Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

A thought-provoking look at how what we eat profoundly effects all living things and the environment—and how we can make healthful, more humane food choices.

Average Customer Rating:

Good book for meat eaters and vegetarians.

Customer Rating:

I bought this book a few weeks ago and really enjoyed reading it. I think it was thought-provoking. I really liked the way the authors looked at what the families purchased and then discussed the items and their origins. I think that helps the average person to relate to the information. I highly recommend the book to all people that care and are curious about where their food comes from and if there are ethical implications that they should consider before making the purchase (e.g., environmental considerations, animal concerns, etc.). Two thumbs up for this book!

Objective and non-preachy

Customer Rating:

Throughly researched, this book provides an insightful and provocative look into the ethical/environmental concerns revolving around our meat eating culture. What Singer and Mason are able to avoid is taking on a holier-than-thou tone, while they come to the sensible conclusion that a vegan lifestyle is preferable to an omnivorous one. However, they also investigate the truth behind food labels, and the issues of organic and local food. Very thoughtful, and hopefully this book will instigate further change in people who wish to make a positive change for the sake of the world.

Only read if you care about yourself or the world around you

Customer Rating:

This book offers a very thought-provoking view into the world of food. Forget restaurant hygiene and other crazes, this book portrays the alarming state of the food industry as it operates in the USA today (with a slight glimpse into Europe as well). The authors do a very good job at presenting facts and issues surrounding the ethics (obviously) of the food industry, with a focus on farming. Unlike many other similar discussions, I felt the authors' approach was very easy to read (or digest, heh), with a seemingly open-minded view on the world. Since finishing the read, I have altered my personal food buying decisions. I'm not perfect by any means, but I feel learning about the "what goes on behind closed doors" has helped me find a new appreciation for awareness and conscientiousness about food. I've given up some foods entirely, and am doing much more research in my buying decisions. I appreciate the education the book provided me, and already feel like a better person for the decisions it's helped me made. Note: I'm an omnivore, and I *love* steaks. I'm just a bit more thoughtful than I was before about them.

Everyone should read this	Customer Rating:
This is a superb book. Everyone should read this to know what they are truly consuming and how it effects our planet and its inhabitants. It's time that we are aware of the consequences of our food choices so that we may hopefully make better choices and decrease our impact on the planet.

A great book on a broad range of subjects	Customer Rating:
I really thought this was a great book. It is well written (believe it or not it is a "page turner") and it covers a broad range of topics in an open minded and sober manner. It deals with ethical, envirnomental and economic political side of what we eat, as well as other topics and uses a narrative thread following 3 different families with different lifestyles. I got a lot out of it.