A review by kimco_reads
Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs by Jamie Loftus

adventurous funny informative medium-paced

4.5

 Tell me why this book on the history of hot dogs in the United States was so incredibly enthralling. It is amazing to me how the author simultaneously completely grossed me out from the explanation of how hot dogs are made and also got me to absolutely crave one. The love this author has for hot dogs and the culture surrounding them is astounding and apparent throughout the book. Not to mention the narrative was at times just plain hilarious. 

This book was one part history of hot dogs, one part travel food blog, and all parts an eye-opening narrative on how the hot dog industry plays a role in America’s socio-political issues. The author is unapologetic in calling out major corporations like Tyson for their extremely unsafe practices during the pandemic and how often their malpractices were glazed over by lawmakers and politicians. It was truly amazing how Loftus was able to start a chapter highlighting a hot dog restaurant, then segwayed into how that business has affected the community around them. 

There’s so much to unpack in this book, but I’ll leave it here. I was blown away by this book and will be incessantly recommending it to everyone I know.