Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

by Eric Schlosser

This book does what the title suggests; it tells the reader the horrifying backside of what goes into a normal meal at McDonalds and other fast food places.

It starts out humble enough just like all the giants of the industry did, but it quickly turns nasty, seeking out blood. The first part talks about how the big companies got their starts and then grew into what we now know them. The book then begins to delve into what we actually eat when we order our favorite combo number. It is reminiscent of Upton Sinclair when Schlosser talks about the meat packing and flavor making process, both of which will make your stomach curl.

This book, even though it may be full of statistics and facts, was really hard to put down. I believe that if this book got the right publicity, the fast food giants would be biting their nails because of the awful picture that is painted with words in this book. This is the poke that Americans need to cut our addiction to the grease filled food served through windows for our convenience.

The author's call to action in the epilogue should be what we all strive to follow. He asks us to boycott the fast food industry so our disgust can be known to them. He is optimistic towards the unlikely downfall of these corrupt restaurants, which instills some hope into the reader. One thing is for sure, my eyes are open to the behind-the-scenes actions of what goes into my number nine at McDonalds, and I do not like this newly acquired information.

Verdict: Read