As I made my way through Sasha Issenberg's The Sushi Economy, I was reminded of another great nonfiction book about food and globalism--Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.
Both books are about the history of a unique form of cuisine. Whether we are talking about Ray Croft or Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, the motivations of food pioneers are learned. Both books display global business in practice, whether it is the international branches of McDonald's or the tuna ranchers in the Mediterranean. Both reveal hidden intricacies that consumers would never know otherwise--the vagaries of Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market or the harsh reality of meat processing plants.
Where the two books truly differ are in the writer's individual tones. Where as Fast Food Nation is a condemnation of various aspects of McDonald's operations, The Sushi Economy is a celebration of Japan's raw cuisine that has spread throughout the world. Schlosser's chapters leave a reader agitated, wanting to tell everyone they know to avoid the golden arches. But Issenberg's enthusiasm seeps into you and you can't help but run to your local sushi bar.
Which book does a greater service for its readers? One that angers and spurs you to act? Or one that instills an appreciation previously unrealized? Which focus, on the negative or on the positive, is more effective?
Related Stories: | Topics:Work/Life, book discussions, Sasha Issenberg, Eric Schlosser, McDonald's Corporation, Nobu Matsuhisa, Ray Croft |
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Recent Comments | 2 Total
May 25, 2007 at 12:18pm by Lisa
I would have never thought of this if you hadn't asked the question, but I do think a focus on the negative is more effective. That is, if by "effective" you mean causing a person to run out and tell everyone what they've learned, which was exactly the effect Fast Food Nation had on me.
While I haven't read The Sushi Economy yet, I expect that will be a more personal experience. Everyone has different tastes so I wouldn't be sure that someone would care to have a conversation about the wonders of sushi.
I would be more likely to assume that someone would want to hear about a potential danger or something they might want to avoid if they had the background information on it.
Or maybe I'm just a "Debbie Downer"!
May 25, 2007 at 1:08pm by nourisha
there is a third option and that is to just inform for the sake of passing on information as was the case with salt: a world history. after reading that book, i realized it's not great inventions, medical advances or even exceptional men that change the world. it's food. i'm not sure how successful the salt book was, but i'm certainly wiser about global trade, cultural proliferation and the importance of good food.