Reviews - The Meth Lunches: Food and Longing in an American City

104 reviews for:

The Meth Lunches: Food and Longing in an American City

This is book is so irritating. Every hardship story is interspersed with an elaborately detailed meal. It’s like something out of smitten kitchen. I don’t think she could pat herself on the back anymore for the smallest effort she makes to help people. She should probably stick to food blogging so her stories don’t sound so trite and condescending.

bookalorian's review against another edition

4.0

This was a really interesting look at food and poverty and how food can connect a community in the very best of ways. Poverty is the biggest evil we face in this world and no one should know what it is like to be hungry and this book challenges the ideals around food, mental health and poverty. 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

olivia67rae's review against another edition

4.25

It’s like Evicted by Matthew Desmond (a 5 star book that should be required reading in schools imo) but with a food focus. You’ll walk away feeling more empathy for those in poverty, at a minimum.

kellzbellz28's review against another edition

5.0

DNF, excellent book around food and human interactions with it. Scarcity, lack of choice, and addiction all have time in this book.

Just not in the headspace for it right now.

onmalsshelf's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 16%

It’s giving overwritten savior complex

rosysoprano's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

I really enjoyed this book - following individual people on their journeys, either out of poverty, to sobriety, or through trauma, etc. had me so invested. I was rooting for them all to make it! However, the author did come off as preachy at times, placing society's failings squarely at the feet of the reader, which I found a little unfair. Also, she was very dismissive of the man who got sober by finding God, saying "It sounds more like luck to me", while giving literally everyone else a free pass (yikes).

abipop's review against another edition

4.0

Very torn between “this lady is insane / privileged / insane” and “wow I wish I had her courage / energy / vitality” to reach out to the unhoused / mentally ill / struggling the way she does — I THINK she is well informed (did not check her sources myself) and the anecdotal pieces ring true.

I also feel bad for her kids? I don’t know, seems like they would necessarily bear the brunt of her crusades…

I DO think this could have benefited from ONE MORE round of editing for repetition.