This book is eminently readable, with many neat turns of phrase and even puns, but this should not, and above all does not, disguise the fact that it recounts a horrifying story of cruelty and exploitation, with Homo sapiens as the villain. It is the history of the chicken—or more particularly the broiler, from forest to farmyard to bondage—and a sad history it makes.
It tells the story of an animal with endearing traits that used to have a deep relationship with humankind and played a prominent role in our life and literature (Queen Victoria was a particular admirer); they are compact, lightweight, and easy to transport and feed—because of their ability to peck away at the ground. But then in the 20th century, factory farming turned chickens from backyard scratchers to industrial meat products. Never has the chicken been further from humankind. The vast majority of people see chickens...