Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

I've watched a lot of documentaries and read all kinds of books and articles on the role of food in the life of modern humans, and as a vegetarian I continue to have an interest in the subject of eating animals. In this book, the author, Jonathan Safran Foer, is about to bring a new baby into the world with his wife. Both he and his wife have been wavering vegetarians, so in this book he explores the value in eating meat in order to make good decisions for his son's future food life.

This book does do a lot of what you expect it to do: it talks about his knowledge and direct experiences with different kinds of animal farms, he discusses his reservations about eating animals, etc. But it also explores the role of meat in cultural and family tradition, how it's played a part in his life. I liked the story of how his grandmother basically only ever made one dish, which involved chicken, and how it was simple and maybe not even that good. But because she made it for him out of love, it was special. It reminded me of my grandmother with her chicken pies. Though I haven't eaten meat in a long time, I remember how much I loved that pie. She knew it was my favorite and she would make it for me about once a week. The idea of that dish is special to me because of her, and this is a concept a he talks about at the end of the book. It doesn't matter what you are cooking for your family or friends-- it can align with your values and still be remembered as a precious, nostalgic thing.

I liked the book because of the combination of the exposure of meat industry goings-on, and the personal element that it tied in. It didn't say "For everyone, eating animals is absolutely wrong." The message was more "I've explored the meat options, and I don't like what I see. For my family, we will find other ways to enjoy our food without animal products." The book was a journey and a learning experience, and it was composed by someone I respect greatly as an author. Overall I would say that this book was very enjoyable, especially if you have an open mind and are interested in knowing about the significance of eating animals.