Jonathan Safran Foer

I attended an author event last night at the Historic Synagogue (6th and I): Jonathan Safran Foer discussion of newly released non-fiction book, Eating Animals. It was a tremendous experience. There was a brief reading and a talk of sorts, but mostly he took questions from the audience, as he wanted it to be a living conversation. But first, a woman welcomed us and gave background on the Synagogue, and then introduced the author. She turned out to be his mother. His grandmother was present too. It was only then I learned that he was born in DC and his family of origin still lives here. It was very sweet.

In listening to him talk about his son, and how a friend of his responded to the birth announcement with the comment "Everything is possible again," I realized the coincidence (or maybe more intentional than I thought) in how I, like the author, went firmly vegetarian months after the birth of my first child. It is all different when a child, of whom you have full responsibility, enters your world - it was one thing for me to consume filthy animal carcass with little regard or awareness, but the blinders fell off when it came time to feed/nourish my child's body and mind.

Overall I was immensely inspired by and impressed with this guy while simultaneously unimpressed with myself. He is my age and accomplishing exactly the sort of things I dreamed about as a kid - well I did not predict meatlessness in my future but I very much wanted to write unique fiction and non-fiction and be famous for it.
I highly recommend this book (yeah I know, duh).