After noting a review in the March 7 TIME Magazine of Marta Zaraska's recent book Meathooked, I went to Google to see what other people might be saying about it, 'cause it sure sounded like baloney to me.

She is purportedly a science journalist. However, one reviewer severely criticizes her sloppy use of references, and the many times she says "according to studies...." We sorta know that kind of talk around here. One reviewer declares her approach "free of preconceived bias." However, it's pretty clear to others that she's heavily swayed by anti-meat arguments put forward by PETA, the average vegan, and run-of-the-mill environmentalists. Not to mention the "meat will clog your heart and kill you" school of nutrition.

One the one hand, according to the TIME article, Zaraska theorizes that pre-humans were forced to turn from their vegetable-eating ways by climate change on the savanna. Eating the zebra scraps left behind by lions, or some such thing, eventually caused their brains to grow. They got smart, became human, and moved to other places on the globe where they could eat all kinds of meat. With me so far? The article goes on to summarize: "Today most people don't need meat to survive; there are plenty of nutrient-rich, plant-based foods available. But our taste buds, Zaraska writes,'obviously didn't get the memo.'"

I think it sounds like Zaraska has reduced her brain capacity closer to the level of those early not-yet-humans by not eating enough meat. I think I'll skip this book. But she'll probably sell a lot of copies anyway. As one reviewer suggests, she's got her radar on the zeitgeist.

P. S. Curiosity prompted me to check this book out of the library. I've now waded through the whole thing. My thoughts are continued in my Journal, if anyone's interested.