Rating: 
Summary: Three Essays, One Book, Ruben Sturman
Review: Eric Schlosser returns in his second published expose' on three different underground economic topics, each an essay originally released in Rolling Stone Magazine. The three essays on marijuana, illegal immigrant workers, and pornography constitute this opus on America's underground economy which accounts for what Schlosser and others believe is 10 percent of the whole American economy constitute "Reefer Madness."While not nearly as in depth as his first book "Fast Food Nation," Schlosser does more muckraking on topics that not only interest readers who know little about these underground economies, but can also keep the readers attention with experiences and biographies of participants in the underground economies. I truly think that Schlosser went far more in depth to exhume scarce facts in "Fast Food Nation," while only briefly over-viewing these three topics in "Reefer Madness." To get to the point... it would have been better if "Reefer Madness" was Schlosser's first work instead of "Fast Food Nation - He obviously set the standard for himself too high with his first work. Schlosser does an excellent job not only presenting these three essays, one leading into the other through prose vignette, but offers a preface of ideas to help set up the reader before the presentation of the three essays. Referencing points from Adam Smith's "On the Wealth of Nations" for the current reigning market system, Schlosser sees what many others refuse to see... Everyone has his or her vice and there is money to be made from this market! Schlosser finishes "Reefer Madness" with personal points of view and his own ideas on these three portions of the underground American economy and how things about them can be progressively dealt with, and even legalized!?!?! Eric Schlosser is currently working on another investigative report unfolding the secrets of the American prison system - I am not sure when this work will be released.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining but slightly disappointing
Review: "Reefer Madness" is an uneven examination of the American underground economy. Mr. Schlosser does not attempt a comprehensive examination -- notably absent are software piracy, music downloading, prostitution, offshore banking and gambling --but appears instead to have selected three topics that, presumably, might help sell copies for his publisher. (Such are the perils, apparently, of having to follow up the classic "Fast Food Nation".) The first section is dedicated to illegal drugs. Mr. Schlosser does a very good job savaging the contradictions of legal and illegal drug policies in this country. In only 64 pages, the author provides background, statistics and case studies that make for very compelling reading. His conclusions are consistent with what most reformers have been arguing for some time. The draconian laws and failed policies of the so-called 'War on Drugs' are so out of step with mainstream American thought and practice that Mr. Schlosser's sly rewrite of a John Lennon anthem resonates with power: "this war is over, if you want it." This devastating critique was my favorite of the three essays, by far. The second section on illegal labor is a scant 34 pages long. It is focused on the plight of strawberry pickers in California. Mr. Schlosser's keen powers of observation and solid research methodology combine to produce a scathing critique of the inhumane conditions that many migrant farmworkers endure. But by focusing on such a thin slice of the American labor market, it may be difficult to judge the validity of the author's generalized recommendations about rectifying labor abuses nationwide. Personally, I was disappointed that the third section on the porn industry was as lengthy as the other two combined. The story was mostly a history lesson and biography centered around Reuben Sturman, who the author shows was primarily responsible for growing the porn industry through most of the post World War II era and who tirelessly defended it against its enemies. But while Mr. Schlosser's article makes it clear that porn was officially repressed for many years in the U.S., today that no longer seems to be the case. Consequently it doesn't seem to provide much support for the author's theme of the contemporary state of the underground economy, although the story was certainly interesting and extremely well-written. In the end, one wishes that Mr. Schlosser had been able to fully develop these stories into three separate books. The stature that the author has gained as a result of "Fast Food Nation" guarantees that his views have power, but I'm afraid that diluting the subject matter probably takes away some of the punch. That's too bad, because in my view the drug laws and the labor laws, in particular, badly need reform. Here's hoping that Mr. Schlosser's publisher gives this talented writer the opportunity to produce another gem on par with "Fast Food Nation" the next time around. But in the meantime, Mr. Schlosser's fans can get a quick fix by reading this entertaining but slighly disappointing book.
Rating:
Summary: Why go underground?
Review: What Schosser doesn't say, is that as overall tax rates have risen in the last 30 years, people are pragmatic and seek ways to opt out of the increasing burden. 40 years ago payroll taxes were 2%, now they're over 15%. What's even more interesting is that as people opt out of paying-- they still expect benefits from the system, e.g. health care, subsidized college tuition, retirement monthly checks. Alot of people, from off the books housekeepers to electricians, may be disappointed that being off the books has a long term price, but that may not matter if they somehow marry or live with someone else who has benefits available. Great concept for a book.
Rating:
Summary: requires more thinking than Fast Food Nation
Review: 1. This book is not as strong in research, documentation or overall in-your-face persuasiveness as Fast Food Nation. 2. This book was compiled and expanded from three essays previously written by the author for the Atlantic Monthly. (He's currently writing a book on the US prison system and I think this was to get another book out between FFN and that one) 3. The three articles ARE DEFINITELY related. But it requires more thinking on the part of the reader. It's not laid out quite as clearly as FFN: Marijuana, illegal immigration and porn. Pot and Porn laws are mercillessly enforced and broadly condemned by politicans, yet have been shown over and over to be of no real social harm at all. Huge amounts of money wasted that could be used to fight real problems or create real benefit. Illegal immigration, on the other hand, is a horrible social disease that is swept under the rug and in practice even encouraged. The common thread is hypocrisy. The common thread is taxpayer money going to waste. The common thread is lives ruined for no reason by unnecessary AND lives ruined because necessary action wasn't taken. The common thread is the that the actions of the government are not based on what's good for the society. They seem to cater to the irrational whims of public opinion. And the result is *sinister.* 4. This is a fascinating and powerful point, but it's not made as clearly as it could be. 5. This book is nonetheless very much worth reading. If for no other reason than it's great cocktail party chatter to be able to talk about the porn mogul that only insiders know about. 6. If you read this book, keep thinking about it after you put it down. It pays dividends.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read
Review: This book asks a lot of questions, and points out many imperfections in American society. If drugs, porno, and illegal aliens are so bad why are the so pervasive in our country? If these things are so common in a democracy why are they illegal?
Rating:
Summary: In the Michael Moore tradition
Review: First, I'm compelled to agree with some other reviewers, that this book seemed less "focused" than Schlosser's gem, "Fast Food Nation." Indeed, I ran across the book by accident, and got it because of my respect for Schlosser's other book. Then, when I started it, I wondered if that he focused a lot on the "sex" portion of the title trinity, you know, to titillate the reader and make a quick buck. But the book wasn't a let down. I think the author did a fairly good job of summarizing his point in the epilogue. And I tend to agree with him. I'm a little of a libertarian in that I think it IS inappropriate for the government to interfere where it's not of "their" business. That said, onto the book. Marijuana is fairly harmless, and something probably the vast majority of us had experimented with in our "younger years." Indeed, the greatest power of pot is in its symbolism. It was a symbol of rebellion, for the users and their opponents. And the focus of the "drugs" element of the subject trinity is marijuana. I'm old enough to remember, or at least having read of pot being a ghetto drug. If you read books on drugs in, say, 1957, marijuana was something you'd find in Harlem. Of course it later became popular in Greenwich Village from whence it became that sign of bohemian rebellion. I needn't go over the rock stars that made it famous. But, after all these years in which it has been proven again and again less harmful than alcohol, there are politicians who suggest life imprisonment for those who indulge. (One of them covered in the book sang a different tune when his son was busted. What a shock. The evil weed becomes less evil when it's so close to home.) It really is amazing how many people were given long, long prison sentences, and/or lost their property, reputation, etc., because of something so harmless. Schlosser used the marijuana obsession to lead into the American obsession with drugs in general. And I particularly liked his observation that, what with 15 percent (or was it more?) of Americans using anti-depressants, it's not likely that drug "problem" is going to go away easily. (Something he may have covered but didn't is that, while the society decries the use of drugs, we watch ads on prime time television for prescription drugs to do none other than make us feel good. What me contradict?) The shortest element of the trinity was cheap labor. And it is a subject that is to me heart-wrenching. Migrant laborers especially in enlightened California pick things like strawberries, asparagus, and other crops the appearance of which is a key element of their value (and for which machinery hasn't been developed to pick them and keep them looking so "nice.") For this they are paid next to nothing, and their work conditions cause Schlosser to describe their work as indentured servitude. In a country in which we are allegedly so enlightened, that we treat people like we may have hundreds of years ago is among the signs of the depth of our hypocrisy. And the author mentions how, one of my pet peeves, the public relations industry, makes that pathetic condition look more passable to the public. Yes, the "sex" portion was longer than the others. And there were interesting, and titillating elements. Everyone remembers, for instance, when "Deep Throat" made the news. But there were interesting things going on in the same era which the author describes in details of which I was unaware before. Like, I didn't know there was one individual pretty well responsible for most of what developed as a porn industry. Even more, the details of the commission set up during the Johnson administration to examine the "effects" of porn on the society escaped me before. This book gave an interesting history of all of that. (While an undergraduate, I studied to a fair degree the Johnson era's analysis of sex and violence in the media. I'm not sure if that's the same commission to which Schlosser refers, but they came to similar conclusions: that there isn't "an" effect but what effects of either sex or violence are tempered by, for instance, how the participant's family observes either. Interesting, and logical in retrospect.) Of course, there was always talk of the mob having control over the porn market. Was that true? Schlosser seems to at least challenge it. (One could say that had SOME control, as they do over gambling, prostitution and other alleged vices. Nothing unexpected there either.) Anyway, despite the length of the discussion on the sex element, I wasn't over titillated. There was more substance than sex there, and I liked that. Again, Schlosser did a fair job of summarizing at the end of the book, suggesting that the government intervenes to a comical degree in subjects like marijuana and sex--the harms of which are pretty dubious--and doesn't intervene where it should, in the realm of involuntary servitude. I understand Schlosser's next book will be about the U.S. prison system, something that desperately needs to be analyzed--and criticized. I hope his new book is more like his first on fast food. "Reefer Madness" was good, and interesting, but seemed less focused, somewhat like a serial. Schlosser seems to do better in a focused volume and to the next I look forward.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking in depth
Review: Seemed more like three short stories which were not very well developed. I'd suggest you spend your money elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: three essays that should be invidual books, but worth readin
Review: After reading the fantastic book Fast Food Nation, I'm willing to read anything that Eric Schlosser publishes. When I heard what the subject matter was for his new book (pot, porn, and illegal labor) I wasn't that interested but I wanted to find out what Schlosser had to say. In the introduction, Schlosser writes that the book is made up of three essays that are mostly unrelated, but these essays were tied together with the idea of the American Underground Economy which pervades the book. Reefer Madness is Schlosser's attempt to show how large the underground economy (meaning, non-taxed and illegal money) is in America. Schlosser discusses the laws and the social conditions that have allowed these things to occur. The first essay is on Marijuana. Apparently, marijuana is America's number one cash crop, but it is illegal to buy, sell, grow, or possess any amount of marijuana in America. Schlosser gives the history of marijuana legislation and reveals the severity of the punishments regarding marijuana violations (even compared to murder). This essay looks at the applications of marijuana laws throughout United States history. It highlights some of the absurdly harsh penalties given for first time convictions of even trace amounts of pot; this essay also shows the disparity in verdicts for the children of politicians compared to the poor. There are comparisons with the drug laws of other nations and a discussion on the health risks and health concerns regarding marijuana. Very interesting essay. The second essay deals with illegal labor in California. Specifically, the essay is on the illegal labor in the strawberry industry. This is the shortest essay of the three, but it does a good job in explaining the rise of migrant labor since the 1970's and why farm companies would use this labor. Surprisingly, most of America's strawberries are grown in California and at least half of the labor provided is illegal. The conditions that these workers (from Mexico) live in is horrible and the labor itself is one of the most physically demanding work that one can do on a farm. Illegal labor is becoming a larger and larger sector of some industries as these men (mostly) will work for significantly lower wages just so that they can have work. This essay had more of a human story to it and was more emotionally involving than the Marijuana essay. However, this essay didn't seem to have the societal import that the discussion on marijuana law did. The third essay focuses on pornography. Schlosser does not touch on the morality side of the pornography issue, but instead deals with the economics of porn. Like the other two essays, this one details the history of pornography in America and happens to be the longest of the three essays. Pornography is big business and the U.S. government has been cracking down on the industry on an off for years. For many years, the leading figure in the industry was one man, Reuben Sturman. The legality of porn is constantly in question and at the base are the very hazy obscenity laws. Much of this essay is about Sturman, his rise to lead the industry and the attempt to convict Sturman. Any one of these essays could easily become a full length book and would be very interesting individually. Taken together, the tie that binds them is not very strong and the transition between the essays feels a little jumpy. This is an extremely interesting book and one that I am very glad that I read. Individually, these are excellent essays, but when taken together, they lose some of the narrative force that Schlosser excels at. This is worth reading, without question.
Rating:
Summary: Still a great book...
Review: You could argue that this book is not as good as Fast Food Nation and I would agree. It does cover 3 topics rather then 1 in depth. Still, the depth of the 3 essays offers a great deal of information on topics that little is known about (or spoken of), considering their impact. I saw a review stating that the 3 essays are unrelated, and that is an inacurate statement. The author makes some very good points about some major discrepencies in American government and society and ties lessons learned from the 3 essays together to support his views. I think most americans would benefit from reading this book. The author makes very strong arguments relating major American social issues to the 3 underground markets, and does so in a way that is both educational and entertaining. Even if you don't subscribe to the authors views, you will still enjoy this. One of the author's strengths, IMO, is that he reports very objectively on his subject. He holds opinions, but he does not express them until the end of his books (or essays). At that point you have read the facts and can draw your own conclusions. I am already looking forward to his next book on the american prison system.
Rating:
Summary: A Cultural Voice We Need
Review: Some critics have mentioned here and elsewhere their difficulty of finding the connecting thread of the three articles that make up this book. Reefer Madness is an entirely different animal than Fast Food Nation, which I think gained a large part of its appeal because it explored the impact of a single industry so thoroughly. The argument in this book is looser but I think no less compelling. It builds upon one of the central ideas of Fast Food Nation, where Mr. Schlosser shows how companies who claimed to support free market values are actually benefitting from a whole host of government subsidies such as SBA loans for franchises, or federal tax credits for worker training where no real training is provided. Here he shows through separate stories how some of the legislators who are the staunchest advocates of the "free market" also want to create or uphold punitive laws that punish people inordinately for marijuana possession and pornography, while these same people seem to have no qualms about letting industry folks exploit the cheap labor of Mexican immigrants to pick strawberries. One of the most telling sections describes congressmen who pushed for punitive drug laws but then later did everything they could to get their sons off when they were convicted. What Schlosser does so effectively here is show that the "free market" proponents do intervene in the marketplace all the time on behalf of their own interests, while often ignoring the plight of those less immediate to them. As a cohesive argument, this is a more difficult book to wrap your head around than FFN, but it demonstrates the same compassion and clarity and fact-based reporting that marked the other book, and it is a voice desperately needed in a time when dissent against the political right is often more angry than cogently reasoned. The book offers us a vision of another America we could be, where our private morality is consistent with our public one.
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