Carnivore Chic, by Susan Bourette

This book was crazily hyped, at least it seemed so to me. I heard them talking about it on the radio, and I saw a pile of signed copies at Chapters. I like reading about food, and I like meat, so I thought I'd check it out. 

Susan Bourette used to write for the Globe and Mail, and I think she is probably very good at writing articles, but maybe that doesn't transfer over to book writing. This felt like it would have been better as a series of feature articles. It was very disjointed, and she spent a very long time writing about what she was trying to accomplish with the book. It's the third chapter, honey, haven't we started? And there was a lot of Carrie Bradshaw-esque "which lead me to wonder..."

But it was her whole "skinny little lady tries real hard to make it in the big meat-eating leagues, despite everyone looking at her because she's so skinny and a lady" thing that really annoyed me. Time and time again, she repeated it. Here: 

p. 2 " 'It's the smell,' I respond weakly. And then, with all the bravado I can muster: 'I'll get used to it.' "

p.30 "I'm jittery. Trying to prove I can make the cut and graduate from chicken breasts to pork chops."

p. 50 "I feign excitement, forcing a smile..."

p. 95 "The conversation grinds to a halt. Two dozen eyeballs are upon me...I'm a target."

p. 99 "I'm overcompensating, determined to prove myself in this bastion of machismo."

Okay. I had a few more good ones, but I think that last sentence pretty aptly sums up the whole book. Skip it and get a Michael Pollan one instead.