Rating: 
Summary: Double Cheeseburger, Side Order of Fries, and a Heart Attack
Review: *Did you know that Today Show weatherman Williard Scott is the person who thought up Ronald McDonald?
*Did you know that Americans spend more on fast food than movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos and recorded music combined?
*Did you know that one out of eight workers in America has at some time worked at a McDonalds?In Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser takes the reader on a real eye opening ride through the fast food industry in America. He looks at how it came to be such an institution and the present and future state of fast food.
He shows us how fast food gets it flavor from a flavor factory in New Jersey, how meat packaging plants have become the most dangerous places on earth to work, how McDonald's makes such huge profits (it's one of the largest owners of property) and what's really in those juicy burgers (cholesterol should be your smallest concern).
Just trust me when I say that you won't be rushing down to your local burger joint after reading this book, in fact you'll be running full speed in the opposite direction. But this is a very enlightening book that looks at the dark side of an American Institution and hopefully will open some eyes about the real evils lurking behind those golden arches.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling and fascinating look at our fast food culture
Review: Eric Schlosser analyzes modern America through the lens of fast food, and what he reveals is completely engrossing, shocking, and infuriating. He begins with a history of the industry, how McDonald's and other chains came to be, and illustrates how various social climates encouraged the rapid growth and expansion of franchises. By going inside a present-day slaughter house, Schlosser paints an unforgettable picture of the never-ending slaughter of cattle in conditions that are truly shocking, horrifying, and nauseating. Perhaps just as important as all of the problems he reveals, Schlosser also includes his ideas about how to change everything he finds as problematic, offering concrete solutions instead of simply identifying all that is wrong. Just how important and utterly fascinating Fast Food Nation is might not be immediately apparent based on a description of the subject. Schlosser, however, focuses his book very carefully to avoid tackling a topic beyond comprehension, choosing Colorado as emblematic of the current state of the industry - and the chilling effect on our school system, believe it or not. And he balances out his factual passages with anecdotes about ranchers, fast food magnates, restaurant employees, slaughter house workers, franchise owners, and so forth. Schlosser's skill as a writer is evident in the way that he maintains control over all of the information he includes; he jumps, at times, between early 20th century California, post-war Germany, and modern Colorado seamlessly and effortlessly. While in theory this is a book I couldn't put down, in practice some of the information was so revolting that I had to move away briefly - this is due to the power of Schlosser's language in some cases, and horror at what actually takes place, and is a testament to the strength of the book rather than any difficutly with it. The one issue that bothered me somewhat is addressed in the afterword, when Schlosser takes the opportunity to analyze the book's success and some of the comments he received. Throughout the book, much of the blame for the current horrific state of the beef industry is laid on the Republican party, and I find it very hard to believe that there is not a hefty dose due Democrats. His explanation is satisfactory, although I still wish that he had devoted more to that topic in the actual text itself. That said, from the little details about what's actually in the food we eat to the experiences of some slaughter house workers, this book is not to be missed. Recent recalls of millions of pounds of beef show just how timely and important this topic is, and I think that Fast Food Nation should be pretty much mandatory reading for everyone - my copy is on its third reader already.
Rating: 
Summary: Much to ponder here.
Review: With a fast food restaurant on just about every corner in any town with a population over 5,000 (barely an exaggeration), this is a book that was long overdue. With newspaper articles and television news stories about obesity, child obesity, and hypertension becoming almost a weekly occurrence, some in-depth reporting regarding much of the source of these problems was greatly needed. But who does Schlosser roast and who does he leave alone? The early chapters are mainly devoted to the history of the fast food restaurant and the men who created and later "perfected" the industry. The "founding fathers" as Schlosser calls them are not looked on with contempt by the author. Rather, I sensed admiration for the McDonald brothers who began using "speedee service" at the first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernadino, California in the early 1950's. The same holds true for other early fast food entrepreneurs including Carl Karchner (Carl's Jr. and Hardee's), J.R. Simplot (the Idaho french fry king) and even Ray Kroc who made McDonald's the behemoth that it is today. One enlightening section focuses on the flavor industry. Didn't know there was one? Neither did I. According to Schlosser, there are a myriad of plants in the New Jersey area who do nothing but concoct flavors for the vast majority of processed foods and drinks that we drop down our throats. Frequently in the past I had wondered what "natural flavor" on the side of food labels meant. Now I know and I feel somewhat cheated. The fast food industry as a whole does take a hit from the author for low wages, and poor safety training. The point is made that the industry actually wants a revolving door for teens to go continually through. Teens are willing to accept lower wages when living at home because to them, it's pretty much all disposable income. They also don't expect health insurance or other benefits. Schlosser also puts to bed the myth that "worker training" funds are beneficial to the workers themselves. Too often the money allocated for fast food businesses to train employees is money simply pocketed by the franchise or by corporate. The workers aren't employed for very long and a study was undertaken that determined that the vast majority of the workers hired with the funds would have been hired any way. Most of the author's contempt is reserved for the meat-packing industry and the federal government which, he says, fails to pass laws that would better regulate packing and slaughterhouses. Basically, the industry is fraught with environmental and food safety violations. In addition to that they are constantly on the prowl for illegal aliens who will work dangerous jobs for little money, but is considered a pay raise by the worker (five bucks an hour for cutting meat? great!) Due to a lack of proper regulations, e-coli is a major problem, as the author aptly demonstrates. I can't say that I agreed with every thing the author has to say about the fast food industry, but I certainly agreed with the bulk of it. For example, he would like a ban on all advertising by fast food establishments during children's televison programming. That may sound admirable, but at the same time seems a slippery slope that I'm not sure we want to undertake. What would be considered children's programming? Would McDonald's be considered unacceptable but Cracker Barrel deemed okay? I do, however, agree with him that the federal government should enact whatever laws necessary to ensure that meat is handled, stored, shipped, prepared, etc. properly. Protecting the public from food-borne illness is not and should not be a political issue. It's just common sense and the right thing to do. One will definitely learn a lot here. One doesn't have to agree with everything said to appreciate gaining new knowledge on an important topic. Schlosser even admits to eating fast food himself, although he says he now has given up ground beef. Moderation is key here I think. Perhaps this book would serve best those who have a tendency to make fast food their meal at every meal (believe me, there are some doing just that).
Rating: 
Summary: Uninspiring and unfounded
Review: Sure, this book might strike any reader as chockful of "facts" and background research--but when a journalist starts to draw wild paralells between fast food and the life-long disenchantment of America's workers, between fast food and the rate of high-school drop-outs, and holding the fast food chains responsible for all and any negative socio-economic developments in the US since World War II, I can only begin to wonder whether Schlosser is even familiar with the concept of "argument by scenario" (telling a story that links unrelated incidents and situations and then pointing to the story itself as proof that the various conditions are related). Having greatly anticipated reading Schlosser's work, it left me nothing but greatly disappointed. The basis for both his arguments and his conclusions are often so weak and far-fetched that I can do nothing but shake my head in disapproval.
Rating:
Summary: essential reading
Review: this book really is essential reading. even if you don't agree with the conclusions reached by the author, there is still plenty here worthy of note. of course, if you follow the author through the largely horrifying information in the book, the conclusions he (and the reader) reach are pretty much inescapable. definitely an eye-opener, which -- even more importantly -- challenges you, as an individual, to action.
Rating:
Summary: couldn't put it down
Review: I am only 16 but this was a wonderful book. I had read THE JUNGLE by Upton Sinclair a couple of years ago and i enjoyed that. This book is along those line...pointing out the flaws in the industry and in the american culture/society. He talks about the marketing tactics that are used, the safety of the workers and consumers, and how far out the ripples of the fast food industry go. This was a wonderful book, i praise the author for taking the risk to speak out against such a huge corporation. When i finished the book i wanted it to keep going. i wanted to read more...although i dont what that more would have been about. IT WAS EXCELLENT!
Rating:
Summary: I had no idea...
Review: This is a very interesting book. It made me think twice about many of the places that supply food to our children. I found the first part of the book fascinating. Particularly the history of the fast food phenomenon in America. This book was very hard to put down. It took me longer to read than I would have liked, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The chapters on the meat packing companies as well as the information regarding the employees and how they are treated was especially enlightening. I have always wondered how fast food can be so ridiculously inexpensive. This books provides some if not all of the answers.
Rating:
Summary: Agenda behind the greasy, tastey facts...
Review: I must admit, I was eager to read this book in a deliberate effort to broaden my political horizons and to find some facts to fill in the holey blanket of cynism for the corporate state that I snuggle up with at night. Shlosser has done an amazing job of researching this book. He has more than satisfied my craving for the statistical weaponry I will need at cocktail parties while jousting with blind and ignorant conservatives who can only back their stolen thoughts with what their daddies told them. But I must admit that I am slightly turned off by the lurking "righteous vegen" that makes himself known somewhere around page 100 at the beginning of a 150-page ecoli and meat-packing rant. I would have preferred that more effort be spent on developing some of his keen observations about the corporate scheme of things, workers rights, and most importantly the distinct ties between the money and government. I want more conspiracy!
Having said that, I must admit that I could not put the book down. 'Fast Food Nation' is truly a cornucopia of disturbing facts that leaves you hungry for more books of its kind. The bibliography is thorough and compelling. Apathy towards the current state of the nation as led by these corporate giants seems almost impossible after digesting this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who feels molested by the news these days. 'Fast Food Nation' is a vivid portrait of the rich, dirty uncle who makes us feel that way.
Rating:
Summary: Well-Researched Expose
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I believe the author Eric Schlosser did an excellent job of research. To wit, despite all the revelations he has made in this book, no one has sued him, because he can back it all up. Too, I was relieved that this book did not go downhill into a pro-vegetarian rant. Schlosser calls for reforms in the way meat is processed but does not call for an end to meat eating. That would be like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Rating: 
Summary: Scholsser's Drive-Thru Shooting
Review: This book opens with the infancy of the Fast Food restaurant, a peculiarly American tradition. The descriptions are efficient and the facts are interesting. By page 30, practically every franchise had been mentioned in one form or another. Then comes the meat of the book, and like any fast food burger, the sources are questionable or reinterpreted to push an agenda. Much of the reporting seems accurate but by the halfway point, the author paints conclusions that have no connection to the initial problem. Suddenly the book turns weakly political. Sure, you can learn lots of 'dirt' on your least favorite chain, and that is where the book succeeds. But, I'd rather read 400 pages on that without the awkward illogical slant.
|
