Josh Berson, The Meat Question: Animals, Humans, and the Deep History of Food, (Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2019), 320.
- Zuhal Su Çoban
- Apr 30
- 2 min read

"The Meat Question: Animals, Humans, and the Deep History of Food" was written by Josh Berson and published in 2019, so it can be considered a recent book. It was published by the MIT Press and is 320 pages long.
The book is divided into eight main chapters, each containing several subsections. Its title perfectly encapsulates its main argument. The book examines the history of meat, particularly delving into the deep history in the initial chapters. It takes readers on a journey to the beginning of humanity, exploring the environment in which humans began developing their cognitive abilities during paleohistorical times. The first few chapters explain the theoretical aspects using advanced terminology, which may distance the book from the reader. However, the book provides numerous examples and creates scenarios to help readers better understand the content and make the reading process smoother.
Berson initially adopts a distant perspective when discussing human and non-human animals in the beginning of the book. However, as the book progresses, he takes a more genuine approach and attempts to align himself with the non-human animals while striving to maintain objectivity in his portrayal of humans and their communities, to which he also belongs. The book's use of reader-friendly language and its consistent justification of its statements make it a compelling read. It delves into crucial aspects of human and non-human animal relationships, aiming to convey a message about the meat industry, as suggested by the title. Therefore, it is certainly worth reading to gain a better understanding of the meat industry and the historical dynamics of human-animal relations.