Fast Food Nation

The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

De: Eric Schlosser

Narrado por: Rick Adamson

Fast Food Nation - the groundbreaking work of investigation and cultural history that has changed the way America thinks about the way it eats - and spent nearly four months on the New York Times bestseller list - now available on cassette!

Are we what we eat? To a degree both engrossing and alarming, the story of fast food is the story of postwar America. Though created by a handful of mavericks, the fast food industry has triggered the homogenization of our society. Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelling the juggernaut of American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list of charges, but Eric Schlosser makes them stick with an artful mix of first-rate reportage, wry wit, and careful reasoning.

Schlosser's myth-shattering survey stretches from the California subdivisions where the business was born to the industrial corridor along the New Jersey Turnpike where many of fast food's flavors are concocted. Along the way, he unearths a trove of fascinating, unsettling truths - from the unholy alliance between fast food and Hollywood to the seismic changes the industry has wrought in food production, popular culture, even real estate. He also uncovers the fast food chains' efforts to reel in the youngest, most susceptible consumers even while they hone their institutionalized exploitation of teenagers and minorities. Schlosser then turns a critical eye toward the hot topic of globalization - a phenomenon launched by fast food.

enjoyable simply because it is so very disturbing

This is a powerfully thought provoking book. It is enjoyable simply because it is so very disturbing. As a high-school teacher I found the information relating to the necessity of a large uneducated workforce enlightening. Also, the detailed examples about food processing and taste are well...thought provoking. And, the information about the aggressive campaigning for ever younger customers has lead my wife and I into many discussions about the amount of television and fast food we are willing to let our children consume.
I am critical of the author's biased approach to the material, but he clearly states his agenda at both the beginning and end of the book; so the material can be read with the knowledge that this book is a prosecution of the industry with no real defense.

Sets Some Facts Out Clearly

The best part of this book is the history of fast food and the growth of big business, often at the expense of society and the consumer. There isn't much most of us don't already know, but the details are set out here clearly. A weakness of the book, which really gets serious in the second half, is the critical tone of the author about everything related to fast food companies and their supply chains. While citing the numbers of those sickened from fast food meat contamination, the "objective" high tone of the book was calling out for some context, such as the numbers of people sickened from traditional Sunday church outings maybe. Overall though, a read that will help you stay away from McDonalds, which you already know you should, but often find hard to do.

Many angles on the fast food industry

I thought this book was going to be mainly about the health issues surrounding fast food, but that is such a minor part of it. We learn about the entire history of the industry, its effects on popular culture, economics, and other related food industries. I knew there was good reason to stay away from certain fast food restaurants based simply on health reasons, but now there are so many others, not the least of which are how they exploit their workers and enable partners in other food industries to exploit their workers. After listening to this book, I pretty much stayed out of fast food restaurants for almost two years. It is really a fascinating and persuasive book!

missing parts

i have to read this book for class and being a busy mom as well as a full time college student, i thought this would be a good way to get reading done while doing other things around the house.... well i started following along in the book and noticed sections missing from the narration. big bummer for me.... this is very frustrating as i paid for the book and im not getting what i paid for. hopefully they will fix this and the next person will not get jipped...

its a good book but the audiobook has some flaws

If you could sum up Fast Food Nation in three words, what would they be?

this book was very interesting and had good information on the hidden facts about the fast food industry

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

in this book they discusses the hidden facts about fast food industry

Have you listened to any of Rick Adamson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no i have never listen to Rick Adamsons or any other performances before first time listening to an audio book

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no this book was not a book i wanted to listen in one sitting because it too much information to listen to since i have to read this book for my English class i don't have to read it all in once

Any additional comments?

though the book was interesting and informed me of the practice and hidden facts of the fast food industry .I feel that as i was following the audio book with my book of the fast food nation. I felt like a lot of information in the book had gotten skipped and i would get lost since i am an audio and visual learner i need to both see and hear the text to fully understand it and this is a required book for my English class