The Omnivore's Dilemma

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals is a nonfiction book written by American author Michael Pollan published in 2006. As omnivores, humans are faced with a wide variety of food choices. In the book, Pollan investigates the environmental and animal welfare effects of various food choices. He suggests that, prior to modern food preservation and transportation technologies, the dilemmas raised by these options were resolved primarily through cultural influences. Technology has made foods that were previously seasonal or regional available year round and in all regions. The relationship between food and society, once moderated by culture, now finds itself confused. To learn more about those choices, Pollan follows various food chains that end in human food: industrial food, organic food, and food we forage ourselves; from the source to a final meal, and in the process writes a critique of the American way of eating.