Book 43 of 50: Fast Food Nation
Book 43 of 50
Title: Fast Food Nation
Author: Eric Schlosser
Genre: Health, Food
Summary (from Amazon.com): 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?
Comments: I've been really into books like this lately. I've had it on my shelf for awhile, and then upon reading it, realized that it was published several years ago. So I kept reading while keeping in mind that some of the information may be a little outdated. Still, I think this is an important book that has some important information. First and foremost, it is a wake-up call about the power that fast food restaurants have on so many aspects of our lives-- the food industry, health, the government, and even international relations. For example, some people can complain a lot about regulations in meat packing plants. The government can sort-of implement rules and guidelines, and the places sort of follow them. However, when McDonald's threatens to take their business elsewhere, big companies sit up and listen. It was also interesting to learn about how so many things have such a specific flavor (no other fries taste like McDonalds? It's the beef tallow... surprise!), and the science that goes behind natural and artificial flavorings. Ultimately, I think the most powerful aspect of this book is the fact that it makes the reader think more about what they are eating and where it is coming from. Particularly disturbing were some of the descriptions of meat packing plants (because of the animals, yes, but more so because of the treatment of workers). I'll be looking around for more up to date writings about the meat packing industry. Overall, if you are into knowing more about the food you eat, this is a great book.
x-posted to 50bookchallenge
Title: Fast Food Nation
Author: Eric Schlosser
Genre: Health, Food
Summary (from Amazon.com): 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?
Comments: I've been really into books like this lately. I've had it on my shelf for awhile, and then upon reading it, realized that it was published several years ago. So I kept reading while keeping in mind that some of the information may be a little outdated. Still, I think this is an important book that has some important information. First and foremost, it is a wake-up call about the power that fast food restaurants have on so many aspects of our lives-- the food industry, health, the government, and even international relations. For example, some people can complain a lot about regulations in meat packing plants. The government can sort-of implement rules and guidelines, and the places sort of follow them. However, when McDonald's threatens to take their business elsewhere, big companies sit up and listen. It was also interesting to learn about how so many things have such a specific flavor (no other fries taste like McDonalds? It's the beef tallow... surprise!), and the science that goes behind natural and artificial flavorings. Ultimately, I think the most powerful aspect of this book is the fact that it makes the reader think more about what they are eating and where it is coming from. Particularly disturbing were some of the descriptions of meat packing plants (because of the animals, yes, but more so because of the treatment of workers). I'll be looking around for more up to date writings about the meat packing industry. Overall, if you are into knowing more about the food you eat, this is a great book.
x-posted to 50bookchallenge