Journal Entry 1 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, September 11, 2004

Duplicate copy to ring. This book was on the bestsellers list for months and months - with good reason. It is *the* food politics book. I read it on a bookring, bought my own PC copy straight afterwards and yesterday found a copy that I could ring. This book makes you think, provides examples and is so well written that not one of the organisations that wanted it silenced could find a factual error in it... if you haven't read it, you need to. 

Journal Entry 2 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, September 17, 2004

Book Ring Rules (Adapted from psychjo and kleptokitty)

1) Everybody should leave a journal entry when receiving the book and after the read! Please let us all know what you think about it...
2) Also PM the next person on the list for a mailing address and when that person doesn't answer within 7 days MAX! please PM the one after...
3) Everybody should also try to read the book soon (max - one month?)- but in a joyful speed. It's not about how many books someone can read within a certain amount of time - it's about enjoying it...
4) You can send the book via surface mail or airmail - that is completely up to you.
5) If you find you don't have the time to read it when it's your turn please PM and I'll move you to a later slot.
6) Enjoy :-)


Participants

Anfield (UK)
Molyneux (UK)
alans-daughter (UK)
daizysdad (UK)
MarianFrench (UK)
Concertina8 (Austria)
seaflower (Finland)
bookmanu (Portugal)
sunlightbub (UK)
angellica (UK)
mimu (UK)
lagegu (UK)
Normy (UK)
Astrofiammante (UK)
Kirlepigen (Denmark)
letra (Portugal)
RustyReader2 (Canada)
Templer1 (Canada)
icekween01 (US)
PrincessAurora (US)
nomadbooklvr (US)
Scram33 (US)
sadiavt (US)
atarirules (US)
Apolonia (US)
americanmuse (US)
ldpaulson (US)
mrsordonez (US)
dospescados (US)
droogie
charlenemartel (US)
MandaJo (US)
sbdriver22 (US)
littlemoonbeam (US*)
bibliocrates (US)
catsalive (Australia)
c-a-m (Australia)

...
back to me (UK)

If you want to join this bookring, PM me. 

Journal Entry 3 by AlexInLeeds at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases on Monday, September 20, 2004

Released 7 yrs ago (9/20/2004 UTC) at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

On its way. 

Journal Entry 4 by Anfield from Bagshot, Surrey United Kingdom on Thursday, September 23, 2004

Arrived safely in sunny (!) Bagshot, thank you Daemonwolf. 

Journal Entry 5 by Anfield from Bagshot, Surrey United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 27, 2004

I finished it this morning in bed, grateful that the author is a little more optimistic at the end of the book than he is throughout it.
This is one hell of a book, and I am so relieved that my trips to Macdonalds nowadays have all but vanished even before I read this. I always thought the food was cr*p but didn't mean it literally :-(
Nothing in this book really surprised me, but the scale of it certainly shocked me. How can the pursuit of profit lead to such a disdainful view of employees, suppliers and customers alike? Surely that is not sustainable? I sincerely hope not.

Waiting a pm from Molyneux with address details, then it will be on its way. 

Journal Entry 6 by Molyneux from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, November 12, 2004

The book arrived safely early this week - thankyou for sending it Anfield....will start reading it at the weekend. 

Journal Entry 7 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, December 12, 2004

Hi, just an update. I'm not posting any books out between now and January 5th for fear of losing them in the Yule deluge of post. I'd like to request that this book is held back till the 5th too. Happy holidays, all. :)
 

Journal Entry 8 by Molyneux from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 06, 2005

I wasn't surprised by a lot in this book...well, maybe a little shocked at the appalling lack of health inspection of these fast food outlets in the USA....I hope it's better over here!! My youngest son worked for Macdonalds for a few months & agreed that it was run by the young & inexperienced - working there not an experience he enjoyed & he left as soon as he could.

Sorry I've kept the book so long...i've just been very disorganised during December! Will post to alans-daughter when I have her address. 

Journal Entry 9 by alans-daughter from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Saturday, January 08, 2005

Arrived this morning and now top of MTBR. Thanks Molyneux. 

Journal Entry 10 by alans-daughter from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 24, 2005

This book showed me that my prejudice against the fast food giants, large conglomerates etc were actually backed up by appaling facts. It has made me all the more to determined to by organic and local produce from small suppliers wherever possible. Thank you, daemonwolf, fo the opportunity to read it. On its way to daizysdad as soon as I have the address. 

Journal Entry 11 by daizysdad from Mexborough, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, January 28, 2005

Arrived safely this morning, going to the top of my tbr pile. 

Journal Entry 12 by daizysdad from Mexborough, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 25, 2005

Will certainly think twice now before eating fast food. Thanks for sharing. Posting to MarianFrench at first opportunity 

Journal Entry 13 by MarianFrench from Buxton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Book arrived today - thank you 

Journal Entry 14 by MarianFrench from Buxton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 05, 2005

What a sobering read!! Most of the book was not much of a surprise but what I did find really shocking was the accident levels in the meat processing plants and the treatment of the employees involved. I don't much like fast food anyway (and we have very few outlets near to us either) but I will certainly be making sure that we visit these places even less. The book will be on its way to Austria later today. 

Journal Entry 15 by concertina8 from Wien Bezirk 13 - Hietzing, Wien Austria on Tuesday, April 12, 2005

this was in the mail today. i'm currently reading not one, not two, but THREE books. WAAAAHHH!!!! since this is a ring, it will of course receive the royal treatment. will start immediately.

udate april 28:
i'm a vegetarian. i haven't eaten meat in almost 14 years and after finishing this book i have no intention to ever taste it again (ok, so i never really had after going veg, anyway).

normally, i tend to shy away from reading non-fiction books that are not in my first language (german) because you often are confronted with terms that you have no way of recognising if they are in a foreign language. this was an easy enough read, though.

however, sometimes i just couldn't really stay with it. what meat packaging firm got infested meat from which slaughterhouse, that consequently was closed down and then re-opened again a few days later and on and on and on. this kinda kept repeating itself and not only did i lose track, but i also lost interest in the political/financial part of the book.

i found the parts more interesting, that were on a more one-on-one basis. you know, the high school kids working for fast food chains, the farmer showing his land and the threats lingering behind the next slope, the kids sickened and even killed by infested hamburgers. that was closer to the bone and i think if the author's intent is to make people stop eating fast food, this would probably be a better tool than stories about corporate crime.

on the whole, it was a good read but more personal stories one can relate to might do more for the cause IMO. the level of surprising new information was well below the level of disgust. i believe (or at least i WANT to believe) that most people in (western?) europe KNOW that they eat crap when they eat fast food.

anyway, thx for sharing! this will go to finland, shortly.

 

Journal Entry 16 by concertina8 at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, April 28, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (4/28/2005 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

will swing by the post office today + off to finland! 

Journal Entry 17 by seaflower from Mustasaari, Pohjanmaa Finland on Friday, May 27, 2005

The book arrived last week, and I'm reading it right now. 

Journal Entry 18 by bookmanu from Cascais, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Thursday, August 11, 2005

Journal Entry 19 by bookmanu from Cascais, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Friday, December 09, 2005

Mailed off to ludymiss today. Apologies to all for keeping it so long.

I agree with all the previous comments about the book's contents. It made me more aware about what goes into fast food and how the industry operates. Unfortunately it hasn't led me to changing my habits though, I still eat fast food, including Mc Donalds for convenience. 

Journal Entry 20 by ludymiss on Thursday, January 19, 2006

Received the book this week! 

Journal Entry 21 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, December 29, 2006

New copy bought to replace copy disappeared by ludymiss. 

Journal Entry 22 by AlexInLeeds at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (1/3/2007 UTC) at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to sunlightbub. 

Journal Entry 23 by sunlightbub from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Thursday, January 04, 2007

Got this today. A good read for the start of the year. Thanks so much for resurecting this ring xxxx 

Journal Entry 24 by sunlightbub from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Sunday, February 11, 2007

Sorry - I've had this far too long - I'e found it was more of a 'dip in and out o' than a continuous read ,and as others have said I was shocked but can't claim to be all that suprisd by some of the facts mentioned.

Drusillamac has asked to be skipped so I'll be posting to Angellia in the morning..Thanks for sharing xxxxxxx 

Journal Entry 25 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Saturday, February 17, 2007

Arrived safely - Thanks for sharing 

Journal Entry 26 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Time to move this one on. I haven''t had time to read this and I''m very sorry for hanging on to it for this long.

I have PM''d mimu twice and had no answer. I will try the next on the list

 

Journal Entry 27 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

I can''t find ''lagegu'' on bookcrossing. Do you know if the bookcrossing name has changed? 

Journal Entry 28 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Saturday, September 08, 2007

Have Pm'd Normy in the hope of getting this moved on shortly. 

Journal Entry 29 by Normy from Morecambe, Lancashire United Kingdom on Monday, October 01, 2007

Received in the post - thanks very much. 

Journal Entry 30 by Normy from Morecambe, Lancashire United Kingdom on Monday, October 15, 2007

I just couldn't get into this. I agree with a previous poster that it's more of a 'dip into and out of' book for me, which doesn't sit well with it being in a Bookring! Maybe I've read too many of these kinds of books already? Maybe it was the style of the writing? Or maybe it just doesn't feel relevant to me at this time? I know that the corporate issues affect everyone, but I haven't read anything new here. (Mind you, I didn't get very far before I felt it was time to move the book on!). I may come back to this book at a later date, when I'm more in the mood. PMing Astrofiammante so I can get it moved on down the ring! 

Journal Entry 31 by Astrofiammante on Saturday, October 20, 2007

Received with thanks - will read with interest... 

Journal Entry 32 by Astrofiammante on Monday, December 10, 2007

This is a very difficult book to read. Not in the sense that it's hard to get through; given the weightiness of its subject matter the words positively leap off the page at you, partly because of the slightly episodic writing style; it's a bit like leafing through a series of articles in one of those highbrow magazines with long-form articles like Prospect or National Geographic.

No, the problem is that you may come away with the conviction that it is simply not morally justifiable to continue to eat fast food of any sort. Not because you're on the move and it's the only thing available. Not because your kids like it. Not because it just tastes really, really good. Not because everyone else does, so what's the point in being different. Not because it's easy. Eric Schlosser's arguments are so convincing and well-put-together that, if you believe he is writing in good faith and with half an idea what he is about, then you may also have to accept that you should never give money to a McDonalds, a Burger King, a Papa John's, a Domino's Pizza, a Pizza Hut, a KFC, a Subway, a Dunkin' Donuts, a Godfather's Pizza, or almost any other fast food chain you could name, ever again. Ever. Oh yes, or drink Coke or Pepsi or any of the other drinks that they produce.

Because, if Schlosser is right, do so and you're not only contributing to your own ill-health and saddling your children with eating habits that could take years off their lives, all for fear of being labelled a bad parent if you don't give them what they ask for (the notorious 'pester power' in action). You are also contributing to the exploitation of millions, from the rural poor and migrant workers in fields and slaughterhouses across the world, to the teens who lack the experience and worldliness to argue back against exploitation in frontline restaurant kitchens. If Schlosser is right then you're damaging young people's educational prospects (because holding down a 20-hour part-time job alongside school just doesn't work well), contributing to the commercialisation of the classroom, aiding deforestation and global warming, helping to drive farmers out of business and supporting virulently anti-competitive practices and the negation of the most basic protections and the right to unionise for workers. You're contributing to the corruption of the political process, the suborning of public money to support the business interests of a privileged few and the ever-increasing growth of car use, because it's inextricably linked to fast food restaurants and the companies involved have spent their lobbying dollars (and pounds) on getting road improvements and planning exemptions. And tacitly condoning the most horrible animal cruelty, as well as consuming food stuffed with chemicals and hormones to make it appear more like 'real food' than real food could ever hope to be.

You're doing this, and so am I, if we continue to eat fast food. But, again, even if we consider that the argument Schlosser has set out in this book is broadly right, we may still feel that we're going to do it anyway.

And why is that?

Because what's the point of making a stand? Because it tastes good? Because we don't want to disappoint our kids? Because it's easy? Because it's cheap? Because it's only this once? Because no-one's looking? Because it's going to be too much effort to go and buy some more ethical food and then cook it and wash up afterwards?

That's just not good enough, if what Schlosser argues is right, because it means continuing to endorse all the stuff listed above, marketed by people who believe you and I are too lazy, ignorant, passive or gullible to start eating the food of the quality we deserve. Which is why reading his book is likely to be a damned uncomfortable exercise for anyone who's not a vegan living exclusively off the gatherings of their local organic farmers' market.

Now, on a personal level, I do think that Eric Schlosser makes a very convincing case. And I've been left with the conviction that I'm going to have to overcome every one of these excuses and just not eat the stuff again. Ever. Without exception. Not just for a couple of weeks, or a month, but not ever.

And that is not an easy thing to do. I rarely go in burger joints, being a longtime vegetarian, but I'm an absolute sucker for takeaway pizza. And now I feel bloody uncomfortable about eating the stuff. And I'm trying to hold that thought, even though it's difficult, and it means not eating something I like, and having embarrassing arguments with the nearest and dearest, and it's going to mean cooking when I'd much rather just pick up the phone, or go onto some website and order something.

Because I don't honestly think I can live with any other course of action. And sorry if that's a difficult statement to make. But it's a true one.

Some links:

• Wikipedia: Fast Food Nation
• The Observer: The man who ruined our appetite
• NY Times book review(requires registration)
• Eric Schlosser: The Bitter Truth About Fast Food
• Salon: Unhappy Meals

Journal Entry 33 by Astrofiammante on Friday, December 14, 2007

Trying very hard to send this on. No response to messages sent to the next two people on the list.

Will persevere (it's excellent, honestly...)

Edit 15.12.2007: soon to be dispatched to RustyReader2 in Canada... 

Journal Entry 34 by RustyReader2 from Nepean, Ontario Canada on Monday, January 07, 2008

Arrived safely, just quickly finishing up 2 other rays, and will then start on this one. 

Journal Entry 35 by RustyReader2 from Nepean, Ontario Canada on Saturday, July 12, 2008

I just received this book as a gift from a friend, I thought I had sent this one off but apparently not. Waiting for address then will have it sent off. 

Journal Entry 36 by RustyReader2 at Canada Post in Nepean, Ontario Canada on Monday, February 15, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (2/15/2010 UTC) at Canada Post in Nepean, Ontario Canada

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Sent off 

Journal Entry 37 by sarahbelle81 at Sudbury, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, December 01, 2010

I picked this up while browsing at a used bookstore in Sudbury. It was recommended to me a number of years ago by one of my professors, but I had never had a chance to read it. So far I've only read the introduction, but I expect it will be an enlightening book. I'm not entirely sure what a bookring is, but if there's somewhere that this book is supposed to be, please let me know and I'll do what I can to get it there after I've read it.