A review by liz_rachel
The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table by Tracie McMillan

3.0

This was a mixed bag for me. McMillan is an excellent writer but her observations, particularly about field workers in California earlier in the book, come across as out of touch and insensitive. The author has no problem exploiting other people if it means she can write a good story, and this leads to a lot of uncomfortable descriptions of how McMillan takes advantage of the resources of those who have much less than she does.

I know that this book is a little dated now, but I still expected more self awareness from a James Beard finalist. I did learn a lot about food production distribution in America, which is where all three of my stars are coming from, but I think an even more successful book could have been written by, I don't know, being a journalist and actually asking people about how they live instead of playing a condescending game of make-believe with the people you are claiming to advocate for.