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The Great Starvation Experiment: The Heroic Men Who Starved So That Millions Could Live
What does it feel like to starve? To feel your body cry out for nourishment, to think only of food? How many fitful, hungry nights must pass before dreams of home-cooked meals metastasize into nightmares of cannibalism? Why would anyone volunteer to find out?
In The Great Starvation Experiment, historian Todd Tucker tells the harrowing story of thirty-six young men who willingly and bravely faced down profound, consuming hunger. As conscientious objectors during World War II, these men were eager to help in the war effort but restricted from combat by their pacifist beliefs. So, instead, they volunteered to become guinea pigs in one of the most unusual experiments in medical history -- one that required a year of systematic starvation.
Dr. Ancel Keys was already famous for inventing the K ration when the War Department asked for his help with feeding the starving citizens of Europe and the Far East at the war's end. Fascists and Communists, it was feared, could gain a foothold in war-ravaged areas. "Starved people," Keys liked to say, "can't be taught Democracy." The government needed to know the best way to rehabilitate those people who had been severely underfed during the long war. To study rehabilitation, Keys first needed to create a pool of starving test subjects.
Gathered in a cutting-edge lab underneath the football stadium at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Keys' test subjects forsook most food and were monitored constantly so that Dr. Keys and his scientists could study the effects of starvation on otherwise healthy people. While the weight loss of the men followed a neat mathematical curve, the psychological deterioration was less predictable. Some men drank quarts and quarts of water to fill their empty stomachs. One man chewed as many as forty packs of gum a day. One man mutilated himself to escape the experiment. Ultimately only four of the men were expelled from the experiment for cheating -- a testament to the volunteers' determination and toughness.
To prevent atrocities of the kind committed by the Nazi doctors, international law now prevents this kind of experimentation on healthy people. But in this remarkable book, Todd Tucker captures a lost sliver of American history -- a time when cold scientific principles collided with living, breathing human beings. Tucker depicts the agony and endurance of a group of extraordinary men whose lives were altered not only for the year they participated in the experiment, but forever.
In The Great Starvation Experiment, historian Todd Tucker tells the harrowing story of thirty-six young men who willingly and bravely faced down profound, consuming hunger. As conscientious objectors during World War II, these men were eager to help in the war effort but restricted from combat by their pacifist beliefs. So, instead, they volunteered to become guinea pigs in one of the most unusual experiments in medical history -- one that required a year of systematic starvation.
Dr. Ancel Keys was already famous for inventing the K ration when the War Department asked for his help with feeding the starving citizens of Europe and the Far East at the war's end. Fascists and Communists, it was feared, could gain a foothold in war-ravaged areas. "Starved people," Keys liked to say, "can't be taught Democracy." The government needed to know the best way to rehabilitate those people who had been severely underfed during the long war. To study rehabilitation, Keys first needed to create a pool of starving test subjects.
Gathered in a cutting-edge lab underneath the football stadium at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Keys' test subjects forsook most food and were monitored constantly so that Dr. Keys and his scientists could study the effects of starvation on otherwise healthy people. While the weight loss of the men followed a neat mathematical curve, the psychological deterioration was less predictable. Some men drank quarts and quarts of water to fill their empty stomachs. One man chewed as many as forty packs of gum a day. One man mutilated himself to escape the experiment. Ultimately only four of the men were expelled from the experiment for cheating -- a testament to the volunteers' determination and toughness.
To prevent atrocities of the kind committed by the Nazi doctors, international law now prevents this kind of experimentation on healthy people. But in this remarkable book, Todd Tucker captures a lost sliver of American history -- a time when cold scientific principles collided with living, breathing human beings. Tucker depicts the agony and endurance of a group of extraordinary men whose lives were altered not only for the year they participated in the experiment, but forever.
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First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
March 22, 2011
Fascinating book. I read it because I knew about the experiment because one of my uncles took part in it. He was a conscientious objector during World War II. He never told me a lot of detail, but when I objected to eating rice at a family reunion once, he took me aside and told me how really good rice tasted when it was all you got. So, I was thrilled to find some of his journals quoted in the book. (Look for Lester Glick.) But it's is so interesting to realize how widespread these human experiments were at the time. And how much and how little was actually learned from them. And it also makes you think about volunteers. Almost all of the experiments we've heard about were done on marginalized people: blacks, Jews, prisoners, conscientious objectors, except the atomic bomb experiments where they used regular military personnel. Gives you second thoughts about signing up for things, doesn't it? Anyway, do read this book. It's fascinating.
December 5, 2017
This was a fascinating read in that can’t-look-away-from-the-car-accident kind of way. If you’ve read any books about dieting, you’ve probably heard about this study. Indeed, if you’ve ever been on a restrictive, low-calorie diet, you know how your world begins to revolve around food and you have a hard time giving a damn about anything else. Now I know exactly how normal this is!
It was an especially interesting book when read shortly after Night by Elie Wiesel and Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Both men describe the centrality of food in their lives during their incarceration in the prison camps. They talk about not having the energy or the brain power to spare to help others, even family members.
Ancel Keys’ experiment would certainly never be green-lighted today. Despite the fact that his subjects were volunteers (conscientious objectors who chose the experiment rather than military service) and they knew the experience would be difficult, they had no idea how grueling it would be. It didn’t take long for their sex drives to disappear (Frankl mentions this in the concentration camps, that it actually kept the experience from being worse because no prisoners had the drive to victimize anyone sexually). Some of the Keys’ guinea pigs (as they were known) continued to go to classes and listen to lectures, but it rapidly became too hard to pay attention. Keys advised guest lecturers to mention food, which would rivet the men’s attention, at least momentarily. Meals became the focus of their days and they would become angry & abusive if service was the slightest bit late or if the food was not piping hot (they also felt cold all the time, as their bodies tried to save energy). A group of men who started out happy, healthy, and social became touchy, angry, and prone to sudden outbursts. They performed strange rituals with their food—sometimes stirring it all together into a pile for instance.
The supposed object of the experiment was to find the best way to get people back to normal after periods of extreme hunger. It turns out that the conclusion was to feed them! The guinea pigs ate at least 5000 calories per day when they were permitted to eat freely again and one man distinguished himself by eating over 11,000 calories in one day! No supplements made any meaningful difference—just food. That’s the saddest part really, that these men suffered through the experiment and so little was actually learned as a result.
It was an especially interesting book when read shortly after Night by Elie Wiesel and Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Both men describe the centrality of food in their lives during their incarceration in the prison camps. They talk about not having the energy or the brain power to spare to help others, even family members.
Ancel Keys’ experiment would certainly never be green-lighted today. Despite the fact that his subjects were volunteers (conscientious objectors who chose the experiment rather than military service) and they knew the experience would be difficult, they had no idea how grueling it would be. It didn’t take long for their sex drives to disappear (Frankl mentions this in the concentration camps, that it actually kept the experience from being worse because no prisoners had the drive to victimize anyone sexually). Some of the Keys’ guinea pigs (as they were known) continued to go to classes and listen to lectures, but it rapidly became too hard to pay attention. Keys advised guest lecturers to mention food, which would rivet the men’s attention, at least momentarily. Meals became the focus of their days and they would become angry & abusive if service was the slightest bit late or if the food was not piping hot (they also felt cold all the time, as their bodies tried to save energy). A group of men who started out happy, healthy, and social became touchy, angry, and prone to sudden outbursts. They performed strange rituals with their food—sometimes stirring it all together into a pile for instance.
The supposed object of the experiment was to find the best way to get people back to normal after periods of extreme hunger. It turns out that the conclusion was to feed them! The guinea pigs ate at least 5000 calories per day when they were permitted to eat freely again and one man distinguished himself by eating over 11,000 calories in one day! No supplements made any meaningful difference—just food. That’s the saddest part really, that these men suffered through the experiment and so little was actually learned as a result.
February 3, 2021
What a fascinating book on a crazy study that could not be recreated today!
During World War II, 36 men were asked to participate in a study to evaluate the effects of starvation on the human body. Todd Tucker tells the story of this experiment as if it was unfolding before our eyes. The storytelling is so good that at times I wondered if everything was true!
The author had the opportunity to interview a bunch of the study's participants and the chief scientist Ancel Keys, which makes this information invaluable.
The insights are particularly important when you're interested in the effects of dieting. As a dietitian, I couldn't help but notice that many of the impacts of the experiment on the participants were pretty similar to those of people who diet.
During World War II, 36 men were asked to participate in a study to evaluate the effects of starvation on the human body. Todd Tucker tells the story of this experiment as if it was unfolding before our eyes. The storytelling is so good that at times I wondered if everything was true!
The author had the opportunity to interview a bunch of the study's participants and the chief scientist Ancel Keys, which makes this information invaluable.
The insights are particularly important when you're interested in the effects of dieting. As a dietitian, I couldn't help but notice that many of the impacts of the experiment on the participants were pretty similar to those of people who diet.
June 2, 2010
What a fascinating historical narrative. I felt moved by the story as these men had to literally starve and still try to preserve some normalcy in their sequestered lives. Lots of historical and scientific facts that I doubtfully would have learned anywhere but through this book, such as how the men were all convinced that their cognitive powers to think and reason were diminished while starving, yet this was proven false, This book made me want to go search through scientific sources for more information, such as how starving people rarely get cancer, even recover from tumors while starving and this has been medical knowledge since the Middle Ages, and also how hearing can be enhanced and even restored during starvation. Truly fascinating read, I also gained a great respect foer conscientious objectors.
December 20, 2007
Heavy on history and biography of the doctor and those who starved, not on the actual findings and ethics of the overall project, which is what I was more interested in.
January 26, 2012
For me this book was a lot longer that it needed. I was mainly interested in the year-long experiment and its results and observations, but instead the book is very heavy on the biographical anecdotes about the supervising doctor and the 36 pacifist conscientious objectors who volunteered for this starvation experiment instead of fighting in World War II. Not to be callous, but I really don’t care where these people were born and who their fathers were and which schools they went to. The book wasn’t nearly as interesting as I thought it would be.
Dr. Keys’s reasoning to justify this morally questionable experiment and get funding for it from the military was a classic: Hunger is a breeding ground for Communism and Fascism, therefore we need to study it scientifically.
The best account of hunger that I have read is by Günter Grass in his autobiography Peeling the Onion, from the days when he was a POW and his American captors had decided to put their prisoners on a 500-caloires-a-day diet. Grass writes beautifully about the crushing effects of a gnawing hunger on the human spirit. This book, by contrast, limited itself to reciting a few anecdotes. Maybe there wasn’t much to write about because these volunteers really weren’t that starved. They were put on a 1570-calories-day diet. Unless they were overestimating calories in those days, this doesn’t seem too bad to me.
Dr. Keys’s reasoning to justify this morally questionable experiment and get funding for it from the military was a classic: Hunger is a breeding ground for Communism and Fascism, therefore we need to study it scientifically.
The best account of hunger that I have read is by Günter Grass in his autobiography Peeling the Onion, from the days when he was a POW and his American captors had decided to put their prisoners on a 500-caloires-a-day diet. Grass writes beautifully about the crushing effects of a gnawing hunger on the human spirit. This book, by contrast, limited itself to reciting a few anecdotes. Maybe there wasn’t much to write about because these volunteers really weren’t that starved. They were put on a 1570-calories-day diet. Unless they were overestimating calories in those days, this doesn’t seem too bad to me.
June 28, 2016
What a fascinating book! It only took me a few days to read, because I was glued to every chapter!
I found this book to be highly interesting, moving, and educational.
The Starvation Experiment, at times, made me a little teary eyed as I saw the whole thing through the minds/eyes of the 'guinea pigs'.
I loved every second of the book, and really feel as though it's taught me a lot.
For 1, low calorie diets are not the way forward in the modern day world, despite the medias constant 'quick fix' articles.
And secondly... it just goes to show how much the human mind can take, and how far your body will physically push itself! If you put your mind to it, Anything is possible.
I found this book to be highly interesting, moving, and educational.
The Starvation Experiment, at times, made me a little teary eyed as I saw the whole thing through the minds/eyes of the 'guinea pigs'.
I loved every second of the book, and really feel as though it's taught me a lot.
For 1, low calorie diets are not the way forward in the modern day world, despite the medias constant 'quick fix' articles.
And secondly... it just goes to show how much the human mind can take, and how far your body will physically push itself! If you put your mind to it, Anything is possible.
December 25, 2016
I ended up skipping around quite a lot- the first three chapters are background that wasn't really all that relevant, and the last two chapters were (at least to me) equally useless. The stuff in between was very well writing and interesting.
May 11, 2013
I spent two years working in the Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene at the University of Minnesota where these starvation experiments occurred.
What an enjoyable read this book was for me. Although I wasn't there until the 60's, Dr. Keys and his staff from the 40's were still active.
Todd Tucker has done a masterful job of catching the essence of this experiment and bringing to life the story of these men and Dr. Keys as they courageously starved for humanity's good. I greatly appreciate the opportunity of reading this as it triggered many memories of my own time in the lab as a CO during the Viet Nam War and the heart research studies they were doing in the lab.
What an enjoyable read this book was for me. Although I wasn't there until the 60's, Dr. Keys and his staff from the 40's were still active.
Todd Tucker has done a masterful job of catching the essence of this experiment and bringing to life the story of these men and Dr. Keys as they courageously starved for humanity's good. I greatly appreciate the opportunity of reading this as it triggered many memories of my own time in the lab as a CO during the Viet Nam War and the heart research studies they were doing in the lab.
September 25, 2025
I put off reading this book because the subject matter seemed so depressing and, well, life is depressing enough these days. Then I discovered how uplifting it actually is. Once upon a time, in the second world war, the United States considered conscientious objectors to be enough of a minority that they might cause dissent in the ranks. The solution was to send these men to places like lumber camps, mental health facilities, and farms where they often did manual "busy work". Many of these men were from the "historic peace churches" as they were called, but almost as many were from other Christian denominations. This became an issue because the peace churches were funding the Civilian Public Service.
Then Dr. Keys starts advertising for volunteers to determine the best way to nourish refugees. The study involves being starved then slowly refed at various calorie and other nutrient levels. It's risky on many levels, but a solid contribution to post-war peace. Many bored young men apply, but only a few are selected. This is their story.
I flagged two things in this book. The first is that "...there was one class of illness for which folklore held out starvation as a potential cure: cancer." (page 67) The second is Karl Brandt's sadism. Mengele gets so much coverage (as he should!) but I've never heard of Brandt. After reading the following, however, he deserves more exposure.
"...Nazi doctors under Brandt's supervision dropped prisoners in icy water to see how long they would survive. Prisoners were locked in low-pressure barometric chambers until death. Battle-type wounds were painfully stimulated and deliberately infected. Captives were forced to drink only seawater until dying to study the effects on lifeboat crews. [...] To confirm Nazi theories about the subhuman nature of the Jewish people, the doctors proposed to 'induce' the deaths of as many Jews as possible, decapitate their corpses, and send their skulls to a lab for analysis. Eventually 115 people had their deaths 'induced' in order to lend their skulls to the Nazi's bogus scientific pursuit." (page 73)
Then Dr. Keys starts advertising for volunteers to determine the best way to nourish refugees. The study involves being starved then slowly refed at various calorie and other nutrient levels. It's risky on many levels, but a solid contribution to post-war peace. Many bored young men apply, but only a few are selected. This is their story.
I flagged two things in this book. The first is that "...there was one class of illness for which folklore held out starvation as a potential cure: cancer." (page 67) The second is Karl Brandt's sadism. Mengele gets so much coverage (as he should!) but I've never heard of Brandt. After reading the following, however, he deserves more exposure.
"...Nazi doctors under Brandt's supervision dropped prisoners in icy water to see how long they would survive. Prisoners were locked in low-pressure barometric chambers until death. Battle-type wounds were painfully stimulated and deliberately infected. Captives were forced to drink only seawater until dying to study the effects on lifeboat crews. [...] To confirm Nazi theories about the subhuman nature of the Jewish people, the doctors proposed to 'induce' the deaths of as many Jews as possible, decapitate their corpses, and send their skulls to a lab for analysis. Eventually 115 people had their deaths 'induced' in order to lend their skulls to the Nazi's bogus scientific pursuit." (page 73)
December 27, 2024
This was interesting to learn about the history of this kind of experimentation, especially given my penchant for learning about cannibalism LOL!! Honestly there was a lot more about the war and the political side of things that I found a bit less compelling, but makes sense that that was the backdrop for this experiment. Wild times !!!!!
January 7, 2019
I picked this book up hoping to learn about the physiology of starvation, and came away with much more. This book offers a page turning human perspective on not only the experience of starvation but also life as an American during WWII.
December 26, 2021
This study shows how nutrition science was conducted in the past. Today, this type of study would absolutely never pass the ethics board 😅. How does the body react when pushed to starvation? You'll find out when you read this book. Really interesting book.
August 23, 2017
3.5 stars. It was interesting to learn about this experiment and the men involved. I would've liked to read even more detailed information about the study itself and how the results have been applied.
November 7, 2025
I read at least part of this book a decade ago and recall thinking it required a closer look. Recently I bought my own copy and I didn't want to put it down. Almost everything seemed new to me.
I remember public health scientist Ancel Keys, who led the study, had created K ration bars to ensure US soldiers got enough calories during the Second World War if they were in the field. (Keys later established the link between cholesterol and heart disease and popularized the Mediterranean diet). But it was the toll of starvation in history, the volunteers and the research study specifics that riveted me from the first page.
Keys wanted to know how people from war-torn scenarios could be helped to recover from extended times in near-starvation mode. The idea was to help relief efforts in Europe and Asia, where starving populations were going to need rehabilitation once WWII was over. Keys took 36 conscientious objectors to WWII who volunteered for a year-long study. They were fed low-calorie diets and made to keep up a substantial exercise program for months, then eventually had increasing amounts of food reintroduced to their diets. Keys tested their mental, physical and emotional reactions to the shift in calories and demands. At times the toll was extreme. One man chopped off three of his fingers.
Author Todd Tucker interviewed several of the men in the study and their memories are fascinating. Apparently all felt their sacrifice was worth the struggle and would do it again. Also, all of the men went on to be high achievers in whatever field they entered.
As a footnote, the study would never pass an ethics board today.
I remember public health scientist Ancel Keys, who led the study, had created K ration bars to ensure US soldiers got enough calories during the Second World War if they were in the field. (Keys later established the link between cholesterol and heart disease and popularized the Mediterranean diet). But it was the toll of starvation in history, the volunteers and the research study specifics that riveted me from the first page.
Keys wanted to know how people from war-torn scenarios could be helped to recover from extended times in near-starvation mode. The idea was to help relief efforts in Europe and Asia, where starving populations were going to need rehabilitation once WWII was over. Keys took 36 conscientious objectors to WWII who volunteered for a year-long study. They were fed low-calorie diets and made to keep up a substantial exercise program for months, then eventually had increasing amounts of food reintroduced to their diets. Keys tested their mental, physical and emotional reactions to the shift in calories and demands. At times the toll was extreme. One man chopped off three of his fingers.
Author Todd Tucker interviewed several of the men in the study and their memories are fascinating. Apparently all felt their sacrifice was worth the struggle and would do it again. Also, all of the men went on to be high achievers in whatever field they entered.
As a footnote, the study would never pass an ethics board today.
March 14, 2017
I couldn't decide if I should give this 3 or 4 stars. I thought the book was fascinating (4 stars) but there were also a lot of parts where I was bored (3 stars).
I'd never heard of the the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. It's the only study of it's kind. The book gave a lot of background information as to why they wanted to conduct this type of study. It talked about the siege of Leningrad and one quote that stuck with me was, "The Soviets learned to a frightening extent how much the availability of food allows civilization to occur."
I thought it was interesting that more than 200 men applied for the study but only 36 qualified. Every one of them had some college and 18 of them graduated with degrees. The IQ tests showed all of the men were intellectually above average.
I also thought it was interesting that the "starvation" phase still included 1570 calories (down from 3200) and how low the fitness levels became for the men on a 1570 calorie diet. After the study was over, during the first week of unrestricted dieting, the men consumed an average of 5200 calories a day and said that even when they were stuffed, they still felt hungry.
The book said the study has also been invaluable for treating anorexia because it helps separate the symptoms that are a result of anorexia from those that are the byproducts of hunger. One researcher wrote, "Trying to make meaningful psychological changes with an anorexic patient in this starved state is analogous to trying to address underlying issues with an alcoholic patient who is intoxicated."
I'd never heard of the the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. It's the only study of it's kind. The book gave a lot of background information as to why they wanted to conduct this type of study. It talked about the siege of Leningrad and one quote that stuck with me was, "The Soviets learned to a frightening extent how much the availability of food allows civilization to occur."
I thought it was interesting that more than 200 men applied for the study but only 36 qualified. Every one of them had some college and 18 of them graduated with degrees. The IQ tests showed all of the men were intellectually above average.
I also thought it was interesting that the "starvation" phase still included 1570 calories (down from 3200) and how low the fitness levels became for the men on a 1570 calorie diet. After the study was over, during the first week of unrestricted dieting, the men consumed an average of 5200 calories a day and said that even when they were stuffed, they still felt hungry.
The book said the study has also been invaluable for treating anorexia because it helps separate the symptoms that are a result of anorexia from those that are the byproducts of hunger. One researcher wrote, "Trying to make meaningful psychological changes with an anorexic patient in this starved state is analogous to trying to address underlying issues with an alcoholic patient who is intoxicated."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2009
During WWII the world did not have guidelines for human medical experimentation, prisoners and other undesirable members of society were often experimented upon without their consent. Dr. K, had a group of volunteers, conscientious objectors, young men who needed to feel they contributed something to the recovery in Europe, who wanted to do more, who wanted to be able to say they did something ‘honorable’ during the war. They volunteered to be starved and studied for a year. Dr. K’s experiment is the only one of its kind on the medical books and is still cited. There are those who question, today, the morality of the study, but most of the men alive today who participated, said they would do it again. They weren’t paid and they received very little recognition. Interesting read for the curiosity factor, but also for the history of medical experimentation and conscientious objectors.
October 29, 2008
Overall it was a good book but it wasn't what I was expecting. It gave a great amount of detail and background about the history of the doctor who was conducting this experiement as well as each of the subjects. It also went into great detail about the war, starvation in general and the holocaust. In fact that made up the bulk of the book. I was hoping for a more indepth exploration of the actual experiment. In this area I felt the book was sorely lacking. It is a great book about starvation in general however I was expecting a more informative look at the actual experiment and the day by day effects of it.
January 31, 2014
What a find. I was just browsing through the library and saw this title pop out (I have an interest in food security issues). I'd had never heard of the book or the experiment which it describes, but it sounded kind of interesting. Was it ever! Thoroughly engaging - you can almost feel the young men's craving for food, and identify with their attempts to sneak off base and get some. You get a real sense for the powerful tug food and hunger have on our psyches. Well-written, story-style history.
October 5, 2013
Some quick thoughts because I want to get back to studying for calculus...
- Ancel Keyes is an asshole but at least he was a brilliant asshole.
- I enjoyed how Tucker discussed starvation in the context of the historical happenings at the time and why this experiment was so necessary, considering its ethics are questionable.
- I find this is also fascinating to analyze for a psychological view point as well, considering the men basically volunteered to have an eating disorder.
- Ancel Keyes is an asshole but at least he was a brilliant asshole.
- I enjoyed how Tucker discussed starvation in the context of the historical happenings at the time and why this experiment was so necessary, considering its ethics are questionable.
- I find this is also fascinating to analyze for a psychological view point as well, considering the men basically volunteered to have an eating disorder.
August 13, 2023
This is a really wonderful and fascinating story. While the prose is a bit stiff, the actual content is engrossing. I had first learned of the Minnesota Starvation Experiment on the Revisionist History podcast with Malcolm Gladwell and this book was a great supplement to his rendition. I loved learning about more of the “Guinea Pigs” and their lives. If you like history, science, and religion you will appreciate this book.
April 19, 2021
This book is definitely interesting and will teach you about a unique little slice of history that you didn't know anything about. However, the broad scope of the book lost a lot of the emotion and character-connections that should've been present. While some broad strokes on the history of starvation, the lives of the characters after the experiment, and so on can be useful, this book dedicates far too many pages to such information.
Although the book does look a little at the ethics of the entire experiment, overall it views the American scientist Ancel Keys and his 36 volunteers as heroes. To avoid killing, thousands of pacifists conscientiously object to the draft. Instead of forcing them to serve, the USA finds other ways to use them. Most often, they become medical aides. However, some say their views make even that unacceptable. So, instead, the army at the time sent them off to do random manual labor tasks that had little to no relation to the war or helping the country. These men struggled with their dodging of the war, since they didn't want to be seen as cowards but also wanted badly to help end suffering in the world. To get away from their pointless toils, many volunteered at mental institutions (and improved them in many ways, apparently, which would be quite an interesting book on its own). That was still tough for many of the men, though, because the conditions were abysmal and took a toll on their own mental health.
In comes Dr. Keys. He's always been big on being the first to do something, so he jumped at the opportunity to be the first to study starvation and its rehabilitation. These COs were just the right people at just the right time to do his study. So, Dr. Keys gets 36 men to volunteer to starve for months so they can then be rehabilitated.
This is where the story structure of the book fails. Dr. Keys is an interesting man, and we get a good backstory on him. But then he's hardly a thinking/feeling man at all the rest of the book. This all would've best been told through a sort of dual POV with Dr. Keys and one of the volunteers - maybe 2 of them. But Tucker picks out any and every somewhat interesting person and event, spelling them all out to us in mostly chronological order. What really bums me out is that all of the men kept diaries, yet we get very little from them in this book. Those, one would assume, are chocked full of inner turmoils as these men starve and lose their wits. Instead, we get a largely outside-looking-in perspective the entire time.
In the end, the study is the first and last of its kind, teaching us loads about starvation's impact on the human body and mind. Dr. Keys has some decent findings on rehabilitation too: just feed them real food! At the time, others thought tube feeding, extra vitamins or protein supplements, and so on would be best. On the contrary, Keys found it to be very simple, meaning all the rest was a waste of time and resources. Another finding was how much this experiment related to anorexia, and how the hunger has to be healed before any psychological work can begin. I have no expertise in this area, but it's always interesting when studies in one area end up illuminating unexpected uses in other fields.
The book mentions the chilling paradox of the Nazi human experiments happening concurrently to this in the US. Furthermore, it mentions how American human experimentation has a long, storied history before this Great Starvation Experiment and after it, regardless of the international laws or guidelines. Furthermore, these men were not paid by the government, even though they had to do whatever CO tasks they were assigned or risk being jailed (or worse) for deserting. The COs starving, helping mental patients, and doing manual labor all over the country were often paid by some of the historically nonviolent sects of Christianity instead of the government. If they were injured or killed during these services, the same thing held. Many COs thought this to be little more than slavery, and I have to agree with them. This is one of the many reasons this program was further reformed after WWII - another main reason was the growing numbers of COs for wars like Vietnam.
One part that's definitely interesting are the evil uses of hunger. When these men are starving, they become docile cattle to their "masters." They don't show anger to Dr. Keys. Instead, they squabble with each other over places in line and getting certain parts of the mac & cheese bake. Their needs for food are so great that they cannot see more than a few feet in front of them, so to speak. Tucker notes how this was used by the Nazis in the concentration camps (as it has been used elsewhere throughout history as well, even in modern day America where the poor are struggling to eat or always a single step ahead of hunger). As soon as the men begin rehabilitation with the proper amount of calories, they begin to complain and unionize and fight for their freedoms. Hunger is a tool of oppression. To feed the world is to let every human turn their eyes toward self-actualization.
As this experiment was completed at the University of Minnesota, it was sorta neat reading this after I moved to Minneapolis, where the entire experiment takes place. The men are required to walk several miles every day, and they walk along bridges and streets that I now am beginning to know.
Although the book does look a little at the ethics of the entire experiment, overall it views the American scientist Ancel Keys and his 36 volunteers as heroes. To avoid killing, thousands of pacifists conscientiously object to the draft. Instead of forcing them to serve, the USA finds other ways to use them. Most often, they become medical aides. However, some say their views make even that unacceptable. So, instead, the army at the time sent them off to do random manual labor tasks that had little to no relation to the war or helping the country. These men struggled with their dodging of the war, since they didn't want to be seen as cowards but also wanted badly to help end suffering in the world. To get away from their pointless toils, many volunteered at mental institutions (and improved them in many ways, apparently, which would be quite an interesting book on its own). That was still tough for many of the men, though, because the conditions were abysmal and took a toll on their own mental health.
In comes Dr. Keys. He's always been big on being the first to do something, so he jumped at the opportunity to be the first to study starvation and its rehabilitation. These COs were just the right people at just the right time to do his study. So, Dr. Keys gets 36 men to volunteer to starve for months so they can then be rehabilitated.
This is where the story structure of the book fails. Dr. Keys is an interesting man, and we get a good backstory on him. But then he's hardly a thinking/feeling man at all the rest of the book. This all would've best been told through a sort of dual POV with Dr. Keys and one of the volunteers - maybe 2 of them. But Tucker picks out any and every somewhat interesting person and event, spelling them all out to us in mostly chronological order. What really bums me out is that all of the men kept diaries, yet we get very little from them in this book. Those, one would assume, are chocked full of inner turmoils as these men starve and lose their wits. Instead, we get a largely outside-looking-in perspective the entire time.
In the end, the study is the first and last of its kind, teaching us loads about starvation's impact on the human body and mind. Dr. Keys has some decent findings on rehabilitation too: just feed them real food! At the time, others thought tube feeding, extra vitamins or protein supplements, and so on would be best. On the contrary, Keys found it to be very simple, meaning all the rest was a waste of time and resources. Another finding was how much this experiment related to anorexia, and how the hunger has to be healed before any psychological work can begin. I have no expertise in this area, but it's always interesting when studies in one area end up illuminating unexpected uses in other fields.
The book mentions the chilling paradox of the Nazi human experiments happening concurrently to this in the US. Furthermore, it mentions how American human experimentation has a long, storied history before this Great Starvation Experiment and after it, regardless of the international laws or guidelines. Furthermore, these men were not paid by the government, even though they had to do whatever CO tasks they were assigned or risk being jailed (or worse) for deserting. The COs starving, helping mental patients, and doing manual labor all over the country were often paid by some of the historically nonviolent sects of Christianity instead of the government. If they were injured or killed during these services, the same thing held. Many COs thought this to be little more than slavery, and I have to agree with them. This is one of the many reasons this program was further reformed after WWII - another main reason was the growing numbers of COs for wars like Vietnam.
One part that's definitely interesting are the evil uses of hunger. When these men are starving, they become docile cattle to their "masters." They don't show anger to Dr. Keys. Instead, they squabble with each other over places in line and getting certain parts of the mac & cheese bake. Their needs for food are so great that they cannot see more than a few feet in front of them, so to speak. Tucker notes how this was used by the Nazis in the concentration camps (as it has been used elsewhere throughout history as well, even in modern day America where the poor are struggling to eat or always a single step ahead of hunger). As soon as the men begin rehabilitation with the proper amount of calories, they begin to complain and unionize and fight for their freedoms. Hunger is a tool of oppression. To feed the world is to let every human turn their eyes toward self-actualization.
As this experiment was completed at the University of Minnesota, it was sorta neat reading this after I moved to Minneapolis, where the entire experiment takes place. The men are required to walk several miles every day, and they walk along bridges and streets that I now am beginning to know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2019
I was happily surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. I thought it would be interesting from the subject matter alone, but I really appreciated the way the author went about presenting the information.
Rather than just a dry, informative piece on the experiment, Tucker interwove a narrative of following three main subjects in the experiment, while also taking asides to delve more into related historical content. I learned about the pre-cursors to MREs (which hilariously had 4 cigarettes a meal during WWII), the general biography of Ancel Keys, the history of conscientious objectors and how they were handled by the government and military, and others. It was more than I was expecting and for the most part, really well handled and incorporated.
I also enjoyed how the author managed to weave a bit of intrigue into it. The beginning starts with one of the experiment subjects doing something rather shocking during the course of the experiment, and then you wonder throughout reading it which of the men it's going to be. I thought it was a nice touch and way to kind of give some of the urge to keep reading that you normally get from fiction books.
My main complaint would be that not all of the transitions were seamless. In the end in particular, it felt a little bit jumbled as he went from the end of the experiment to following what some of the subjects ended up doing, as well as Keys' life post-experiment. The information was again interesting, but it felt less organized and cohesive as the rest of the book had been.
I also would have loved more information on the study results and the science with it, but that's probably me being a nerd that sometimes reads scientific articles for fun. I completely understand why it wasn't included as much. ;)
What I think would have been nice for everyone though was if some of the pictures he mentioned that were taken were included in the book. I was reading the ebook, so maybe they are in the print version, but usually you get the same in both. Perhaps they couldn't get the rights to reprint, but I think it would have really been great to see photos included in the middle.
Overall a fascinating and easy read, I would recommend it.
Rather than just a dry, informative piece on the experiment, Tucker interwove a narrative of following three main subjects in the experiment, while also taking asides to delve more into related historical content. I learned about the pre-cursors to MREs (which hilariously had 4 cigarettes a meal during WWII), the general biography of Ancel Keys, the history of conscientious objectors and how they were handled by the government and military, and others. It was more than I was expecting and for the most part, really well handled and incorporated.
I also enjoyed how the author managed to weave a bit of intrigue into it. The beginning starts with one of the experiment subjects doing something rather shocking during the course of the experiment, and then you wonder throughout reading it which of the men it's going to be. I thought it was a nice touch and way to kind of give some of the urge to keep reading that you normally get from fiction books.
My main complaint would be that not all of the transitions were seamless. In the end in particular, it felt a little bit jumbled as he went from the end of the experiment to following what some of the subjects ended up doing, as well as Keys' life post-experiment. The information was again interesting, but it felt less organized and cohesive as the rest of the book had been.
I also would have loved more information on the study results and the science with it, but that's probably me being a nerd that sometimes reads scientific articles for fun. I completely understand why it wasn't included as much. ;)
What I think would have been nice for everyone though was if some of the pictures he mentioned that were taken were included in the book. I was reading the ebook, so maybe they are in the print version, but usually you get the same in both. Perhaps they couldn't get the rights to reprint, but I think it would have really been great to see photos included in the middle.
Overall a fascinating and easy read, I would recommend it.
August 30, 2024
I'm eating even as I'm writing this review (toast with butter and honey, if you're wondering), and it goes without saying most of us in privileged parts of the world will never have to endure what these men volunteered to do over 80 years ago. So we don't realize just how much nothing at all matters once we stop getting enough food to survive. Instead we exist within the imagined chaos of our lives and invent the drama we wouldn't have if food were ever scarce enough. Reading what these men went through was another clear reminder to me that we are not nearly as far removed from our baser origins as we like to believe, and in fact are all just doing a good job of pretending for the sake of social etiquette.
Though the topic discussed in this book is interesting scientifically and sociologically, the World War II setting and the volunteers being conscientious objectors made it even more appealing to me. I respect that these men wanted to contribute in some notable way to a democratic cause of sorts even if they didn't see their place in war, and I appreciate how difficult that would have been in an era were patriotism was considered some kind of inherent characteristic surely everyone who was worth anything shared. Personally, I would have liked their reasons not to be motivated by their religion, but it was a different time. Since all we are is a product of our time and ultimately big, fat, hungry beasts, I give them a pass for being Quakers, and a hearty American salute for serving their country in a more creative way than stabbing a German with a bayonet.
From a narrative standpoint, I thought the author did a good job of keeping the pace brisk and the science light. I caught a whiff of maybe-too-much admiration for Ancel Keys, the leader of the grand starvation experiment, at points, but the book was mostly neutral in tone, something Keys himself would surely have approved of. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to figure out what else I can eat before I go to bed.
Though the topic discussed in this book is interesting scientifically and sociologically, the World War II setting and the volunteers being conscientious objectors made it even more appealing to me. I respect that these men wanted to contribute in some notable way to a democratic cause of sorts even if they didn't see their place in war, and I appreciate how difficult that would have been in an era were patriotism was considered some kind of inherent characteristic surely everyone who was worth anything shared. Personally, I would have liked their reasons not to be motivated by their religion, but it was a different time. Since all we are is a product of our time and ultimately big, fat, hungry beasts, I give them a pass for being Quakers, and a hearty American salute for serving their country in a more creative way than stabbing a German with a bayonet.
From a narrative standpoint, I thought the author did a good job of keeping the pace brisk and the science light. I caught a whiff of maybe-too-much admiration for Ancel Keys, the leader of the grand starvation experiment, at points, but the book was mostly neutral in tone, something Keys himself would surely have approved of. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to figure out what else I can eat before I go to bed.
Read
June 9, 2024I'm satisfied with what this book was. It's a pretty interesting subject written up in a pretty inoffensive way. It doesn't attempt much stylistically so it's hard to fault it if it doesn't have much style to speak of.
It's not a summary of the findings of the study. For that I ordered The Biology of Human Starvation, which is the two-volume findings of the study.
It's also not a book directly applicable to fasting, or to caloric restriction for therapeutic benefits. Apart from not addressing many findings of the study, the study participants are largely not comparable to modern people who might hope to use that information. As the book notes, the average size of the participants of the study was 5'10" and 152 pounds, chosen to represent the average American adult man of the time. The most recent estimate I could find is that the current average size of an American adult man is still about 5'10", but nearly 200 pounds.
These were men who would mostly be considered skinny by modern standards, starving to living skeleton state under conditions meant to simulate modern famines, wherein calories are still available, but at a level far below what's required for maintenance. The reintroduction of food was programmed to generate data about the factors that bring a starving person most rapidly back to health, and not with issues of long-term health effects.
So if your goal is to learn about the therapeutic value of caloric restriction and you think this book might summarize the results of Keys's study, keep on looking. This book is more about the journey of accomplishing the study and an examination of medical ethics.
It's not a summary of the findings of the study. For that I ordered The Biology of Human Starvation, which is the two-volume findings of the study.
It's also not a book directly applicable to fasting, or to caloric restriction for therapeutic benefits. Apart from not addressing many findings of the study, the study participants are largely not comparable to modern people who might hope to use that information. As the book notes, the average size of the participants of the study was 5'10" and 152 pounds, chosen to represent the average American adult man of the time. The most recent estimate I could find is that the current average size of an American adult man is still about 5'10", but nearly 200 pounds.
These were men who would mostly be considered skinny by modern standards, starving to living skeleton state under conditions meant to simulate modern famines, wherein calories are still available, but at a level far below what's required for maintenance. The reintroduction of food was programmed to generate data about the factors that bring a starving person most rapidly back to health, and not with issues of long-term health effects.
So if your goal is to learn about the therapeutic value of caloric restriction and you think this book might summarize the results of Keys's study, keep on looking. This book is more about the journey of accomplishing the study and an examination of medical ethics.
July 18, 2020
Near the end of WWII 36 volunteers agreed to undergo starvation. The results were fascinating and helped transform our understanding of nutrition, appetite and mental health. The book unfortunately was neither fascinating or transformative. I seem to be an outlier if reviews are anything to go by, but I could not finish the book- maybe it got better. What I did read was an uninteresting biography of the scientists involved and some of the research subjects which I can't say interested me in any way. Having said that, the title of the book does kind of giver it away- the book is about the test subjects rather than the history or science. It is also ludicrous hyperbole- the study was an interesting novelty but it did not save millions of lives.
Scientifically we learnt more about starvation during the war from concentration camps and starving civilians and soldiers. I can't work out however why the author tries to portray the participants as heroes- agreeing to not eat much for a few months in order to dodge military duty is just not that heroic no matter how you try to spin it. I did not warm to any of the characters in the book- maybe they became likable at the end but i never got that far.
But go ahead and read the book and make up your own mind. Bon apetite !
Scientifically we learnt more about starvation during the war from concentration camps and starving civilians and soldiers. I can't work out however why the author tries to portray the participants as heroes- agreeing to not eat much for a few months in order to dodge military duty is just not that heroic no matter how you try to spin it. I did not warm to any of the characters in the book- maybe they became likable at the end but i never got that far.
But go ahead and read the book and make up your own mind. Bon apetite !
June 25, 2023
Todd Tucker, the author of numerous historical books and a former officer with the US Navy’s nuclear submarine force, introduces us to a story from WWII that has largely gone unnoticed: a group of conscientious objectors who volunteered for a starvation program to determine how to rehabilitate the millions of starved people around the world. The experiment, the brainchild of Dr. Ancel Keys, began in October 1944. It subjected a group of 36 courageous volunteers to three months of starvation and three months of rehabilitation, examining every physical, mental, and emotional aspect of severe malnutrition on the human body.
I think this book is for people who seek to understand: (1) how the US military treated conscientious objectors and how some objectors yearned to prove themselves through risky medical experiments; (2) the severe toll of the experiment, especially the end of the starvation period and the beginning of the rehabilitation period; and (3) how mental faculties, far faster than physical capability, deteriorated during starvation.
Read more at www.pithysummary.com!
I think this book is for people who seek to understand: (1) how the US military treated conscientious objectors and how some objectors yearned to prove themselves through risky medical experiments; (2) the severe toll of the experiment, especially the end of the starvation period and the beginning of the rehabilitation period; and (3) how mental faculties, far faster than physical capability, deteriorated during starvation.
Read more at www.pithysummary.com!
November 6, 2025
Even though I read this work several years ago, I remembered very little about it. There is quite a bit of background info leading up to the actual starvation experiment, including, on page 74, the disgusting deal MacArthur made with the Japanese to grant immunity to them for the horrific medical experiments they conducted during WW2. Many of those responsible enjoyed distinguished careers after the war. As though I didn't already harbor a healthy hatred for anything related to "Dugout Doug."
The author, in his section on food rationing and shortages, fails to mention FDR's closet communist, Henry Wallace's order to farmers in 1933 to destroy crops and slaughter livestock, a serious oversight.
The author, in his section on food rationing and shortages, fails to mention FDR's closet communist, Henry Wallace's order to farmers in 1933 to destroy crops and slaughter livestock, a serious oversight.
February 1, 2023
4.5 stars.
A very interesting read. It was well written and I liked that there was background information (on the test subjects, Dr Ancel, etc) that led to the decision to do such an experiment. I appreciate that fact after fact wasn't completely spewed out every sentence. You also got to see the emotional/psychological side to the whole thing. It's amazing and truly terrifying to see the deep impact starvation has on both body and mind.
I didn't give the full 5 stars because I would have liked more information on the actual findings of the experiment.
A very interesting read. It was well written and I liked that there was background information (on the test subjects, Dr Ancel, etc) that led to the decision to do such an experiment. I appreciate that fact after fact wasn't completely spewed out every sentence. You also got to see the emotional/psychological side to the whole thing. It's amazing and truly terrifying to see the deep impact starvation has on both body and mind.
I didn't give the full 5 stars because I would have liked more information on the actual findings of the experiment.
Want to read
October 11, 2022As heard on 99% Invisible:
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