Meatonomics: How the Rigged Economics of Meat and Dairy Make You Consume Too Much―and How to Eat Better, Live Longer, and Spend Smarter (Men Birthday Gift, for Readers of Comfortably Unaware)

Worth every single penny. I got a supposedly 'used' book but it looks brand new. Very informative and well written.

Full of interesting info. Perfect for people who want to wake up and stop pretending killing animals is ok

I wish stuff like this was more widely available to the public. This is an important read and unfortunately not enough people are going to read this.

eye opening, and about time somebody said it - we eat way too much meat!

I want to start by saying that I was an omnivore for most of my life. I was born and raised in the US Heartland. (Iowa, to be specific.) For a long time I thought the issue of eating meat was simply an issue of ethics and morals. Consequently, I had no problem consuming meat and dairy because, in principle, it seemed entirely ethical. And I thought, incorrectly, that the industrialized reality of the industry was much, much smaller than the 99 percent it actually is. I personally know small families that have their own cows, chickens, and hogs. It can't be that bad, can it? Man, I have never been so wrong and had my moral core so shattered than when I stumbled upon the truth. "Stumbled" is the perfect word in this instance. Like a growing number of people lately, I've been trying to keep myself informed on whatever I can. This has been a burgeoning effort on my part in recent years because, like many Americans, I find myself becoming more and more disillusioned with my government's ability to actually govern effectively. Then, in a surprising turn some several months back, I found myself falling over article after article and study after study about the catastrophically terrible model of the meat and dairy industries. It seems this is true the world over, but the US is on an entirely other level of corrupt, so bad that it must be put in a category all its own. After a couple of months of finding nothing but heart-wrenching data about how bad this industry is, I decided that I would no longer participate, at least on the retail side. (Unfortunately, my tax dollars still go to this government-sponsored disaster.) I no longer consume meat or dairy, and while I don't aggressively encourage others to do so, I have tried to inform those who ask (people who have known me all my life and would thus notice such a drastic change) and have certainly reaped some immediate benefits, including lowering my food expenditure and improving my health. The reason I mention any of this is because Meatonomics serves as a very handy, one-stop shop when it comes to this issue. Simon, a lawyer, is incredibly thorough in his findings and provides a bevy of sources that would make an encyclopedia blush. It was exactly the thing I was looking for to bring everything together. It no doubt took a great effort to write, and I will be sharing it with everyone I know since it serves as the succinct catalog of information that I had been looking for. The good news is that, as stark as the situation is currently, we CAN change it, and Simon does a good job outlining alternatives and what you can do. This is a book that every American should have to read. Don't be afraid of your ignorance, and don't be afraid of Big Business that tries to jam consumerism down your throat; this book is well worth your time. I only wish I had come across something like this years ago.

The meat, dairy and egg industries do not want you to read this book. Nor does the government. And the reason is clear: Many of the carefully documented revelations in Meatonomics are truly shocking. We have been badly betrayed by many of those we elected to represent our interests. For example, while the government recommends we eat less saturated fat and cholesterol, it subsidizes mightily the very products which contain them. Not only does it subsidize the meat (including fish), dairy and egg industries, it actively promotes these cruelly produced and harmful products. In his book, David Simon details the corporate influence of the meat, dairy and egg industries on public policy. Truly, we have "the best democracy money can buy." The books and websites of vegan physicians such as John Mcdougall, have educated us about the horrendous damage to our health caused by animal products. From PETA, Mercy for Animals and other organizations, we have learned about the horrible suffering inflicted on farm animals. Authors John Robbins and Richard Oppenlander have made clear the massive environmental and climate damage resulting from animal product consumption. And author Will Tuttle made us aware of the spiritual damage caused by our tragic and disrespectful relationship to the billions of animals slaughtered yearly to be eaten. It was not until I read Meatonomics that I truly understood the economic consequences of our meat-centric diet. This book is highly readable, elucidating and well-documented. It is also a disturbing and infuriating read. Don't miss it.

Everyone needs to read this book to understand the full impact of continuing to consume animal products.