Tender is the Flesh (Cadaver Exquisito) (by Agustina Bazterrica)

Book Lab Instructor

Prof. Lucia Sanchez-Gilbert

Day/Time

Thursdays, 3:00-4:00 p.m

Dates

September 4 - 25, 2025

Location

In-person

Synopsis

Tender is the Flesh is an Argentine dystopian novel in which, after a virus makes all animal meat poisonous, governments legalize the consumption of human meat. In this world, human beings are bred for slaughter to produce what the government calls “special meat.” Bazterrica’s novel is a fierce but disturbing reflection of how capitalism naturalizes cruelty, and how societies can easily step beyond a point of no return with little to no resistance. As the author provocatively stated in an interview with The Guardian, “Capitalism and cannibalism are almost the same.” Tender is the Flesh exploded in popularity upon the release of its English translation in 2020, going viral on Tik Tok. Our approach to this book will depart precisely from this point with a discussion of how social media influences our consumption of culture, and we will touch on topics such as animal-human studies and women’s rights. Furthermore, while this novel speaks of global, contemporary concerns, we will also consider how Tender Is the Flesh is tied to the realities of Argentina’s history, such as its meat industry, and the violence of the totalitarian regimes that took over the country in the 20th century.