Book: Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Pages: 399 (Paperback)

Fast Food Nation is an interesting book.  I first read it for a sociology class years ago, and I decided to read it again. 

It’s about the fast food industry, and how it’s changed over since World War 2.  He also talk about marketing to kids and what it’s like working in the slaughterhouses. 

The part about the meat-packing industry was interesting and yet disturbing.  He describes what it’s like working there and what happens to the animals.  The workers work in terrible conditions, with injuries not being reported.  If they are, then a lot of them are falsified so the slaughterhouses don’t get into trouble.  And the workers that keep working no matter how sick they felt and no matter how bad any injuries were sustained.

I’ve had my copy for several years now, so I’m sure some of the statistics are out-dated.  And while I loved the book the first time I read it, this time, it was just okay.  We all know fast food is bad for us, but the book felt like a one-sided argument on why fast food is evil.  It’s definitely implied that fast food is the reason for all of society’s problems.   

It is fairly well-researched, though, and it did make me think about where my food comes from and how it’s processed.

I would give it a 2 out of 5.  It felt one-sided, and not terribly focused, but it does get points for making you think.