Book Discussion: The Way We Eat

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

 

A couple of years ago, some South Bay Veggie-ers participated in a reading

discussion group concerning " Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of

Animals, and the Call to Mercy " by Michael Scully, a former speechwriter for

President Bush.

I found our discussions fun and stimulating, so I'd like to do it again with

another newly published book that has specific relevance to our common

interest of vegetarianism. Book details follow:

 

**************

The Way We Eat , by Peter Singer and Jim Mason

 

A thought provoking look at how what we eat profoundly affects all living

things and how we can make more ethical food choices. Peter Singer, the

groundbreaking ethicist who " may be the most controversial philosopher alive "

(The New

Yorker), now sets his critical sights on the food we buy and eat: where it

comes from, how it's produced, and whether it was raised humanely. Teaming up

once again with attorney Jim Mason, his coauthor on the acclaimed Animal

Factories, Singer explores the impact our food choices have on humans, animals,

and

the environment.

 

In The Way We Eat, Singer and Mason examine the eating habits of three

American families with very different diets. They track down the sources of each

family's food to probe the ethical issues involved in its production and

marketing. What kinds of meat are the most humane to eat? Is " organic " always

better?

Wild fish or farmed? Recognizing that not all of us will become vegetarians,

Singer and Mason offer ways to make the best food choices. As they point out:

" You can be ethical without being fanatical. "

 

Peter Singer, is the author of Animal Liberation and coauthor of Animal

Factories, is one of the highest-profile writers on ethics today, regularly

drawing

fire for his views on such hot-button issues as abortion, euthanasia, war,

and animal rights. Born in Australia, he has taught at Princeton University

since 1999.

 

Jim Mason, is the author of An Unnatural Order and coauthor of Animal

Factories. He is also an attorney and the fifth generation of a Missouri farming

family.

 

********

My idea is to ask those interested in participating to obtain and read the

book, and then have a one-time discussion meeting on Sunday, October 15, at a

public place such as a coffeehouse, geography to be determined by the

convenience of those participating.

 

Please e-mail me if you're interested in participating in this book

discussion, and if you have any questions for me.

 

Thanks.

 

Peace,

 

Sarah