Looking Back at _The Way We Eat_

[Sara]

I just finished reading the introduction of our next book, _Rain
Without Thunder_, and I was struck by this quote from Tom Regan:
Philosophy can lead the mind to water but only emotion can make it
drink. This quote aptly sums up my feelings about _The Way We Eat_.
Singer and Mason do an excellent job of compiling data and arguments
for different dietary choices but their writing does little to
stimulate the more primal aspects of human decision making such as
emotion and spiriutality. As such the book comes across as more of a
compendium of information rather than a convincing plea for cruelty-
free living. I understand reasons why Singer and Mason may have
intentionally chosen this approach, which implies a great respect for
the reader and his ability to make his own decisions. At the same
time, the tone of book comes across as almost insincere because one
can only imagine that the authors' own personal choices are not
entirely intellectual.

This book can be contrasted with _The Omnivore's Dilemma_, which
relies on beautiful prose and emotional manipulation to make its case
for a "humane" omnivorous diet. It's section on the status of corn
agriculture in the United States is perhaps not as arduously
researched as _The Way We Eat_, but has had much more of an impact on
American diets. Of course marketing aided its conquest of American
bookstores, but Pollan's exceptional writing and his ability to make a
story about corn a national call to action played no small part. It's
unfortunate that Singer and Mason weren't able to make their book
similarly attractive to the reading public or else the Farm Bill
debates might now center around animal agriculture rather than corn
subsidies.