Jonathan Safran Foer on Eating Animals

The advent of one of America's most meat-centric holidays inspires many vegetarians to reflect on their dietary choices. On Nov. 1, National Public Radio's program All Things Considered aired "For Foer, Meat Is Murder . . . And Worse," an interview with Jonathan Safran Foer, professor and writer-in-residence at New York University's Creative Writing Program, and the author of the novels Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The interview coincided with the release of Safran's third book, Eating Animals, inspired in part by the birth of Safran's first child and his subsequent deliberations about whether to raise his son vegetarian.

Describing the book, the article claims, "Eating Animals isn't just an anti-meat screed, or an impassioned case for vegetarianism. Instead Foer tells a story that is part memoir and part investigative report. And it's a book that takes America's meat-dominated diet to task."

In an excerpt that follows the interview, Foer discusses how adopting a puppy caused him to start thinking differently about animals. The NPR piece makes for an interesting 6-minute listen; the book might make for a good holiday break read.