Pollan to speak about 'In Defense of Food' at Luther

DECORAH - Michael Pollan, journalist and author of the best-selling books "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" and "The Omnivores Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals," will speak at Luther College at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life.

Pollan's presentation, which takes its title from his book "In Defense of Food," is the college's 2010 Farwell Distinguished Lecture. The program is open to the public with no charge for admission.

Doors will open at 6 p.m., and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. A question-and-answer session with Pollan will follow the lecture.

Pollan's appearance at Luther is in conjunction with the colleges sustainability initiative aimed at reducing the institutions carbon footprint and making all its operations more in tune with the eco-systems of the region, state and nation. In October, Luther was recognized as one of the nations top 26 colleges and universities in sustainability initiatives on the College Sustainability Report Card issued by the Sustainable Endowments Institute.

Luther's sustainability initiatives address many of the issues Pollan has reported for more than 20 years in his books and articles about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: food, agriculture, gardens, drugs and architecture.

Pollan, 54, grew up on Long Island and was educated at Bennington College, Oxford University and Columbia University, from which he received a masters in English. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, painter Judith Belzer, and their son, Isaac.