| Author: |
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Eric Schlosser
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| Title: |
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Fast Food Nation |
| Moochable copies: |
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No copies available |
| Amazon suggests: |
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| Recommended: |
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| Topics: |
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| Published in: |
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English |
| Binding: |
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Paperback |
| Pages: |
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416 |
| Date: |
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2005-07-01 |
| ISBN: |
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0060838582 |
| Publisher: |
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Harper Perennial |
| Weight: |
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0.84 pounds |
| Size: |
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5.34 x 8.02 x 1.0 inches |
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| Description: |
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On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there is--literally--feces in your meat. Schlosser's investigation reaches its frightening peak in the meatpacking plants as he reveals the almost complete lack of federal oversight of a seemingly lawless industry. His searing portrayal of the industry is disturbingly similar to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, written in 1906: nightmare working conditions, union busting, and unsanitary practices that introduce E. coli and other pathogens into restaurants, public schools, and homes. Almost as disturbing is his description of how the industry "both feeds and feeds off the young," insinuating itself into all aspects of children's lives, even the pages of their school books, while leaving them prone to obesity and disease. Fortunately, Schlosser offers some eminently practical remedies. "Eating in the United States should no longer be a form of high-risk behavior," he writes. Where to begin? Ask yourself, is the true cost of having it "your way" really worth it? --Lesley Reed |
| Reviews: |
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Christina (USA: MI) (2006/10/18):
This is an incredible read for anyone wanting to know more about what we consume, where it comes from, and how it was made. The author digs like a true journalist but the book flows like a well written novel. Absolutley essential, everyone must read!
Sorchah (USA: IL) (2007/06/29):
AMAZING book. I knew a lot of the information given, but it was written so well, it was like consuming it all over again, but this time with MSG added.
Moselle (USA: NJ) (2008/01/06):
After reading this book, you will find it difficult to eat ground beef.
RBSchreiber (USA: CA) (2008/12/22):
I found this book incredibly fascinating. Good, interesting read.
Joey (USA: TX) (2010/05/18):
This is a great read indeed. It can get a bit dense at times, but it certainly strengthened my values as a vegetarian. Meat-eater or not, this gives the reader a look behind the no-entry signs and in the dark corners of the industry. I hope you'll enjoy it as I did. Om Mani Padme Hung
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| URL: |
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http://bookmooch.com/0060838582 |
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