I’m still compiling the list of recommended books that you all so graciously submitted. There are a lot of them–which is reassuring given that books must now compete with so much electronic media for our precious free time.
But before I proceed with that all-inclusive list, I wanted to jump ahead to recommend three must-reads for those interested in food production (which should be everyone, since food is one of the most basic human needs). They are, in no particular order:
1) The Omnivore’s Dilemma–Michael Pollan’s 2006 bestseller is probably one of the trendiest books around. Pollan recently showed up on Oprah to discuss his latest book, Food Rules, which is a follow-up to this book. Basically, Omnivore’s Dilemma examines food production in America–the most shocking of which is the intrusion of corn into almost everything we eat, whether it’s corn-fed beef, high-fructose corn syrup, or even the chicken nuggets we love to feed our kids (which are bits of corn-fed poultry glued together with modified corn starch, covered in corn flour-containing batter, fried in corn oil…you get the picture). After reading this book, you will look at food labels a WHOLE lot closer.
2) Fast Food Nation–Eric Schlosser’s 2001 cult classic examines the social, economic, and environmental impact of fast food. The thing that will absolutely turn your stomach, however, is Schlosser’s portrayal of the meatpacking industry. You won’t eat at McDonalds for a year.
3) The Jungle– Upton Sinclair’s 1906 book about the Chicago meatpacking industry is a classic and still reads grippingly today. Exposing not just the hidden horrors of meatpacking (agh– rats in your sausage!), the book also portrays the ineluctable downward spiral of immigrants ensnared in an inhumane industry. Sinclair originally intended the book to illustrate the plight of powerless and exploited workers, but The Jungle’s lasting legacy has been better food safety laws.
The beauty of these books are that they are both eye-opening and good reads. If you’ve got any other must-read food books, please share. Transparency in food production should be a right to which we are all entitled– after all, don’t you want to know what you are really eating?
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Oh boy–part of me would prefer to dine in ignorance! I will have to put these in my pile.
I read part of The Jungle long ago but I still recall Sinclair describing Chicagoans struggling through snow up to their armpits. There has probably been only one storm of that severity since the end of the last ice age.
Good stuff Rachel… The Jungle is awesome and I’ll look into the other books as well. I have found that if I have enough beer that fast food looks and tastes pretty good
try “Just Food” by james McWilliams as a balance ot Pollan