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46 pages 1 hour read

Ruth Ozeki

My Year of Meats

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1998

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki follows Jane Takagi-Little, a Japanese American documentarian who works on a TV series called My American Wife!, featuring American wives cooking meat-based dishes. Akiko Ueno in Japan is forced by her abusive husband John to engage with the show. Jane's quest for authentic narratives exposes the meat industry’s dark side, leading her to a breakthrough in her career. The novel explores the complexities of the American meat industry, global capitalism, gender dynamics, and artmaking. The book contains graphic depictions of domestic violence and sexual violence.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Ruth Ozeki's My Year of Meats is praised for its sharp, multi-layered narrative and engaging characters, offering a compelling critique of the meat industry and media. Critics commend its blend of humor and serious themes, though some find its pacing uneven. Overall, it’s a thought-provoking read that stimulates both emotional and intellectual engagement.

Who should read this

Who Should Read My Year of Meats?

Readers who appreciate My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki are likely fans of multicultural narratives, social activism, and witty, thought-provoking prose. Similar audiences would enjoy Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible and Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things for their exploration of cultural collisions and personal transformations.

Book Details
Pages

400

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

USA, Japan • 1990s

Theme
Publication Year

1998

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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