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Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (Book Review)

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Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (Book Review)Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
Published by Little Brown & Company on November 2, 2009
Genres/Lists: Food, Non-Fiction
Pages: 341
Read synopsis on Goodreads
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links) five-stars


I’ve been reading a fair amount of food books lately now that I’m doing the vegetarian thing, but Eating Animals is at the top of almost every “Top Books for Vegetarians” list. Now that I’ve finished it, I can understand why. The book is a poignant memoir by a man who faced the reality of where his food comes from upon learning that he is going to be a father. This was my first Foer book and I loved his writing style, but my guess is that this is a bit different from his fiction books.

The book chronicles his interviews with chicken farmers, meat slaughterhouse owners, and vegetarian dairy farmers. He dives headfirst into the atrocities that are committed against animals for the sake of our food. What’s different about this book from other books about not eating meat is that Foer takes the time to interview and chat with those on the “other side” and humanizes them in a way that is, in all likelihood, unpopular in some circles. For me, his humanization is what made the book so great – it encompassed all sides of a contentious debate in a respectful and factual way.

Recommended for: Readers interested in a personal journey from meat-eating to vegetarianism but don’t want to be preached to.

Jonathan Safran Foer chronicles his journey from meat-eater to vegetarian in Eating Animals. Click To Tweet

What’s your favorite food book?

 

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  • What an interesting perspective. I have a few friends who are vegetarian or vegan for varying reasons; it’s always good to consider other perspectives than your own. thanks for sharing at #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup …hope to see you again this week!

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  • Tanya M

    I want to read this book. I have been trying to cut out more meat. I think it will help me control my weight and consequently how my joints feel. Thanks for sharing with Small Victories Sunday linkup. Pinned to our linkup board.

    • Thank you! Good luck giving up meat – it’s actually quite easy, but I hope it works well for your joints! I gained weight by eating more soy, so keep that in mind – you may have to be careful with that 😉

      • Tanya M

        Do you eat fish/seafood? I love edamame hummus but not much of a tofu fan. Thanks for the tip though.

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  • I read this right after I stopped eating meat a few years ago and it cemented a lot of the things I had been thinking. I’m once again eating meat, but I still hold that book with the highest regard.

    • Do you think you eat LESS meat because you read it than you would if you hadn’t? (Did that make sense?)

      • I’m not sure if it’s because of the book, but I definitely eat less meat after “quitting” being a vegetarian (and I probably only eat pork once or twice a year). Because of all the research I did at the time, including read Foer’s book, I definitely try to be more aware of where my meat comes from. I know you can’t always trust the labels, but I try to stay away from brands you know are shady.

        • That’s great! I think it’s one of those things that once you learn it, you can’t UNlearn it, so changes happen, regardless.

  • Heather

    I thought this was an incredibly well-written and information-focused book. Foer isn’t preaching, he’s simply telling it like it is, but in such a manner that you have no choice but to shut up and listen.

  • This is one of my favofite books and one that convinced me to go meat free too. Love his writing style!

    • I can see why – it definitely helped solidify my new choice!

  • I like that this seems to be a balanced take on things. Have you ever read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food? It’s not striating vegetarian, but was the first book I read that really opened my eyes to the food “industry” and changed the way I ate.

    • I have read that one! Frankly, I kept on eating meat 🙂 This one is nice because it promotes vegetarianism without preaching it – a lot of books say they aren’t preaching it but they are. This one does strike a good balance.

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