Food, Inc. by Karl Weber

Nonfiction — print. PublicAffairs, 2009. 321 pgs. Purchased.

Called a “participant guide” and promising to tell its readers “How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer — And What You Can Do About It”, this book is collection of essays and what appears to be the print from pamphlets edited by Weber meant to expand on what readers gleaned from the movie. The books provides commentary from Eric Schlosser of Fast Food Nation, Michael Pollan of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, and Marion Nestle of Food Politics just to name a few.

I have seen the documentary of the same name several times and I think it does a better job presenting the information as the book. The book is really more of an elaboration of what’s already been discussed and is meant more for those who interested in figured out how to get involved or want to read more. (I really do appreciate the book list at the end!)

Some of the articles are more interesting than others such as those on genetically-engineered foods and the plight of farm workers who situations are deplorable. The information that has printed from what appears to be pamphlets is, while quick to read, not all that satisfying. The book is just too broad and lacks the depth I was looking for; a fact that was not helped by the fact I’ve read more in-depth books by Pollan and Co. recently.