Don't Eat This Book

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Mmmm Salads are so much nicer now! - Rated
The Golden arches fill me with fear now! Well written and hard to put down. Opens your eyes to the fast food industry.. Worth the couple of quid!

Information has never been so entertaining - Rated
Yuk! The hook was that someone was crazy enough to embark on this diet. Others are angry they didn't have the idea first.

The film is less than the book, there's just so much more scope to go into detail. And the detail is incredible! Considering McDonald's eagerness to sue those who upset them, Spurloch must have researched thoroughly, and this comes across. Facts, stats and stories in their plenty, but presented in no dry sense. He goes through what they mean and the implications.

I found there was bits I wanted to return to, bits I wanted to turn to the nearest person and tell them about. Other bits I wanted to write on the wall for everyone to see. The extreme nature of the food encountered really is brought out in vivid colour.

Then there are the anecdotes. How long does it take these burgers to decay? What are the salads like? What about other fast food places? What are the effects of the diet on the mind? This is a fascinating foray into a culture that is extremely prominent, yet it seems we know so little.

I think we all need to know this, but it helps that it's written in such an entertaining and 'guess what - you'll never believe this' kind of way. It is sheer entertainment to explode the truth about these things, but also enlightening, and I feel a bit of me is that bit better off for knowing about this odd McWorld.

No more Junk Food for me - Rated
I watched Super Size Me in amazement, and have had the same sense of shock and disguist reading this book.

Morgan Spurlock writes in an entertaining, yet matter of fact way. I felt compelled to keep reading, yet I knew that I could never look at Fast Food the same way.

I haven't touched a Fast Food restuarant since reading the book, and don't think that I ever will again.

FAB - Rated
If you liked the film, you'll like the book.
Maybe when one came out, he should have offerred it in a 'make it large' format and get both?
OK it is biased against a particular firm, but that is stated and justified from the start. The value is in starting to open the eyes of the nutritionally sleepy to the junk food culture,which has been pushed onto us,and if we are not careful, we will push onto those we love.
It also raises what is to me an important ethos; that of questioning everything. Eventually, nutrition starts to become a matter of faith. That of deciding which particular truth seems most acceptable,and well backed up.
This is also raised in the book, highlighting the fact that much so called 'expert' guidelines and indeed government policy is created and dictated by those who do not ultimately have the consumer's best interests at heart.
It is also written in a style which is readable by many, but with enough factoids and referencing thrown in for a concerned reader to pursue their own research.
Good fun.

It's turn your head but you can't look away - Rated
Morgan Spurlock writes well, not only fluently and clearly, but also with much passion. The start of the book outlines the ways in which companies process their food in ways that you have never imagined. He explains the usage of ingredients such as Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil and Fructose Syrup, and just how ubiquitous they are. You'll start to read the ingredients of any processed food you buy. I know I have.

Talking of ingredients Spurlock explains that a principle ingredient of a Chicken McNugget is chicken flavouring. Blimey! Does food really have to like this?

Apparently not! The second half of the book talks about people, schools and communities that have taken matters into their own hands. One of the problems seems to be the infiltration on a junk food culture into schools. Corporate interests have taken over suppliers of school meals. Driven by the demands of low costs caused by education budget cut backs fast food companies fill the void with high fat, high salt, high sugar and high sodium products. Diets like this effect children's behaviour. (When I was at school only custard and semolina were the great evils.) As an incentive these companies offer schools a kickback from sales to ingratiate. One of the eye-openers in this book is the insidious marketing practice of giant food companies peddling a cradle to (early) grave philosophy.

Some schools have bucked the trend, bringing in fresh food, fruit drinks, deli-style sandwiches and more healthier choices. They have been surprised by the uptake of healthy food by the pupils.

If this is your first book on the fast food industry then you'll enjoy it. I say 'enjoy it' but, like a car crash, you'll want to turn away. You can't. I would like to give this book five stars. The text seems to be well researched and put together. However, the author puts in some incidental opinions that does discolour the overall tone, but that is small criticism on a very good book.