Red Meat Republic - (Histories of Economic Life) by Joshua Specht

About the Book

"By the late nineteenth century, Americans rich and poor had come to expect high-quality fresh beef with almost every meal. Beef production in the United States had gone from small-scale, localized operations to a highly centralized industry spanning the country, with cattle bred on ranches in the rural West, slaughtered in Chicago, and consumed in the nation's rapidly growing cities. Red Meat Republic tells the remarkable story of the violent conflict over who would reap the benefits of this new industry and who would bear its heavy costs"--

Book Synopsis

How beef conquered America and gave rise to the modern industrial food system

By the late nineteenth century, Americans rich and poor had come to expect high-quality fresh beef with almost every meal. Beef production in the United States had gone from small-scale, localized operations to a highly centralized industry spanning the country. This book tells the remarkable story of the violent conflict over who would reap the benefits of this new industry and who would bear its heavy costs. Joshua Specht brings to life a turbulent era marked by Indian wars, Chicago labor unrest, and food riots in the streets of New York. A compelling and unfailingly enjoyable read, Red Meat Republic reveals the complex history of exploitation and innovation behind the food we consume today.

Review Quotes

"Co-Winner of the Silver Medal in Business Commentary, Axiom Business Book Awards"

"Honorable Mention for the Vincent P. DeSantis Book Prize, Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era"

"One Smithsonian's Ten Best Books About Food of 2019"

"Winner of the Theodore Saloutos Memorial Award, Agricultural History Society"

About the Author

Joshua Specht is assistant professor of history at the University of Notre Dame. Twitter @joshspecht