If you live in North America, chances are you've eaten out at a fast food restaurant at least once in your life, even if you're a naturopathic doctor obsessed with healthy living. Fast food is just too convenient and tasty for most people to pass up, which is why many people return over and over. But what is this doing to our health? To our economy? What is going on behind the scenes in the fast food industry? These are the questions that Eric Schlosser attempts to answer in his book Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal.

What's it about?

If Fast Food Nation sounds to you like the print version of Morgan Spurlock's famous documentary Super Size Me, you're only partially right. While Schlosser does explore the effects that eating fast food has on the population, from obesity that results in a need for online couples therapy to the spread of disease from contaminated food, Schlosser also goes behind the scenes. He introduces you to the major players in the fast food industry, describes what working conditions are like, and shows you where the food on your plate came from.

Who should read it?

If you're concerned about the effects that eating fast food may be having on your health or your kids' health, Fast Food Nation is a book you should read. If you think the prospect of getting dental implants is scary, you should also be aware of the diseases, such as obesity and E.Coli, that you're exposing yourself to by eating fast food. Giving someone you think is at risk a copy of Fast Food Nation might be even more effective than an intervention if you can get them to read it.

Where can I get it?

Fast Food Nation is available at most major booksellers, including Chapters, Indigo, and Coles locations across Canada. You can also order it online through their website or from other book retailers like Amazon.ca. and from used book sellers. A new copy will cost you about $13 CDN, and a used copy as little as a dollar. If a job loss has left you destitute, you can also read the book in its entirety for free online at Google Books. The book is 383 pages long and is published by Harper Collins.

Who is Eric Schlosser?

Eric Schlosser is the son of a Wall St. lawyer, but while many entitled offspring spend their days travelling, Eric Schlosser became an investigative journalist. He has won a National Magazine Award and has had work on everything from trucks to strawberry picking in Ontario featured in publications like Rolling Stone and The New Yorker. He has written two other books, Reefer Madness and Chew on This. Many thanks to Trinity Family Dental, a dentist clinic in Whitby