Nominate Someone in Need
What's Wrong with These Photos?
Win an African Safari!
Bad Paid-For Photos
Books Ellen Reads •
Thursday, October 22, 2009 • 10:41 AM • 
'Eating Animals' by Jonathan Safran Foer RT @TheEllenShow
Jonathan Safran Foer reflects on his past dietary decisions and investigates the fictions we use to justify our eating habits. He combines philosophy, literature, science, memoir and detective work to create a compelling book.
After Jonathan Safran Foer's appearance on the show this week, he sent me a sweet thank-you note, and this link. If you found him as compelling as I do, please check it out. Thanks.
I just finished reading "Eating Animals" and am on my way to becoming a vegetarian...maybe even vegan, but one step at a time. Thank you Ellen for bringing this book to my attention. I am one of those people that does not like to hear about any type of animal suffering so it was difficult for me to get through this book. I had also been one of those that "did not want to know", but I have decided that I cannot ignore this and am choosing to take a stand by no longer eating animals. I hope that many others choose to do the same. Thanks again!
Greetings I just finished reading your blog and I am rather impressed. I do have a couple of questions for you personally though. Are you currently intending on doing a follow-up posting on this? Will you be likely to keep posting as well? Furthermore if you get a chance would you rate my personal acai pure web site whenever you have a chance?
I just finished reading Eating Animals. Thank you Jonathan for writing this book and thank you Ellen for bringing it to our attention. 1 - I could never put a piece of meat in my mouth again. I have been having trouble sleeping due to the images of cruelty in my head. Jonathan educated me to realize that this is not just about animal welfare.
He said in his book "to throw your hands in the air is to wrap your fingers around a knife handle." I agree. What can I do as an idividual to make a difference?
Thank you again - this has helped me to realize that I CAN live my true values. Thank you!!
Saw this on your show and new it was time. Just purchased the book and am getting ready to transition over to vegan. I love animals, have 3 dogs and two cats and if I had to hunt for my food I'd never eat meat. It's hypocritical of me to eat meat that is neatly packaged. It's time to stop up to the plate. This book is amazing..just started it but I'm very ready and excited about this new phase in my eating life...thank you for having this on your show.
Thanks you so much for having Jonathan Safran on the show. I think he is one of the most level headed and factual voices around today on the issue of farming.
To those farmers who were offended. If you read the book, you'll see that he actually goes out of his way to point out the difference between factory farms and family run farms. He prints detailed interviews with intelligent and humane farmers and is very clear that there are well run family farms out there. He also points out though that because of the direction the meat industry is headed, more and more well run family farms are being put out of business. He also points out that typically cattle have pretty decent lives, the issue with cattle is their deaths in the slaughter houses and those slaughter houses are so abominable that (in my opinion) they should not be allowed to operate.
I think it's hypocrytical of all of you farmers (who I applaud you all who are doing it right) say do your research - but none of you have read the book.
For all of you farmers who posted that you were offended by Jonathan Safran Foer's appearance on the show, you should read his book.
He supports farmers who are doing it like you, the right way. He doesn't say, 'don't drink milk'. He is totally against factory farming - not you, actual farmers. I didn't see any posts from representatives of factory farms defending themselves - and no, I dont' think it's because they are not good at it.
This book is great - and it actually encouraged my family to seek out and find family farmers who raise their animals with pride, and to our dismay there are not any around here. Our options are the horific factory farms meat at our grocery store. In fact, 2 of the largest poultry factory farms are near by our home in Virginia. Yuck.
In the March issue of the magazine "5280" - Denver's magazine - there is an article about a rancher in Colorado that raises his cattle naturally. The cattle roam free on his 30,000 acres and eat native grass. His herd does not get antibiotics or hormones.He bans hunting on his ranch so pronghorn antelope, coyotes and praire dogs roam freely. The cattle rarely see humans. This rancher supplies meat to places like Vitamin Cottage and restaurants. If I ate beef, which I don't, that would be where I would want to get my beef from.
I was very disappointed in your show today w/ Jonathan Foer. He sounds like a kook that needed some money so he wrote a book. It's people like him and people that support PETA and HSUS that have no clue as to what is going on. I really get tired of people putting down farmers and ranchers and they don't have there info right. It would be refreshing if some one would present their side. Anyway you lost a HUGE fan today!
Watch "Food, Inc." Read Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma." These go beyond the humane treatment of animals; it's the inhumane, systematic approach to abusing livestock in an effort to cheaply produce large masses of food-like substances -- and yes, including substances that started out as actual food (beef, poultry, dairy) -- that is outrageous anymore. "Eating Animals" looks at one topic but it overlaps those raised by Michael Pollan and others in Food, Inc. As a nation we have got to demand better for the health of our families and the treatment of our animals. There is a circle of life but what is going on today is horrifying!
Although I haven't had a chance yet to read the book, the message I received from watching the show was know where your food comes from. If your choose to eat meat be sure the chickens are free range, the cattle are raised by farmers who care and treat them humanely. I didn't hear I should be vegan or vegetarian, just compassionate and aware, demanding the humane treatment of farm animals. They are after all living creatures not a product.
After listening to your guest, I went out and bought his book. I've often thought I didn't need meat in my diet and after hearing what he said I wanted to do some research on my own to make my own intellegent, informed decisions. I'm only 1/2 way through the book and will not ever purchase milk, dairy or meat again. I want my grandchildren to be proud of the decisions that I'm making right now for their future. That's it! I'm done with it. In case anyone wants great recipes there are millions you can google. Thanks for having him on your show.
Hi Ellen, I was so disappointed by your guest and his book. My husband (third generation beef rancher)and I find these comments are hard to hear. As the Beef Industry has been struggling for some time. These comments form opinions that for the most part are not true and give all beef producers a bad name. We take pride in the quality of our product. The beef are raised with utmost care. This is our living. We also take great care in producing the most natural product possible. They are out on range from May to end of October, and are moved around by cowboys on horseback. For the winter they are fed hay that we put up ourselves, on the fields we raised their hay on. Beef Ranchers in our area all do basically the same. Thought you would like to know this.Thank you.
Janet Hunter
I can understand the uproar from cattle farmers who do actually treat their animals respectively. I think there are many farms that do not raise their animals in the way that was described, which is why the author of that book only talked briefly about these farms. The majority of what he was saying raises some valid points about where we are getting our meat from, and no person can deny that all those antibiotics are harmful to us and our children. I also understand that many veggies are also genetically being changed and farmed, and wonder how much better these fruits and veggies are for us? The food we buy in the grocery store be it meat or veggies can be toxic for us. Best bet people, know for sure where your food is coming from and how it is being raised and or grown.
After watching Food Inc. I became completely vegetarian in the last few months. It is not as hard as I thought it would be. I am working on giving up the milk products and eggs but that is a tough one for me. I read Foer's book and I literally cried. What people are doing is outrageous and something needs to change. I wish I could help in some other way but I don't know where to start. I just cant understand how a lot of people just don't care about the crap (literally speaking) they are putting into their bodies. Sometimes I believe people are so greedy and don't appreciate life (theirs or the animals)
I have been vegan for one year now. I made the change out of concern for the animals and our cruelty to them. Now I benefit more than I ever thought possible. I have never felt better! I have much more energy, better sleep, more mental clarity and many other benefits. I do not miss eating animals/dairy/eggs at all! You definitely don't need these products to survive. You will THRIVE on a plant based diet.
Thanks Ellen for having the discussion on your show.
Share
Comments (41) | Post a comment now »
purchaseat cheap rate
Posted by altemeWardore | May 27, 2011 5:01 PM