Eating Animals Summary

Summary of Eating Animals Book by Jonathan Safran Foer

Name: Eating Animals
Rating: 4.7 (2727 reviews)
Author: Jonathan Safran Foer

4.7 . 2727 reviews

Short summary

Have you ever thought about becoming a vegetarian or even vegan? Maybe you wondered how meat production is sustained nowadays? Eating Animals is an extensive research piece about factory farming conducted by Jonathan Safran Foer, a best-selling American author who also wrote Everything is Illuminated, which was acknowledged as a Book of the Year by the Los Angeles Times. Vegetarianism is a complex lifestyle that requires commitment and a clear understanding of why a person wants to avoid eating meat. This book provides numerous insights into the culture of meat consumption. It helps to comprehend why more and more people become vegetarians and how modern farmers treat animals. Shocking, disturbing, and raising concerns, Eating Animals transforms us into people who make their choices consciously. Are you ready to face animals' reality without any sugar-coating? “We need a way that brings meat to the center of public discussion in the same way it is often at the center of our plates.” ~ Jonathan Safran Foer

14 min

7 key points

6 insights

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Table of content

Summary of Eating Animals
About the author
What is Eating Animals about?
Who should read Eating Animals
Topics in Eating Animals

first key point

Grandmother’s chicken and author’s vegetarianism

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The author's relationship with food was established by his family members, especially by his grandmother. She used to cook only one meal—chicken with carrots, but as kids, Jonathan and his brother Frank thought she was the greatest chef in the world. She survived World War II, and her attitude toward food was nothing like in the modern world. For Foer's grandmother, unhealthy products didn't exist. She thought the fatter the children, the healthier they were and even insisted that they drank Coca-Cola. Food was about dread, religion, and love for her.

Our perception of food depends on the circumstances we faced in the past. For some people, food is sacred, while others can easily throw it away without any regret.

There was a time when the Foer brothers were having dinner with their vegetarian babysitter. They asked why she didn't eat the chicken served that day. She replied that she didn't want to hurt any living being. That's when the author realized that a chicken could feel pain like a human. He became a vegetarian for a few years, but slowly this mindset faded away. He ended up pretending that he was a vegetarian at school while consuming meat at home. He continued eating meat in college, and the reason was that it tasted great to him.

When Foer met his future wife, they had one core common point—they were both caught in a loop of being vegetarians but ending up eating meat. After getting married, they made a promise to be vegetarians and, again, they couldn't do it. But when Foer's son was born, he realized that he had a chance to make a difference, at least for this little person. When we grow up, our parents teach us the rules of eating food. For example, we don't eat soup for breakfast (what a ridiculous rule), and we can eat chicken but definitely not parrots (tell this to hawks). And these rules influence our personalities a lot.

Reading Eating Animals will help you understand more about your eating habits and food culture in your family. You are going to plunge into the world where animals live. The journey will be disillusioning since some facts reveal the shameful behavior of people growing animals for food. You will more likely have an urge to become a vegetarian and help animals in other ways, which is good because they need human support now more than ever.

second key point

Owning a pet reveals that each animal has a personality

What about our attitudes towards animals? It is also transmitted from our parents to us and then to our kids, and so on. Foer's grandmother and mother feared dogs, and the author took a leaf from them. He freaked out every time a dog would run in the park or even into his friends' houses. Naturally, he didn't even consider himself as a person who would one day adopt a dog. But then he saw George, his future beloved puppy who was sleeping on Seventh Avenue. At first, he couldn't even feed her from the palm. Later, Foer even let the dog lick his face. From then on, he was a typical dog lover who would go crazy when seeing a wagging tail.

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third key point

Inspiration to research meat production

fourth key point

Breaking into the farm and what secrets it keeps

fifth key point

The danger of pandemics caused by farming

sixth key point

More cruelty and commitment to vegetarianism

seventh key point

Conclusion

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What is Eating Animals about?

In this thought-provoking book, the author delves into the complex and often hidden world of factory farming and its impact on our food choices. Through personal anecdotes, investigative journalism, and philosophical reflections, he challenges readers to confront the ethical, environmental, and health implications of consuming animals. With a blend of compassion and critical analysis, "Eating Animals" invites us to reevaluate our relationship with food and consider the consequences of our dietary decisions.

Who should read Eating Animals

Individuals interested in understanding the ethical implications of consuming animal products.
Environmentalists seeking to explore the impact of factory farming on the planet.
Those looking to make informed choices about their dietary habits.

Topics in Eating Animals

Animals Food Ethics Sustainability Agriculture Vegan Environmentalism Health Nutrition Farming Animal Welfare Food Industry

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