Non-Fiction Reading List

So the fact is that I usually deplore non-fiction books.  No matter how interesting the subject matter, it usually cannot hold my attention for very long and the book ultimately ends up collecting dust on the bottom of the shelf.  That said, I recently discovered a few non-fiction books that I enjoyed reading cover to cover.

The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan were both excellent introductions to the world of non-fiction literature.  Both books discuss different aspect of food.  The Omnivore's Dillema is an anthropological study of three food chains from source to final meal: industrial (from Iowa corn fields to McDonald's meals everywhere), organic (from local organic farm to local farmer's market or food cooperative), and hunter gatherer (from food he hunted, gathered or grew himself to his plate).  Although I must admit that I started to get bored and scan pages in the last section when the author began to wax poetic about the joys of searching for wild mushrooms and hunting for wild pigs, overall (and particularly in the first two sections) I found that this book offered a fascinating perspective on the environmental, agricultural and economical impact of how and what we eat.   In Defense of Food focuses on the more personal decisions of what and how to eat.  The book explores the relationship between nutritionism and the Western diet and suggests that the answer to healthy eating is simply to:  Eat Food (local organic food instead of processed imitation food).  Not too much (healthy portion sizes).  Mostly plants (don't skimp on the fruits and veges!)  Although both books are worth reading, if you are new to non-fiction, have limited time or only want to read one book, I would recommend reading In Defence of Food.  It is shorter, easier to read, and the subject matter is more captivating by virtue of the fact that it has more personal implications for your lifestyle.

Next up I read the entire tome What to Eat by Marion Nestle.  This is a brilliant book in which the nutritionist author explores a typical supermarket on a food-by-food basis, comparing for each category what nutritional benefits are claimed with what nutritional advantages and dangers are actually offered, thereby teaching you how to make informed choices about what to eat.  The book summarizes the basic principles of a good diet as: Eat less, move more, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and, for additional clarification, go easy on junk foods.  The writing is straightforward, nonjudgmental and relatively unbiased (certainly less biased than Michael Pollan's works).  Considering the massive size of this text (624 pages!), I was amazed when I found her writing so compelling that I could not put her book down!  More than anything else, this book changed what we eat in my home.  We now buy mostly whole foods from local markets.  We pay attention to nutrition labels on the few processed foods we continue to buy (yogurt, bread).  And we definitely stay away from farmed fish!

Most recently I finished reading The Original Beauty Bible by Paula Begoun.  Until I read this book, I did not realize how much of my (sadly misinformed) beauty routine came from magazines, advertisements and TV.  In this book, the self-proclaimed "cosmetics cop" Paula Begoun offers a wealth of information about the many, many products we put on our bodies every day, including cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, makeup, shaving cream and everything in between.  Aware that the author has her own line of beauty products (Paula's Choice), I was wary of any bias or subjective bent to her writing.  I was pleased to find her writing clear, concise and once again relatively unbiased.  She attempts to provide objective, scientifically based information to help you care for your skin.  She does not push expensive, high-end products, but instead encourages you to find quality products at a reasonable cost.  She explains how to identify and care for your skin type, and offers suggestions on how to combat many common skin care problems, such as acne and dryness.  For detailed product reviews, check out her website Beautypedia.