From its origins in the new suburbs of california in the 1950s, fast food has spread across every corner of the nation and profoundly altered the way american food is produced, sold, and consumed. Fast food is a type of massproduced food designed for commercial resale and with a strong priority placed on speed of service versus other relevant factors involved in culinary science. The dark side of the allamerican meal tells the story of how the united statesand, increasingly, the worldhas become shaped and defined by the fast food industry. According to the introduction to fast food nation, why did the author choose colorado springs as a focal point for his book. This summary of fast food nation includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. Apr 06, 2001 during my research for the book, i ate an enormous amount of fast food. With such arrangements already in place, fast food franchises have begun to fulfill their goal of cradletograve marketing strategies. Fast food nation summary eric schlosser 3 key ideas. Eric investigates on the different locations where food is prcessed and learns how everything started in the business or in the world. The dark side of the allamerican meal from the worlds largest community of readers. This chapter opens with an anecdote about the largest recall of food in the nation s history. Chew on this is an expose of the fastfood industry and a nauseating disclosure of the fats, sweeteners, laboratoryformulated textures, scents and colors that sizzle under the golden arches.
I couldnt resist sharing two powerful quotes found toward the end of the book something to keep in mind if you tend to hit the fast food joints on the weekend as. Schlosser points out that many elementary schools serve food from pizza hut, mcdonalds, and subway on special lunch days. Its not only a critique of fast food, the chemicals we are ingesting and the health problems we are facing, it is also critical of a system that allows exploitation of young, old and immigrant workers, and of the suburban sprawl. Fast food nation is a fascinating and very readable book. Fast food nation summary from litcharts the creators of. Summary by eric schlosser analysis booknotes download. First serialized by rolling stone in 1999, the book has drawn comparisons to upton sinclairs 1906 muckraking novel the jungle. But what they may not know about is the cocktail of chemicals that. This is a book about fast food, the values it embodies, and the world it has made, schlosser writes.
Food is usually prepared on site, as opposed to the assembly line, massproduced food items popularized by. Free summary of fast food nation by eric schlosser. Independent research has showm the presence of cows feces in the big one. He vows to trace the impact of fast food companies both backward and forward in the food chainfrom the farmers who raise steer and grow potatoes, to the agribusinesses that process the food, to the restaurants like mcdonalds that sell it, to the consumers who eat it. When an independent research in the meat patties produced in cody. The dark side of the allamerican meal, is a thoughtprovoking, researchbased account of the rise of the fast food industry and the resulting consequences of the drive for lowcost, rapidly prepared meals.
It thoroughly explains what happens at the slaughterhouses all over the country. Instead, schlosser sees fast food as a manifestation of the capitalist values that have shaped america since the end of the. Fast food nation summary at wikisummaries, free book. Like fast food, fast casual is typically orderatthe counter and offers no table service. Free study guide for fast food nation by eric schlosser. Eric schlosser eric schlossers book fast food nation is not only an expose of the fast food industry but also shows how the fast food industry has shaped and defined society in america and other nations as. Here, the author provides a somewhat nostalgic look into the exciting postworld war ii era when the economy was great and big dreams were possible. This tale serves as a backdrop for schlossers real projectwhich is to illuminate the machination of the contemporary fastfood nation. Fast food nation summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Apr 03, 2018 in this video you will learn the 3 key ideas from the book fast food nation by eric schlosser fast food nation summary eric schlosser 3 key ideas.
The dark side of the allamerican meal fast food nation. That is one of the main reasons people buy fast food. Fast food nation by eric schlosser, introductionchapter. British fast food had considerable regional variation. Fast food nation describes how the fast food industry has reduced the overall food quality worldwide, created poor. Notes this chapter provides a historical backdrop from which schlossers discussion of the fastfood nation will begin. Get all the key plot points of eric schlossers fast food nation on one page. Fast food nation summary eric schlosser begins his book by explaining why he chose to focus on one group of cities in america and the reason behind this is that he sees these cities as an emblem for the economic growth that took place in the 20th century. Fast food nation summary from litcharts the creators. Eric schlosser eric schlossers book fast food nation is not only an expose of the fast food industry but also shows how the fast food industry has shaped and defined society in america and other nations as the fast food culture spreads globally.
This study guide consists of approximately 47 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of fast food nation. This book represents an ambitious undertaking, an attempt to assess the role that fast food restaurants. On any given day, one out of four americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fastfood restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second. The dark side of the allamerican meal audiobook by eric schlosser.
Tell me what you eat, brillatsavarin wrote in his physiology of taste, and i shall tell you what you are. The dark side of the allamerican meal is a 2001 book written by investigative journalist eric schlosser that examines the local and global influence of the united states fast food industry. A vocabulary list featuring fast food nation by eric schlosser, introductionchapter 4. Nov 17, 2006 which is too bad, because fast food nation, while it does not shy away from making arguments and advancing a clear point of view, is far too rich and complicated to be understood as a simple. In fast food nation, eric schlosser offers his own. Fast food nation points the way but, to resurrect an old fast food slogan, the choice is yours. Fast food nation wikisummaries, free book summaries. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Fast food nation is the kind of book that you hope young people read because it demonstrates far better than any social studies class the need for government regulation, the unchecked power of multinational corporations and the importance of our everyday decisions. Find summaries for every chapter, including a fast food nation chapter summary chart to help you understand the book. In this video you will learn the 3 key ideas from the book fast food nation by eric schlosser fast food nation summary eric schlosser 3 key ideas.
However, by the time the beef was recalled, 25 million pounds had already been eaten. Chapter summary for eric schlossers fast food nation, afterword summary. Food related illnesses are on the rise in this country. Fast food nation by eric schlosser, introductionchapter 4. The dark side of the allamerican meal was a factual expose a passionate, crusading, factual expose designed to. Fast food nation was written by eric schlosser and published by houghton mifflin in 2001. Jan 17, 2001 fast food nation is a fascinating and very readable book. It examines the world of fast food and its impact on american society. This book represents an ambitious undertaking, an attempt to assess the role that fast food restaurants play in the. The book focuses on numerous ways fast food affects american culture and examines indepth the.
Fast food nation is a book by eric schlosser, which uncovers the fast food industrys greed, unsanitary conditions, and almost. Don andersons marketing director for mickeys fast food chain. Fast food nation is the kind of book that you hope young people read because it demonstrates far better than any social studies class the need for government regulation. Fast food nation describes how the fast food industry has reduced the overall food quality worldwide, created poor working conditions for millions of people and ruined public health. Eric schlosser examines the mad cow epidemic and the changes in the fast food industry since the book s 2001 publication. About onefifth of the nation s one to two year olds drink soda. However the atmosphere is generally a little more upscale and often includes real cutlery and plates. The book focuses on numerous ways fast food affects american culture and examines indepth the industries around fast food, such as meat packing. In california, the vp of marketing of the mickeys fast food don anderson is responsible for the hamburger big one, the number one in selling in mickeys chain of fast food restaurants. Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled american cultural imperialism abroad. During my research for the book, i ate an enormous amount of fast food. In the 2002 afterword, eric schlosser examines the mad cow epidemic and the changes in the fast food industry since the book s 2001 publication.
May 01, 2009 ive been juggling several books and have just now finished eric schlossers fast food nation, which i blogged about a while back. From outbreaks of minor food poisoning to infections. Schlosser argues that, although many of the factors and processes he depicts in the book seem bleak and unchangeabledictated by corporate interests with deep pocketshe notes that consumers dont have to buy fast food at all. Ten years after his seminal book fast food nation, eric schlosser reflects on how little has changed in the production, safety, and consumption in americabut why hes still hopeful. Fast food nation is an informational book that lets readers in on the actual food process.
Ive been juggling several books and have just now finished eric schlossers fast food nation, which i blogged about a while back. In some ways it reminds me of upton sinclairs the jungle. And he does not consider the explosion of fast food in american to be a sign of weakness on the part of lazy consumers. Fast food was originally created as a commercial strategy to accommodate the larger numbers of busy commuters, travelers and wage workers who often did not have the time to sit down at a public house or diner. Hes the inventor of their bestselling hamburger, the big one. Eric schlossers expose revealed how the fast food industry has altered the landscape of america, widened the gap between. The fast food nation community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important.
But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu. Schlosser writes that this is a book about fast food, the values it embodies, and the world it has made. But throughout the book schlosser acknowledges the immense appeal of hamburgers and fries. Find a summary of this and each chapter of fast food nation. The dark side of the allamerican meal by eric schlosser is not just a book about food, but also a wideranging critique of american society. Table of contents next page downloadable printable version. About onefifth of the nations one to two year olds drink soda. Fast food nation is a book by eric schlosser, which uncovers the fast food industrys greed, unsanitary conditions, and almost criminally low wages. Which is too bad, because fast food nation, while it does not shy away from making arguments and advancing a clear point of view, is far too rich and complicated to. On a single day in 1952, the shop served 10,000 portions of fish and chips, earning a place in the guinness book of records. Foodrelated illnesses are on the rise in this country. In this expose, awardwinning journalist eric schlosser explores the effects of the american fast food industry on global health, labor conditions, and the environment. Harry ramsdens fast food restaurant chain opened its first fish and chip shop in guiseley, west yorkshire in 1928. Despite the meatpacking industrys opposition, the threat posed by bovine spongiform encephalopathy bse, or mad cow disease, led to the food and drug administration fda implementing new animal.
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