Incoming Smith Students Learn of Meats and Much More

By the time they've finished their assigned summer reading, a novel titled "My Year of Meats" by Ruth Ozeki, many incoming Smith students might find themselves requesting the vegetarian plate in their residence dining halls.

Ozeki, a 1980 Smith graduate, will be on campus on Tuesday, September 5, to present a reading of her novel at 7:30 p.m. in John M. Greene Hall and to answer questions from audience members.

The reading is free, open to the public and wheelchair-accessible.

Ozeki's novel, published by Penguin books in 1998, tells the story of a Japanese-American documentarian who spends a year documenting--and sometimes promoting--the American meat industry to Japanese television viewers by producing a series featuring American wives and their recipes. During the protagonist's employment, she uncovers a swath of unsavory information regarding the methods by which meat is slaughtered, produced and processed in America, and an endless list of hormones and chemicals meant to enhance meat production and profit.

Like most assigned summer readings, Ozeki's novel goes far beyond the plot in exploring a range of social issues, in this case, issues such as domestic violence, Japanese-American relations, professional hierarchies and personal relationships.

Each summer all incoming Smith students are assigned a common reading, which they discuss in group sessions during orientation. The group discussions, which take place in each residence's living room, are facilitated by faculty and staff members. "The discussion groups give the students an opportunity to share an intellectual activity with their fellow students and with faculty and staff," says First-Year Class Dean Tom Riddell.

"We chose Ruth Ozeki's novel because it's very lively," Riddell explains, "and deals with a range of community issues." Past summer reading assignments have included Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot's "Respect" and Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye."

August 28, 2000