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Review: "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser

From Goodreads:  Fast food has become a veritable American institution, with restaurants serving a quick bite in every strip mall and roadside rest area across the country. But, according to Fast Food Nation, the fast food establishment has been serving up much more than just cheap hamburgers and greasy fries. In compelling fashion, author Eric Schlosser traces the growth of fast food chains after World War II and condemns the industry for giving rise to such cultural maladies as obesity, classism, American global imperialism, and environmental devastation.
My Thoughts:  This book was completely different than I expected.  For one, it was as much about the meat packing industry as it was about the fast food industry.  For two, I didn't realize it was published 10 years ago (where have I been??) so some of the information in the book seemed outdated.  Basically this book discussed the history of the fast food industry in America and how it has impacted everything it touches, i.e. employees, farmers, cattle industry, etc.  It definitely made hamburger meat incredibly unappealing, much like reading The Jungle made me want to go vegetarian.  It also brought to my attention how little control the government has over the food industry.  I thought the FDA and USDA were paying a lot more attention to the mass production of foodstuffs than they really are.  It was definitely eye opening in that respect.  Overall, it was a really interesting read but I would really like to read an updated version that discusses what's happened in the fast food industry over the past 10 years.  Not because the industry is any better but because it has definitely undergone some unique changes over the years.  3 stars.
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