An MMD Summer Reading Guide pick. Cooked documents the middle link of the food chain: what happens to our food after it comes out of the ground, but before it enters our bellies. The journalistic narrative is elegantly divided into four parts, each exploring a different classical element: fire, water, air, and earth. It gets a little science-y in places, yet it remains thoughtful, wise, and (unexpectedly) funny.

I love The Omnivore's Dilemma, have read it more than once, and think about it on a regular basis. From the publisher: "'What’s for dinner?' seemed like a simple question—until journalist and supermarket detective Michael Pollan delved behind the scenes. From fast food and big organic to small farms and old-fashioned hunting and gathering, this adaptation of Pollan’s famous food-chain exploration encourages young Americans to consider the personal and global health implications of their food choices. In a smart, compelling format with updated facts, plenty of photos, graphs, and visuals, The Omnivore's Dilemma serves up a bold message to the generation that needs it most: It's time to take charge of our national eating habits—and it starts with you."

I enjoy Pollan's writing, including this one. From the publisher: "With chapters ranging from a reconsideration of the Great American Lawn and a dispatch from one man's war with a woodchuck to reflections on the sexual politics of roses, Pollan captures the rhythms of our everyday engagement with the outdoors in all its glory and exasperation."

I love Pollan's work; this is no exception. From the publisher: "At a turning point in his life, writer Michael Pollan found himself dreaming of a small wood-frame hut in the woods near his house--a place to work, but also a "shelter for daydreams." Weaving the practical with the philosophical, this book presents a captivating personal inquiry into the art of architecture, the craft of building, and the meaning of modern work." Add Audible narration to your purchase for just $4.49.

I love this book, have read it more than once, and think about it on a regular basis.

In this pithy follow-up to The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan shares his simple "eater's manifesto" for how to get nutrition right without massively overcomplicating it.

Michael Pollan is famous for his adage "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." In his Food Rules, Pollan offers 64 more common-sense, often humorous rules for eating. The publisher says: "It's an easy-to-use guide that draws from a variety of traditions, suggesting how different cultures through the ages have arrived at the same enduring wisdom about food. Whether at the supermarket or an all-you-can-eat buffet, this is the perfect guide for anyone who ever wondered, 'What should I eat?'"