_schenker's review

5.0
This is a quick read and helps explain why so much of what we eat is really so very bad for our health.

lacyleereads's review against another edition

3.75
informative medium-paced
giulianocarlo's profile picture

giulianocarlo's review against another edition

4.5
informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

elwhit's review

4.0
funny informative inspiring medium-paced

vlamofiel's review against another edition

4.0
Although it is not Pollan's best book (which obviously is An Omnivore's Dilemma) he knows how to spread his knowledgable insights about the 'food world'. The third and last section is again a very inspiring and motivating explanation of his credo: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

mansil's review against another edition

5.0
hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced