Ralph's review
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
I have avoided reading this book simply because sometimes I prefer not to know some things. I like meat. I am a carnivorian, but I don't necessarily want to know what's going on in the slaughterhouses. I prefer ignorance. My curiousity finally got the best of me.
The book focuses on the following main points (among others):
- A history of how hamburgers and fries became the quintessential meal in the 50s
- A history of how some of our major fast food chains started
- The globalization of fast food
- The marketing bombardment of fast food on children (an utter success with my kids)
- The poor working conditions and low pay in the restaurants and slaughterhouses (not pretty)
- The dangers of working in a slaughterhouse (read with an empty stomach)
- The disappearing American farmer
- The rise in foodborne illnesses
- Mad cow disease (I am naive, I didn't realize that they fed cows dead pigs, cows, horses, cats, dogs, etc.)
- The unfortunate power of the lobbyi...more
The book focuses on the following main points (among others):
- A history of how hamburgers and fries became the quintessential meal in the 50s
- A history of how some of our major fast food chains started
- The globalization of fast food
- The marketing bombardment of fast food on children (an utter success with my kids)
- The poor working conditions and low pay in the restaurants and slaughterhouses (not pretty)
- The dangers of working in a slaughterhouse (read with an empty stomach)
- The disappearing American farmer
- The rise in foodborne illnesses
- Mad cow disease (I am naive, I didn't realize that they fed cows dead pigs, cows, horses, cats, dogs, etc.)
- The unfortunate power of the lobbyi...more
