An engaging look at meatpacking in Iowa and the people connected by it, Kristy Nabhan-Warren's Meatpacking America weaves a story of religion, community, and the push and pull of belonging. Taking the reader from the killing floors of pork processing plants to the decaying gardens of closed Catholic parishes, Nabhan-Warren sheds light on the complicated nature of current migration patterns and refugee experiences. She insists that small-town Iowa is far more diverse than the media tropes portray. While there is tension, Nabhan-Warren contends that there is also inclusivity and welcome. At the heart of these multiethnic and multilinguistic places is a mutual respect for faith and family.
Many of Nabhan-Warren's arguments will not be new to agricultural historians; the Midwest and its people have never been a monolith. Furthermore, we will recognize and commend her attempts to place Iowa in a global context. What is new, however, is her use...
