Through four meals, Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma tells a story of consumption and agriculture, and the secrets behind what we eat. As he follows the growing, harvesting, selling, and cooking of four meals, Pollan explores the political, social, and environmental implications of food in the modern world.

The book targets three broad systems of food growth: the industrial, the organic, and the hunter-gatherer. Narrated from Pollan’s firsthand experience in each of these systems, each ingredient is followed from farm to table. Along the way, he attempts to demystify some common grocery store misconceptions, discussing such topics as the value of buying organic, the abundance of corn-derived products, and how to address issues of eating meat.

Remaining both educative and engaging throughout, The Omnivore’s Dilemma provides a strong introduction to agriculture in the Western world. Providing some clarity to the confusing food landscape in which we live, Pollan’s work lays out exactly what our food choices mean for ourselves and the world around us.