THE MODERN SAVAGE

McWilliams (History/Texas State Univ.; The Pecan: A History of America’s Native Nut, 2013, etc.) takes issue with the locavore movement, which preaches compassionate care of farm animals on nonindustrial farms but slaughters those animals in the end.

As a vocal animal rights advocate, the author responds to recent books by Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman and Jonathan Safran Foer, introducing readers to the “omnivore’s contradiction”—caring enough about animals raised for meat to offer them a more natural environment in which to live but, of course, ultimately killing them for food. He argues that the food reform movement is based “on an intellectually dishonest foundation” and notes how “[t]houghtful observation strongly suggests that animals exhibit powerful and recognizable emotional responses to a range of experiences.” In several chapters, McWilliams transcribes comments and stories from online forums, blogs and posts to further his arguments, quoting others on slaughter and backyard butchery, as well as on raising chicken, beef and pork on small, nonindustrial farms. By all indications, McWilliams did not interview these farmers, and in many cases, he only identifies them by their online names. While small-scale agriculture aspires to give animals a better life, the author points out the occurrence of higher rates of disease than on nonindustrial farms. He critiques many of the claims of small-scale agriculture—e.g., that its animals are healthier, their impact is low, and they are offered a more natural environment and humane treatment. However, the author does not fully condemn small-scale agriculture; rather, he sees it as a necessary steppingstone for many people to eventually cease the eating of animals and adopt a plant-based diet.

While McWilliams offers convincing arguments for animal rights, they are undermined by the extensive quotes, which become tiresome and offer little useful context.