Rating: 
Summary: Convinced by Schlosser's plea
Review: If you like reading books authored passionately this one truly fits your needs. Schlosser delves into a part of American and now world culture, which effects us more profoundly than we ever realize. The Chapters labeled "The Most Dangerous Job" and "What's in the Meat" contain the most disturbing material causing one to really question whether he/she really wants to support the meat industry anymore. I found the history of the fast food movement to be fascinating as well as the connection of McDonald's to Disneyland. This book will anger you, intrigue you and, with its brilliant conclusion, inspire you to reconsider your patronage of the fast food joints in your locality.
Rating:
Summary: An Important Book
Review: Fast Food Nation is an excellent book. The statistics, cases and antecdotes of the fast food industry are undeniably compelling. However (and perhaps more importantly), through examining this industry, Schlosser has exposed an erosion of some of our basic values and rights as citizens and consumers. He essentially demonstrates how, through lack of oversight and a bit of blind faith, we have allowed the (fast food) marketplace and its most successful businesses to shape and compromise our values surrounding product quality and acceptable labor and business practises. Contrary to this, the success of such businesses should hinge upon how well they cater to the values and demands that we, as citizens and consumers, determine independent of business interests. Schlosser's examination of the meat industry helps to paint the picture where, through our disconnection from the processes that generate so many modern conveniences (like the fast food hamburger), we have allowed this backwards marketplace to evolve, even as its strongest businesses exploit their workers, the environment, and consumers. While Schlosser maintains a bit of grounding for the book by admitting his own taste for fast food, and by citing certain restaraunts chains and employers who are a tribute to the industry, it becomes quite clear that we can do better.
Rating:
Summary: Profound!!
Review: This book was recommended by my thirteen year old niece, who amazed me while I was visiting her this summer, by suggesting our out of the house meals be at any place BUT a fast food restaurant. Come on, what kid passes up fries and a shake?? She proceeded to "enlighten" her aunt with all kinds of facts from Eric's book. I was flabbergasted, to say the least, and new that I would have to borrow my niece's book. I can say that after reading it, I too no longer wish to contribute my money nor sacrifice my health to an industry that is completely uncaring of the harm caused for the sake of profit. Fast Food Nation will provide you the information needed in order to understand exactly what this industry is doing to the land, animals and humans. It's a shame. There has got to be a better way. Much thanks to the author for this expose.
Rating: 
Summary: Like fast food, ultimately tasteless
Review: Attacking fast food in this day and age has become the literary and political equivalent of a college undergraduate degree. Still somewhat of a challenge, a lot more is needed to stir up interest. Saying fast food is bad for you and mass-produced and symbolical of the almighty dollars imperialistic takeover of everywhere from Burma to Bora Bora is as thought provoking as saying tobacco seriously damages your health. Insight, or lack of it, isn't the reason why people chose or refrain from pigging out on burgers and fries.Eric Schlosser energizes the debate when he, in the first chapter, addresses the question of fast foods raison-d'être. It, simply, "tastes good". A fact that countless previous McDonaldization studies has failed to address. It low price and ease of use are two other factors that account for its popularity. So what if you put on a pound or two as long as you can shake it off in the gym in those minutes that you'd otherwise have spent cooking the food yourself. Schlosser's ambition is promising enough. He wants to uncover what fast food does to us on a sociological and societal level. Disappointing then that he, soon enough, fails in what could have been a refreshing additive in the long-ago saturated debate on what's on people's plates these days. But it's not for a lack of trying, however. The first couple of chapter are as insightful and informative as they are enjoyable. He recounts the history of McDonald's, Domino's, Jack in the Box and other fast food joints and litters the chapters with enough corporate folklore and trivia to fill "Did you know"-tray leaflets in the aforementioned restaurant chains for decades to come. The dramaturgic feel doesn't abandon Schlosser when he moves into the first chapters that go behind the scenes of the fast food circus. He adds equal measures of up-close personal drama and analytical outlook to create a blend that savours with emotion and, mind the pun, plenty of food for thought. However, the lure that blinded so many of predecessors that ventured into the challenge to "uncover" the fast food conspiracy finally gets to Schlosser. That lure, is sensationalism. And as any one can attest to, there's plenty of sensationalistic anecdotes when you venture into the realm of a low-wage service industrial history. The miners of coal-driven England. The bridge-builders of Early America. The sneaker-makers of South East Asia. The stories that tend to seep out of these places would guarantee a soap-opera writer two lifetimes of work. But that's exactly the problem. More "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" is hardly what this debate needs. It is a real pity that Schlosser wastes his opportunity to address the real issues of fast food consumption that he promised in the early chapter. The lower class, if we use income as a somewhat fair measurement, always loses. The fast food industry, with its intensive use of low skilled labor, is no exception to this. But revelling in the misery of the weaker rungs of the social ladder whilst still trying to address the problem on an intellectual level is not only bourgeoisie, it is also tasteless. Yet this is exactly the level that Schlosser ultimately yields to. The intelligent and sharp portraits of corporations turn into accounts of worker injuries and unfair treatment of workers, and they're better handled by Channel 5 Action News than by Schlosser.
Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile and easy, accessible reading.
Review: An excellent bit of research on a worthwhile topic. If you're open minded and not a far right winger, this book should keep you interested and almost always surprised, even frustrated. Schlosser has done a remarkable job presenting the problems we face with our beef suppliers. The book leaves the impression of being a critique from the left, but it seems to me quite accurate. Criticisms of the regulation the FDA has either tried to accomplish or been prevented from performing is good example of how one may see a liberal critique here. However, there are also some criticisms of Democratic failures as well. Schlosser provides realistic solutions and quite a thorough examination of the fast food industry in many facets, its sociology, history, criminology, etc. McDonalds as an education institution is a pretty scary section too.The book is replete with relative, interesting factual discussion and a coherence of ideas and criticisms. The web of problems are inter-related and make for a rather complicated but accomplishable macro-solution or set of micro-solutions. I highly recommend this book. You might also listen to the interview Terry Gross did with the author on her show Fresh Air.... There are some excellent ironies Schlosser documents, which well represent fundamental flaws in some of our business practices and advertising strategies. This book will make you think a little before purchasing, since you are inadvertently supporting the business, their practices and their ethics when you buy their products. Worthwhile and easy, accessible reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow food town
Review: This book is great, primarily because it was written by a reporter rather than a novelist. It gives the facts without the ususeless ... information, and covers all bases involving the fast food industry and how it came to be the corporate monster that it is now. This book has changed my life in the sense that I can barely stomach to buy even a drink at these disgusting establishments! Nice work Schlosser.
Rating:
Summary: Slow food town
Review: This book is great, primarily because it was written by a reporter rather than a novelist. It gives the facts without the ususeless crap information, and covers all bases involving the fast food industry and how it came to be the corporate monster that it is now. This book has changed my life in the sense that I can barely stomach to buy even a drink at these disgusting establishments! Nice work Schlosser.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast Food Nation
Review: "Fast Food Nation" should have been a home run. Nevertheless, due to some sloppy editting, and the author's tendency for soap-box pontification the book is merely good when it could have been excellent. [In the epilogue the author recounts some of the great achievements of the U.S., listing the minimum wage as one of them. While the minimum wage may be good public policy (which it may or may not be), to consider it a "great achievement" is laughable.] This is a story needs telling, and the author does an excellent job of laying out the "ripple effect" the Fast food industry has on all of Agri-Business, as well as the associated job markets. But he fails to go the next step and project what the reaction among consumers would be if his recommendations were enacted. An assertive editor may have been better at keeping the author on message.
Rating:
Summary: Everyone Needs to Read this Book
Review: This is a must read if you have ever eaten fast food in your life. There are some must know facts in here, I guarantee you will never look at a burger and fries the same way again. It is amazing what the fast food industry has done to our economy, our bodies, the food we eat, and the way we live. From the fecal matter in the meat to the way employees are treated it is amazing what little we really know about what goes in our mouths and what we are supporting by pulling up at the drive in. So before you head to the drive thru be sure to read this book, you may never eat at the golden arches again!!!
Rating:
Summary: A true advocate for a fair market economy
Review: Most independent minded people already know about the physical, social,and economic ills associated with the fast food industry. What Schlosser adds, though, is his accurate perception that American capitalism (a term not used until long after Adam Smith wrote "Wealth of Nations") has nothing at all to do with a "free" or fair market. The corporations have been getting a free ride from taxpayers through corporate welfare, abuse of tax incentives designed to help small business owners like me, and relaxed enforcement of anti-trust laws (even big American corporations are now turning to European courts for fair and unbiased interpretation of anti-trust laws.) As a conservative who favors a free (but FAIR) market,I was a bit leery when I read a review of "Fast Food Nation". Schlosser proved to be an unbiased and compassionate observer.
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