Discover the remarkable journey of chicken, the world's most consumed animal protein. Renowned historian Paul Josephson uncovers the multifaceted story of how this beloved bird transformed from a simple backyard fowl to an essential part of diets across the globe. From Beijing to Barcelona, chicken's rise to prominence is influenced by cultural, economic, and environmental factors that shape our eating habits today. In this insightful exploration, you'll learn about the history of chicken farming, the evolution of chicken breeds, and the impact of industrial practices on animal welfare and the environment. Although chickens are compact and easy to raise, they come with complex social and ecological implications. With over 252 pages of research and analysis, this book reveals the hidden costs of our chicken consumption—a call to reflect on our culinary choices and their consequences. Enjoy this new, brand-new edition published by John Wiley & Sons in 2020, offering a thorough examination of our obsession with chicken meat. Whether you're an avid reader interested in food history or looking for sustainable eating practices, this book caters to your curiosity. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781509525911
Year: 2020
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (UK)
Pages: 252


Description:


Why has the chicken become the meat par excellence, the most plentifully eaten and popular animal protein in the world, consumed from Beijing to Barcelona? As renowned historian Paul Josephson shows, the story of the chicken's rise involves a whole host of factors; from art, to nineteenth-century migration patterns to cold-war geopolitics. And whereas sheep needed too much space, or the cow was difficult to transport, these compact, lightweight birds produced relatively little waste, were easy to transport and could happily peck away in any urban back garden.


Josephson tells this story from all sides: the transformation of the chicken from backyard scratcher to hyper-efficient industrial meat-product has been achieved due to the skill of entrepreneurs who first recognized the possibilities of chicken meat and the gene scientists who bred the plumpest and most fertile birds. But it has also been forced through by ruthless capitalists and lobbyists for śbig farmerť, at the expense of animal welfare and the environment. With no sign of our lust for chicken abating, we're now reaching a crisis point: billions of birds are slaughtered every year, after having lived lives that are nasty, brutish and short. The waste from these victims is polluting rivers and poisoning animalsWe™re now plunging śegg-firstť into environmental disaster.


Alongside this story Josephson tells another, of an animal with endearing characteristics who, arguably, can lay claim to being man™s best friend long before the dog reared its snout or the cat came in from the cold. Lionized in medieval romances and modern c