Lessons in Chemistry meets Tender is the Flesh... kinda.

This combination of two works offers an interesting exploration. I really enjoyed the two perspectives between Jane and Akiko. It feels like this contrast really breaks up the story and keeps your attention throughout.

The concept of her discovering the truth about the meat industry alongside discussions of pregnancy and creating life is also very engaging. It presents a very interesting contrast.

However, unfortunately at times, it felt like the chapters just gave too much detail. This excess of detail made me lose focus at certain points.

Overall, despite the minor drawback of over-detailing, it is still worth the read. It offers unique perspectives and thought-provoking ideas that make it a worthwhile literary experience.

"I am haunted by all the things— big things and little things, Splendid Things and Squalid Things— that threaten to slip through the cracks, untold, out of history."

You know when you start a book and it speaks to your own experiences or thoughts at a particular point in time? If I had to pick a book to transport me back to the 1990s, My Year of Meats would be it.

The main character, Jane Takagi-Little, is tasked with directing a reality TV show for Japanese television. Her brief has two main features. Firstly, the show is supposed to portray the all-American family. Secondly, since it is sponsored by the beef industry, it needs to have a central focus on foods, predominantly the consumption of quality meat. So, she and her team set out on a journey across America to find the perfect participants for the show.

Soon enough, Jane's disenchantment with the "beef is best" message of the show brings out her creative streak. Instead of pleasing the producer's bigoted expectations of what a typical American family is, she decides to put a dose of reality into "reality tv". "Screw the Beef. Lamb was Lovable, and I had just shot the most mouth-watering show of the season. And with that thought, I unbuckled my seat belt and walked to the lavatory at the back of the plane, closed the flimsy folding door behind me, and vomited into the metal toilet."

Jane sees herself as a "documentarian". Her aspiration is, on one hand, to record the times she lives in like the Japanese writer Shōnagon, and on the other to inspire someone by the results of her work. "Murasaki may not have liked her much, but I admire Shōnagon, listmaker and leaver of presumptuous scatterings. She inspired me to become a documentarian, to speak men’s Japanese, to be different. She is why I chose to make TV. I wanted to think that some girl would watch my shows in Japan, now or maybe even a thousand years from now, and be inspired and learn something real about America. Like I did."

As the story progresses, Jane manages to turn the show into a work of investigative journalism rather than light entertainment. She discovers some aspects of the meat industry that she feels need to be made public - and if this happens in a program paid for by the meat industry even better! "Fed on a media diet of really bad news, we live in a perpetual state of repressed panic. We are paralyzed by bad knowledge, from which the only escape is playing dumb. Ignorance becomes empowering because it enables people to live. Stupidity becomes proactive, a political statement. Our collective norm."

I know, this sounds like My Year of Meats might be one of these books written by a militant vegetarian out on a crusade, but it is actually a pretty well-researched documentary about issues in cattle ranching and the meat industry in general of that particular time.

There is also so much more to the story. The meaty issues are really just a backdrop for Jane's journey of discovery - and self-discovery. And this other aspect presents itself in the form of Akiko. “Weird, huh? How someone just drops into your life like that. I mean, there we were, minding our own business.... What did we do to deserve her?” Akiko is the wife of Jane's producer in Japan. The two have never met, but Akiko has been moved by Jane's documentary series, and, like Jane, she embarks on a journey of examining her life.

"But it was not just fear of his anger or even of getting hit. As she watched the sun set on the vast American landscape—“ Beefland!” the logo proclaimed— she realized that her tears had nothing whatsoever to do with John. These were tears of admiration for the strong women so determined to have their family against all odds. And tears of pity for herself, for the trepidation she felt in place of desire and for the pale, wan sentiment that she let pass for love."

I really enjoyed My Year of Meats. When a book sets out to be challenging but still remains a form of intelligent discourse, full of colourful wit and empathy, what's not to like? And when the book does all of this without trying to manipulate an opinion or draw at your heart strings to evoke a response - yes, looking at you here J.S. Froer - perfect! "I don’t think I can change my future simply by writing a happy ending. That’s too easy and not so interesting. I will certainly do my best to imagine one, but in reality I will just have to wait and see. For now, though, it is January again. Like Shōnagon, I have “set about filling my notebooks with odd facts, stories from the past...,” or at least this past year, and “everything that I have seen and felt is included.” However, unlike Shōnagon, living in the Heian days, for whom modesty, however false, was still a prerequisite, I live at the cusp of the new millennium. Whatever people may think of my book, I will make it public, bring it to light unflinchingly. That is the modern thing to do."

I really liked this book initially.

I was so engrossed that I managed to read the entire 360-page book in just one day.

The first half of the book was truly enjoyable.

Ruth Ozeki's writing is excellent, and she managed to keep the story interesting throughout.

The structure of the chapters, which were based on the months of the year, added a unique touch.

However, the second half of the book took a drastic turn.

It became an indictment of the meat, mainly beef, industry, and it quickly got depressing.

There was also a horrendous wife beater character, who didn't engage in such behavior in the first half.

I simply wasn't prepared for the sudden change in the tone of the book.

While I don't have a problem with criticizing the beef industry, the last half of the book felt more like nonfiction than fiction in many parts.

Moreover, the book jacket synopsis failed to warn me about the dark things that would occur in the second half.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wasn't ready for the switch from an enjoyable read that I was about to rate 5 stars to a book that, perhaps due to Ozeki's plan, had to change drastically in style and tone to a depressing one.

I had previously read Ozeki's "A Tale for the Time Being" and loved everything about it.

The writing in that book seemed to have a greater consistency.

☼ 117/ 100

I have an absolute admiration for Ruth Ozeki's brilliant mind. My Year of Meats was the ideal book to pick up as I persistently obsess over her remarkable body of work.

This captivating multi-POV story predominantly follows two women, Akiko and Jane. Jane, an unemployed Japanese-American documentarian, secures a job producing a Japanese T.V. series titled \\"My American Wife!\\" which centers around the meat industry. Since it is sponsored by an American meat company, Jane embarks on a journey of learning about love, lust, fertility, hormones, and much more during her experience of traveling and producing the show.

Akiko Ueno, on the other hand, is the reluctant wife of the executive who is one of the main creators of \\"My American Wife!\\". Akiko, who suffers from bulimia and endures abuse from her baby-crazy husband, tunes into Jane's T.V. show. She begins creating the featured meals and soon, their parallel lives intersect despite the physical distance separating them.

I truly adored this book and have no negative critiques to offer. However, I did find Jane's POV to be somewhat dull at certain points. Nevertheless, I was completely enthralled by Akiko's point of view, which truly carried the novel for me. I relished the multi-perspective approach and the striking parallels between their respective lives. Although this book contains several humorous moments, there are also numerous serious topics that were at times difficult to read. Overall, I thoroughly enjoy the tone of Ozeki's work and the accessibility of her writing, which makes her books a joy to explore.

4.5 stars.

I can't say that I was overly excited to read this book based on the synopsis. I picked it solely based on the author as I had been meaning to read her for ages. I really thought the book would be dull and hokey.

But I was pleasantly surprised. It's a truly original albeit complex story. Sure, there's a huge neon moral story screaming through the pages, but the delivery was fresh and full of wit, and I thought it was very cleverly written.

The characters are somewhat over exaggerated with plenty of racial stereotyping, but it added to the charm of the book rather than hinder it. The characters really leapt out from the pages, and some of the more memorable characters will undoubtedly stick with me.

It's a book that made me stop and think about what we blindly take for granted. We don't always stop to think about what we eat or how it came to be placed on our plate. I'm sure this book will continue to make me think, and I really love a book that can do that while still entertaining me. It sure delivered more than I ordered.

This book is a hidden gem that I would highly recommend to others. It has a unique charm and a thought-provoking message that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

Don't be put off by the initial impression or the synopsis. Give this book a chance, and you might just be as pleasantly surprised as I was.

I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

This novel outdid Fast Food Nation when Eric Schlosser was still collecting Happy Meals.

Okay, perhaps that statement is a little inaccurate. However, I discovered one of Ozeki's more recent novels today in a thrift store and recalled how much I adored this particular one. I read it a long time ago. To be completely honest, I might still have been in my enthusiastic vegan phase at that time. But I remember it being extremely entertaining. It has a kind of American Cattle Ranch setting with some sort of Japanese element thrown in. I'm aware that this description isn't particularly helpful, but in any case, this novel was really good.

I'll keep you all informed about the newer one once I get around to reading it.

So perhaps I am a bit late to the party, but My Year of Meats is truly an engaging and compelling read.

I really don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this book. It's often the case that when I select a book from a shelf, I don't bother to read anything on the cover or flyleaf. And if I add it to my Goodreads TBR list, it seems to be years before I finally get around to it. Without checking, I don't even know which friend's feed initially caused me to mark it as to-read.

However, putting all of that aside, I am extremely glad that I did read this novel. I found the story and most of the characters to be incredibly "real". There are a couple of major characters that perhaps weren't as fully fleshed out as the others, but that's not really a complaint, just an observation.

If you look at any of the widely available summaries, you'll know that the book centers around a pair of women whose lives intersect via a pseudo-documentary-episodic-commercial TV program called My American Wife. Although the program is filmed in the United States, it is created for and produced by a Japanese advertising agency for broadcast within Japan. Given the considerable difference in the two cultures, the book effectively uses the inevitable misunderstandings and opposing sensibilities as one of its strengths. Having experienced both cultures (albeit very briefly during my trips to Japan), I can attest to the "trueness" of these observations. But don't just take my word for it; the author herself is the living embodiment of both cultures.

The story of meat (beef) production that also weaves through the book is also very real. One doesn't have to rely solely on this fictional work for these facts. The concerns about "Mad Cow Disease", the early onset of puberty (via sex hormone exposure), and the effects of growth hormone on children have been reported in the news multiple times and periodically surface in the 24-hour news cycle. Now, time for a couple of spoilers...

What does all this mean? Should we all become vegetarians or vegans? How did this situation come about? Why does it continue to happen? I can't answer these questions for you. Only you can choose to learn about things that are difficult or uncomfortable and then decide on a course of action. You might consider reducing the amounts of meat you eat, using only organically raised and fed meat, or continuing as you do now. That is your personal decision, but I will say that the demand for inexpensive meat is where the process begins. You, I, and others like us have pushed farming and raising livestock into the agri-business format that consumes or wipes out small family-owned concerns, even though we decry the effect when we become aware of it. I'm not pointing fingers, as I am just as guilty of this as anyone. I just happen to eat less beef and other meats in my average diet, but that's not due to some grand idealistic or my-body-as-a-temple attitude.

Another major (but related) theme in the book is the use of chemicals and medicines on humans even when the effects are unproven (or to be more charitable, unknown). The synthetic hormone DES (Diethylstilbestrol) ties back into the meat industry storyline because it was used to accelerate the maturing and fattening of beef cattle. In humans, it was used in pregnant women (supposedly to help bring babies to term) and until the late 70's for the treatment of breast cancer (pre-tamoxifen). As the story progresses, we learn that our American protagonist is a DES baby. (The term is used for children who were in utero during the course of treatment.) Like Mad Cow Disease, DES and its effects on female embryos have been in the news many times. Now, for spoiler number two...

My mother had two children, myself (a boy) and my sister, without any problems. But a third pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage. So, for her fourth pregnancy, she took DES, and thus, my youngest sister is a DES baby. This means that she has the uterine and cervical issues commonly found in DES females, and so far, she seems to have avoided the later-life risks of cancer, but we won't know for sure until it either happens or she dies of old age.

Was my mother just some mindless, naïve housewife? Well, yes and no. She was an RN who worked in a metropolitan hospital as an OR "scrub" nurse. Her colleagues were RNs and MDs who were practicing the best medicine they knew how. I don't know who her GI and Obstetrician were back then. Were they good, competent doctors? Were they bamboozled by the drug companies? Or did they just read the reports of other doctors without going back to earlier research showing the dangers of these steroids? I don't know, and the damage was done long before the first human babies were found to have these problems.

What ties all of this together are the stories and anecdotes of running around the US and filming the families who star in My American Wife. Throw in a little home life for the women, some subversive attitudes (including a lovely couple in Northampton, Mass.), and a love interest, and you have a fully-formed novel of superior writing and sensibility. I have no idea how other people have ranked this book, but if you can stomach some non-Al Gore unpleasant truths, this is a book you should definitely read. A full Four (4.0) Stars.

A Provocative Novel That Will Make You Think about What's on Your Plate

This novel is truly a thought-provoking piece that delves deep into the realm of what we consume. It challenges our perceptions and forces us to consider the implications of the food choices we make. Through its engaging narrative and well-developed characters, it takes us on a journey that makes us question the source, quality, and ethics behind our meals.

The author presents a vivid and detailed picture of the food industry, highlighting its flaws and the hidden truths that often go unnoticed. As we read, we are confronted with the harsh realities of mass production, factory farming, and the use of artificial additives and preservatives. This not only makes us more conscious of what we put into our bodies but also makes us think about the impact our choices have on the environment and the lives of those involved in the food production process.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for anyone who is interested in food, health, and the future of our planet. It will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the importance of making informed decisions about what's on your plate.

Full disclosure: I stopped reading "My Year of Meats" about 100 pages shy of the end.

It had come highly recommended by many friends, which led me to have extremely high expectations. The book started off strongly, with an engaging premise and interesting characters. However, as I continued reading, it gradually devolved into a depressing and transparent disaster.

The author, Ozeki, seemed to feel the need to hit me over the head with her message, which I found rather insulting. With the exception of the main character, Jane Tagaki-Little, everyone else fell neatly into obvious stereotypes. And, despite not having finished the novel, I'm almost certain that I could predict exactly what was going to happen.

Most troublesome was the almost insulting degree of submissiveness exhibited by Akiko, the Japanese wife. I also couldn't help but roll my eyes at how astonishingly knowledgeable certain characters were about the cattle industry and how quickly they revealed all the details, leading inevitably to the conclusion that meat is VERY, VERY bad. It all felt a bit too contrived and one-sided for my taste.

A book that delves deep into the lives of WOMEN, exploring the themes of wives, birth, and fertility.

I was truly captivated by the way it was written. The author skillfully intertwined numerous little stories, creating a rich and engaging narrative.

Ozeki's writing style is nothing short of remarkable. It has a certain charm and authenticity that draws the reader in and keeps them hooked until the very end.

I must admit that "A Tale for the Time Being" will always hold a special place in my heart as my favorite, but this book was also truly fantastic.

On a completely different note, I've been considering going vegetarian! Hah. It's something that has been on my mind lately, and I think it could be a healthy and sustainable choice for me.

Who knows, maybe this book about women and their life experiences has inspired me to make some positive changes in my own life as well.

Only time will tell if I actually follow through with this decision, but for now, I'm excited about the possibility.

I really, really enjoyed this one!!!

I didn't expect it to take this direction. In fact, it kind of read like a thriller to be honest!

The plot's premise gave it a somewhat whimsical feel, yet at the same time, it was also very grounded and human. If that makes sense.

Ruth Ozeki has done it again! Her writing is so engaging and captivating.

The way she weaves the story together, with its unexpected twists and turns, keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to become invested in their lives and struggles.

Overall, this is a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique and exciting story.

Whether you're a fan of thrillers or just looking for something different, this book has something for everyone.

I can't wait to see what Ruth Ozeki comes up with next!

From the very beginning, as I delved into the first few chapters of the book, I had this anticipation of a light and perhaps even trendy hipster-ish satire.

However, as I continued to read on, I was rather surprised to discover that I had unknowingly stepped into a much heavier and more horrific version of that same hipster-ish satire. Thanks a lot for that unexpected bait-and-switch, Ruth!

All in all, though, I have to admit that I quite enjoyed this book. It has so many interesting elements. The farcical setup immediately grabs your attention and keeps you engaged. The mockumentary style gives it a unique and realistic feel. The characters are well-rendered, each with their own distinct personalities.

The mixed-race protagonist adds an extra layer of complexity and interest. The liberal references to Shonagon's Pillow Book add a touch of literary depth. The back-and-forth between the US and Japan provides a rich cultural backdrop. And the observant prose is truly a delight to read.

It's got a little bit of everything, really. It may seem somewhat chaotic at times, but somehow it all manages to hang together beautifully. In fact, I feel like this book could have been a great read for my anthropology class, as it offers so many insights into different cultures and social phenomena.