51 pages • 1 hour read
Eating Animals
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Book Brief
341
Book • Nonfiction
2009
Adult
16-18 years
Super Short Summary
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer explores the ethics, environmental impact, and health concerns of factory farming and animal consumption. Through personal anecdotes, historical context, and interviews with various stakeholders including activists and farmers, Foer navigates his own family's dietary choices to determine whether to consume meat after learning about the origins of animal products. The book includes graphic descriptions of animal abuse and conditions within slaughterhouses.
Informative
Challenging
Contemplative
Unnerving
Emotional
Reviews & Readership
82,501 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
In Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer explores the moral and ethical dimensions of meat consumption. Positive reviews praise his compelling narrative and thorough research, while critics argue it offers limited practical solutions and can be one-sided. Overall, the book is a thought-provoking analysis that sparks essential conversations about food choices.
Who Should Read Eating Animals?
A reader who would enjoy Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer is likely curious about ethical eating, concerned with animal rights, and interested in environmental sustainability. Fans of Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation will appreciate its compelling blend of memoir, investigative journalism, and thoughtful reflection.
82,501 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Ethel Safran
Ethel Safran
Foer's grandmother, a Holocaust survivor whose experiences and views on food and tradition influence Foer's reflections on eating meat.
Frank Reese
Frank Reese
A fourth-generation farmer known for ethically raising heritage turkeys, providing an example of sustainable and ethical farming practices.
Bill and Nicolette Niman
Bill and Nicolette Niman
Farmers associated with Niman Ranch, known for their commitment to humane animal raising, though their differing views showcase the complexities within ethical farming.
Celia Steele
Celia Steele
Credited as the original factory farmer who inadvertently initiated practices that would lead to the modern factory farming model.
C
C
An unnamed animal rights activist who risks personal safety to document conditions in factory farms and whose actions emphasize the importance of raising awareness on animal welfare issues.
Michael Pollan
Michael Pollan
An author whose views on the disconnect between traditional agriculture and industrial agribusiness are discussed, particularly his concept of "table fellowship" in relation to food choices.
341
Book • Nonfiction
2009
Adult
16-18 years
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