Revelry Review

You. Must. Read. This. Book. Now.

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer seeks to shed light on the factory farming industry, as well as gain a better understanding about the stories we create and tell (and retell) to and about each other and about what we eat. He starts by writing about his grandmother, who survived the Holocaust eating very little. Safran Foer wonders how he can turn down her chicken soup when he knows that it is an expression of love from her. When he becomes a father, he decides that he needs to find out exactly where meat comes from in order to feed it to his son without disturbing his conscience. Turns out he can't--they are all now vegetarians/vegans.

I've read quite a number of books on the farming industry, why we should all be vegetarians or vegans and how to eat a meatless diet. I've never read any quite like this. I learned some new things. For instance, did you know that such a thing existed as sea lice?! ICK! He talks to several farmers, including one that is a vegetarian, members of PETA, his own family, etc. Since Safran Foer usually writes fiction (Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) and the writing is really superb in this one too. I have never eaten red meat or pork and I stopped eating shellfish and chicken a few years back. This book made me so glad that I did. I am not sure that I will ever be able to eat fish after reading this either.

If you read it, I would love to hear your thoughts!