While I must admit that it’s fairly obvious throughout that this book originated as a series of articles, it’s definitely a thought-provoking tour through the kinds of production food in America (and Canada) sees today.

I spent the first section of the book exclaiming out loud and reading pieces to my husband. The second and third parts had less impact, but gave an important perspective on the first.

Not all of us can manage to cut ourselves partly or completely off from the industrial food complex, but for those who don’t see why it would ever be a goal, and even for those who need a little encouragement to get closer, this is an excellent read.

I’m less than halfway through this book, but it is amazing. If you live in USA, and are at all interested in where your food comes from, you simply must read The Omnivore’s Dilemma. For me the most revealing has been the expose of corn. I mean, I knew that America had a surplus of corn, and I understood, vaguely, that it had something to do with subsidies, but I now really understand how we got into the situation we’re in. What I didn’t realize at all before was just how much nitrogen-based fertilizer goes into growing corn, and just how much energy is needed to make the fertilizer. It makes the idea of biofuels look laughable (for every calorie that comes from a corn kernel more than two calories of energy, mainly in the form of fossil fuels, go in). I’m not really sure how one moves away from a corn-based diet – being vegetarian would certainly help, and buying food in it’s rawest possible state has to help – you have a better grasp on what you have. Beyond that, I think you just has to ask a lot of questions about where you food has come from, and what’s gone into it.

So here I am, a pretty concientious consumer of food.

This book is rocking my world.

Damn, if I’m gonna live within my values, I’m gonna have to go through a life-style change.

I think that our world is SO out of balance, that w/ what I’ve read here, I’m not sure I’m ABLE to keep eating as I have been.

I thought Rosie Organic chickens were the responsible way for a meat eating girl to go… Info in this book will make you rethink having another serving of corn… damn, I’ve got to go get to know the farmer, & eat really local.

I think I’m gonna need community support to make this kind of change…