"Food Rules"

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual  (Michael "Bossy" Pollan)

The idea here is simple: Pollan takes his rules from his previous book (Eat food, mostly plants, not too much) and expands them here by giving you tips on how to follow them. I like his approach - he realizes that you're not going to remember every rule he gives you, so he re-states them various ways - to get you to avoid chemicals, he advises that you don't buy food with a chemical a third grader couldn't pronounce, but then also suggests staying away from the center of a grocery store and getting fresh produce on the one end and diary on the other.
This is actually pretty helpful, but I gave up about a third of the way through when I got to "mostly plants," where he suggests that you treat meat as a "special treat". Fuck off, Pollan - I want a burger! This is where the book goes from helpful advice mode to annoying nutritionist uncle lecturing you at thanksgiving mode. (This is also where you're forbidden to get anything drive-thru - which I know isn't healthy for you, but holy hell, live a little!) Eventually I put the book down because I wanted to just go out and start eating Big Macs for spite; Pollan, in annoying lecture mode, makes you want to do the opposite of what he's saying.

So I dunno - I did get something out of this book, and you may get even more. If you, apparently like the author, have time in between getting home from work and going to sleep to do nothing but cook up a nice big meal, by all means pick this up - unfortunately this doesn't apply to me and, I suspect, most people anymore.

Grade
First Third: B+
Last Part: D+