Chicken: The Dangerous Transformation of America's Favorite Food [Hardcover]

Mr. Steve Striffler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2005 | Series: Yale Agrarian Studies Series

Anthropologist Steve Striffler begins this book in a poultry processing plant, drawing on his own experiences there as a worker. He also reports on the way chickens are raised today and how they are consumed. What he discovers about America’s favorite meat is not just unpleasant but a powerful indictment of our industrial food system. The process of bringing chicken to our dinner tables is unhealthy for all concerned—from farmer to factory worker to consumer.

The book traces the development of the poultry industry since the Second World War, analyzing the impact of such changes as the destruction of the family farm, the processing of chicken into nuggets and patties, and the changing makeup of the industrial labor force. The author describes the lives of immigrant workers and their reception in the small towns where they live. The conclusion is clear: there has to be a better way. Striffler proposes radical but practical change, a plan that promises more humane treatment of chickens, better food for the consumer, and fair payment for food workers and farmers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From a vivid account of working as the "flour boy" breading chicken on the line to a detailed expose of the human rights abuses of "Big Chicken," Striffler's concise text offers a perspective fans of Fast Food Nation will appreciate. Though aimed at a scholarly audience (parts of the book were presented at a conference on chicken at Yale), Striffler's fast-paced narrative, rich with personal detail, will be enjoyed by readers outside of the university setting. Striffler, an associate professor of Anthropology of the University of Arkansas, worked for two summers at a Tyson plant. "Look, we're all Mexican here. Screwed-over Mexicans," explains a co-worker as Striffler eats fried chicken with a group of diverse line workers, many (but not all) of whom emigrated from Mexico to work in processing plants. Rural southern communities have responded to the shifting racial makeup of their towns in often reactionary ways (Siler City, the town where Striffler worked, was the site of a KKK rally in 1999), yet the factory provides both a quasi-family for workers as well as an exploitive work environment. Striffler expands upon the current arguments for organic or sustainable chicken production to include human-friendly chicken with strict production guidelines, but he seems to have just scratched the surface with this slim volume.
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Review

"Striffler presents the first in-depth look at the rise of the chicken industry in late twentieth-century America. The story is vivid, engaging, and—in chapters dealing with Mexican and other immigrant chickenworkers—riveting."—Deborah Fitzgerald, author of Every Farm a Factory

 

(Deborah Fitzgerald )

“A gripping and deeply sobering view of ‘big chicken’ from the bottom up. Striffler’s experience on the (dis)assembly line, his sympathetic grasp of the hopes, dreams, and origins of the workforce, and of the larger history of the industry, make for a uniquely powerful and memorable book.”—James C. Scott, Yale University

(James C. Scott )

"Modern chicken production and consumption is embedded in a fascinating web of political, economic, social, and even psychological factors that need to be described, understood, and questioned. Steve Striffler, combining scholarly analysis with his remarkable brand of participatory research, has produced a masterful book, one I will recommend widely."—Kelly Brownell, Yale University

(Kelly Brownell )

"With gripping prose and clear analysis, Striffler''s Chicken brings workers, growers, consumers, as well as bird together around one big, unhappy table. His treatment of Mexican immigrant workers at Tyson''s, in
particular, is a model of modern-day ethnography."—Leon Fink, editor of Labor: Working-Class History of the Americas 

(Leon Fink )

"Extraordinarily powerful. . . . This book will do for chicken what Fast Food Nation did for beef." — Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

(Marion Nestle )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (October 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300095295
• ISBN-13: 978-0300095296
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,112,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!, January 9, 2006

By 

Jacko (Tulsa, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chicken: The Dangerous Transformation of America's Favorite Food (Hardcover)

Wow! An academic who can write! This is a great book from beginning to end. Striffler actually worked in poultry processing plants and lived to tell about it -- and tell about it he does! He really provides an excellent, if critical, look at not only the industry, but how we raise, cook, eat....food in general. And he is a great writer. It really makes you think.

One other thing. I noticed one reviewer on Amazon was critical of Striffler for caring more about poultry workers than chickens. Uhh? I hope he cares more about people than birds! Is this a bad thing? I am an animal rights activist, and I wish there was more on this subject in the book, but that would be a very different book for a very different audience. This is just not a book about animal rights; it is much broader in perspective. But I found the book to be very informative, and even suggestive for those of us interested in animal rights....because Striffler provides the whole picture. The fact is that most people eat chicken, and will do so for some time -- so the question is how do we make the system better for everyone, including the birds. On this, Striffler is very critical of the industry; his analysis is superb and his ideas suggestive. Let's not lose perspective!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best available book on workers and the meat processing industry, April 2, 2006

By 

Peter F. Rousmaniere (Woodstock VT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chicken: The Dangerous Transformation of America's Favorite Food (Hardcover)

I bought and read Striffler's book to gain a better understanding of the largely immigrant-filled workforce in the meat processing industry. This book more than satisfied me. It serves not only to introduce you to the growth of the chicken industry, but also to describe insightfully immigrant workers' experiences, in any industry.

It is a very timely book given this year's focus on immigration reform. This industry will likely be more affected than any other if any major legislation is enacted.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book, January 6, 2006

By 

Janey (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chicken: The Dangerous Transformation of America's Favorite Food (Hardcover)

This is one of the best books I have read on food. If you liked Fast Food Nation you will love this book. In some ways it is better, in other ways it is just different. Striffler is a wonderful writer and storyteller. The history of the industry, and the rise of so many chicken products, is fascinating. His account of working in a poultry processing plant is incredible -- sad and funny at the same time.

Definitely read this book. It will change the way you think about chicken, food in general, and the immigrant workers who do all the work.

Awesome book!