Erm... Too late!

Just Finished Reading: American Character – A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good by Colin Woodard (FP: 2016) [265pp] 

One of the questions that has popped into my head over the last 4-5 years is a bit of a strange one: Is America actually a country? On the face of it it’s a silly question – of course America is a country, right? But the USA is a LARGE place too. It’s a bit like asking if Europe is a country. Actually, it’s more like asking residents of a (possible) future United States of Europe if Europe is a country. The logical answer would be No, of course not. Even a century after the USE came into existence, I’m sure that people would still think of themselves as French. German or Italian first and THEN European. Likewise, until fairly recently, people saw themselves and thought of themselves as Californian. Texan or as a New Yorker first and then as an American. Interestingly, the author of this often-fascinating book, has asked the same question I started with and has come to a similar conclusion – that America, as any kind of cohesive nation, simply does not and quite possibly cannot exist. 

The author splits the US into a number (10-12 I think) of ‘nations’ based on their individual histories and who colonised them (and when!). Each nation, because of historical and cultural reasons, has developed in different directions and holds a variety of idea to be sacred or non-negotiable. VERY broadly speaking, with some rich nuance sprinkled within each category, they can be grouped into two political ideologies – those who value individual liberty above all else and those who focus on the common good and who feel that they need to restrain individualism where it clashes with that good. This geographic focus on political ideologies has shifted and morphed over time but, generally speaking, areas that strongly favoured ‘rugged individualism’ in the past favour it still – and maybe more strongly – as do areas who based their political structures and ideology of community being ultimately more important (comparatively) that individual attainment or excess. Inevitably as such ‘nations’ bedded in and people, over the centuries, navigated to the areas that suited their personal ideologies the politicians they sent to Congress and the Presidents they elected reflected a divided nation and helps explain the shifts from individualism to communitarianism and back again over the decades. 

The problem is, of course, that the political identities that have grown up especially since the 1960’s have become people's primary identities. Within living memory, it was still possible for left-leaning Republicans and right-leaning Democrats to actually agree with each other much of the time. It was an era when bi-partisan had yet to become a slur. With the hardening of political attitudes since the 60’s the holders of individualistic or community-based ideologies increasingly hold to the idea that they can ‘win’ and that the other side can be ‘defeated’ forever. Of course, the author rightly states, neither side can (or should) ‘win’ in the fashion some of their adherents dream of. We are all aware of just how badly wrong a country can go when its only driving ideology is the common good at the expense of any individual freedom. We should also be aware, the author states strongly, of the dangers of toxic individualism at the ultimate expense of the common good. These two forces, both necessary for liberty to thrive, should be held in a dynamic balance. Only in this way can a free society be maintained. 

I’ve been looking for books for a while now to help explain one of the burning questions of the moment that I have (somewhat) sarcastically termed USA:WTF. This, I think, went a great deal towards at least giving me a foundation on which to build future delving's into this subject. If, like me, you’ve wondered why America seems at times to be tearing itself apart or why the US seems somewhat more screwed up than normally this might just be the book for you. I’ve recently finished another look at this problem which actually complimented this volume rather well, but you’ll need to wait a few weeks for me to review that one! Further down the line I have another 3 pairs of books looking at various aspects of American culture which, together, I hope will give me some firm foundation to understanding the USA. But then, I do so like a challenge! Definitely recommended and more to come from this author. 

How times changed.... and continued into 2022....

The end of congestion...?

Just Finished Reading: Code Breakers – The Secret Intelligence Unit that Changed the Course of the First World War by James Wyllie and Michael McKinley (FP: 2015) [306pp] 

When radio first appeared on the scene in the early days of the 20th century military forces across the globe immediately saw its potential. First amongst them were nations navies who now, at last, had a method of communicating with ships at sea previously out of touch as soon as they left harbour. But there was a problem and it was a significant one – radio was broadcast and open to interception. Signals lost a lot of their power if potential enemies could easily read your instructions. The obvious solution was to encode the messages at transmission and decode them on receipt. As inevitably as day follows night radio produced codes and codes produced code breakers. 

One of the first acts of the British navy when war broke out in 1914 was to cut the trans-Atlantic cables used by the belligerent powers (as well as the neutral powers in Europe) forcing them to use cables that went through London and thence onto America and points East. Amazingly it was considered at the time that gentlemen simply didn’t read other people’s private messages. The infant Intelligence services – split at that time between Army and Navy – had to fight to gain access to the diplomatic telegrams that, as a matter of course, the cable companies kept copies of. With a wealth of materials and some fortuitous acquisition of enemy code books and other materials from around the globe it slowly became possible to read telegrams and radio communications almost in real-time. You can imagine how important this became for the prosecution of the war – once a few ‘wrinkles’ were ironed out. 

But message interception was only one aspect of the work. From the start, even before codes had been broken, it was possible to use radio receivers to pinpoint the locations of U-boats at sea (thereby allowing ships, and later convoys, to be redirected away from them), zeppelins on their way to bomb London and even locations of enemy army units at the Front. More than once it was possible to guess upcoming attacks and to act accordingly. Likewise, it was possible to direct warships to intercept U-boats at sea and, eventually, to direct fighters to intercept incoming zeppelins and, again eventually, shoot them down. 

Covering the whole war and, indeed, the whole world this was a fascinating insight into a new way of war. Britain had a number of advantages in the effort to break enemy codes – both technical and personal – and they used these advantages (mostly) to their great advantage – at least when listened to by those they had been created to advise. From tracking the German High Seas Fleet to decoding the infamous Zimmerman telegram that finally brought the US into the war on the side of the Allies the effect of the activities of a hand-full of men working to extremely tight deadlines and with matters of life and death always front and centre cannot be overstated. These units were the antecedents of the more well-known Bletchley Park of WW2 and the present GCHQ. Those with an interest in such things will find LOTS of fascinating information to absorb here. Definitely recommended for fans of espionage and the less obvious nooks and crannies of World War history. More of that sort of thing to come!      

Interesting...!

Clearly, a happy soul...

A bit breezy out there today....!

Just Finished Reading: Ghosts of Manhattan by George Mann (FP: 2010) [326pp] 

New York, 1926. Despite the deepening Cold War with the British Empire Manhattan’s police commissioner has more pressing problems. There’s a new crime lord in town who has managed to muscle his way into the world of organised crime using a combination of extreme violence and mystery to intimidate his enemies. The NYPD are at a loss to discover who this player is and can only refer to him as ‘The Roman’ because of his habit of leaving priceless Roman coins on the eyes of his high-profile victims. If that wasn’t bad enough a new vigilante is running around the streets doing what the police are singularly incapable of – fighting the Roman’s minions on their own turf. Leaving dead gangsters, along with the occasional civilian bystander, in his wake the press has named him ‘The Ghost’ for his ability to appear and disappear at will. Detective Donovan has been given the dubious ‘honour’ of tracking down both ‘The Roman’ and his seeming nemesis-wannabee ‘The Ghost’ but is at a loss as how to proceed. In an act of desperation, he decides to enlist the one person who is actually making headway in the case – the spectral apparition himself. But is joining forces with a self-appointed crime fighter the right thing to do? Only time and results will tell. 

To be honest I picked this first book of the series up because of its amazing cover. Generally, I’m a sucker for all things steampunk so I thought it was worth the punt. What sold it for me – even before I read the first page – was the overall description of the book on the back. This was ‘a glorious mash-up of alternate history, science-fiction, supernatural horror and detective thriller.’ With that to look forward to how could I possibly resist? The noir feeling of 20’s America was handled well with seedy streets, seedy people doing seedy things to get by. There was a depression era feel to things throughout and I couldn’t help visualise a Sam Spade vibe whenever the police were involved. ‘The Ghost’ came across as a Batman/Bruce Wayne/Gatsby character (with probably a healthy dose of Hemingway thrown in) who struggled with his wartime experiences in France as well as nightmares about ‘things’ he experienced in no-man's land (I’m REALLY hoping we find out more about that in subsequent novels!). The cop, Donovan, is reasonably drawn but is the weaker of the pair. ‘The Roman’ I thought was a bit disappointing and could have been a much stronger protagonist given his unusual background and was probably the weakest part of an otherwise excellent and highly entertaining romp. Overall though I enjoyed this first installment a great deal. It was MUCH fun with the mashing together of multiple genres (generally) working very well. Some aspects were a little silly – such as steam-powered cars requiring regular top-ups with powdered coal which resulted in quite a lot of mess (something that would’ve been fixed long before it came into general use) and others intriguing, like the use of holographic video phones! The sprinkling of the supernatural element (with strong hints of Lovecraft) was totally intriguing as was the political falling out of the USA and British Empire after the victory of WW1. I DO hope we learn more about THOSE aspects going forward. I’ve scheduled in the 2nd book soon with the final two probably going to be read later in the year. If you find the idea of a steampunk Batman with a supernatural ‘edge’ interesting then this is definitely the book/series for you. Much fun and highly recommended.  

Happy Valentine's Day! Go HUG someone... 

Just Finished Reading: Carpe Diem Regained – The Vanishing Art of Seizing the Day by Roman Krznaric (FP: 2017) [236pp] 

I’ve heard it said that spontaneity has its time and place. In a way the author would agree. In a rather counterintuitive move, he proposes that we can (or should) schedule in a recuring place where we have the opportunity to ‘seize the day’ and be more open to the unplanned moments in life. Today, with the all too pervasive “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO), we tend to try to cram in as much of life as possible – by rigidly planning every moment of our waking lives. We are, in effect, attempting to seize our days by removing that essential quality that allows us to do just that. Rather than just ‘doing it’ we, instead, just ‘plan it’. No wonder so many people are increasingly frustrated and confused. With so much on offer to so many the idea of NOT having anything planned is anathema. Paradoxically this attitude reduces the possibility of carping that diem and sometimes eliminating it entirely. This is the thing that the author argues against most in this intriguing little book.  

Of course, it's easy to say that we should seize our (limited in number) days. If only things were that easy! The author readily recognises that we are not all free to do so. Some of those things stopping us can be, and he maintains should be, overcome. Our fears of failure, of public ridicule, of ‘standing out’, of being seen as odd or different, can be overcome. Other things are more difficult – responsibilities for example. It’s easy to say that we should capre when we don’t have children, or a mortgage to pay off or sick relatives to care for. It’s even easier to seize the day when you have some disposable income or time to do so. Many people simply don’t have the luxury. But even this shouldn’t stop you completely. Carpe Diem doesn’t simply mean dropping everything on a whim to spend the next year learning to surf in California. It means being open to possibilities, to be able to recognise that opportunity when it arises and being willing to seize that opportunity if you can do so. It’s not about living irresponsibly it’s about giving yourself the room to be you, to know what you want, to carve out some territory where you can be you.  

I’ve never really been a planner – at least not until I joined a planning team at work and had to plan for a day job. But I’ve never been particularly spontaneous either. I kind of relied on friends to be spontaneous on my behalf. They’d have crazy ideas and my part of the equation was deciding if I wanted to be involved in the scheme or not. On my crazier days I’d say yes – the author quite rightly says that we shouldn’t simply say ‘yes’ to EVERY opportunity that comes our way – and we’d have an adventure. On other days I’d say no and they’d go off and do stuff without me (often in a mildly confused state as to why I wouldn’t jump off something or whatever they’d decided to do with the day). To be honest the ‘Carpe Diem’ mindset is hard. It’s not just that it’s been hijacked by a ‘just plan it’ or ‘just buy it’ mentality (we all know how easy it is to think we’re being spontaneous by ‘impulse’ buying something we don’t need – or actually want – with money we don’t really have). To be aware of opportunities to take advantage of we first need to be generally aware of what’s going on around us rather than starring at our phones wishing we had other people’s lives. Then we need to courage to take the leap – however small – as well as the courage to stick with something or to let it go later. Too much Carpe can easily lead to disaster, too little to stagnation and boredom. This was an interesting read. I’m not totally convinced that the author made a strong enough case but he certainly gave me things, ideas and strategies to think about. A ‘sprinkle’ of carpe diem should, I think, be part of all of our lives. Reading this book might encourage you to add that sprinkle or maybe just to add a bit more. Recommended.      

Links & Connections (4) 

A few more book links of note – a few playful, a few (reasonably) close. Some much closer and some rather strung out to come... 

The Store by James Patterson & Richard DiLallo 

The Warehouse by Rob Hart 

(I did wonder if I had any more related titles in various piles? Could I have constructed a whole supply chain? Maybe...) 

The King’s Witch by Tracy Borman 

Royal Witches – Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England by Gemma Hollman 

(Strange goings-on in high places. Nothing new under the sun, I guess. More witches in the future). 

Down to the Woods by M J Arlidge 

In The Woods by Tana French 

(...and neither a teddy bear nor a picnic to be seen). 

Ah, the 1970's..... [lol]

Just Finished Reading: Sharpe’s Honour by Bernard Cornwell (FP: 1985) [370pp] 

Spain, July 1813. With the French armies in retreat ahead of Wellington’s forces a foolproof plan is put into effect. The fragile alliance between Britain and Spain must be broken and the Spanish king, presently the ‘guest’ of Napoleon Bonapart, must be restored to the throne – once he has agreed to eject the British from his country. At the heart of the plan is a simple act of revenge. French intelligence officer Pierre Ducos is determined to ruin Major Richard Sharpe once and for all. A letter is written charging Sharpe with ungentlemanly conduct towards La Marquessa and her husband, as expected, challenges Sharpe to a duel. To refuse would be an act of cowardice but to accept – win or lose – would strain the alliance to breaking point or beyond. It is a matter of honour on both sides, something that cannot be ignored or set aside. Trapped either way Sharpe must discover why a woman who had previously held him in some regard now wishes him ill. Trusting his instincts, he knows that there is far more to this duel than meets the eye. The only question that matters is who is behind the plot and what they hope to gain from the death or disgrace of a single Major in a vast allied army. 

From the publication date you’ll be able to tell that I’m in full catch-up mode with my Sharpe novels (only two more to go plus the latest novel when it comes out in paperback). This one see’s Sharpe “under cover” in Spain trying to get to the bottom of the plot to defeat the British without firing a shot. The plot follows a well-trodden path (and that’s not a criticism) of Sharpe being in serious trouble – essentially for being a hot-headed womaniser – and given minimal resources plus a tight timescale to get himself out of it. Essentially on his own most of the time he must find his ex-lover, find out what she was thinking in sending the offending letter, fight a few small skirmishes, make some new friends and, as usual show up just in time for a battle to finish the book off in true Cornwell style. As always with the author this is a vastly enjoyable romp. Sharpe is, well, Sharpe so inevitably lots of fun. He is honestly a brilliant creation and I’ll miss him when I finally finish the series. The love interest – La Marquessa – is very well drawn and I could definitely see what Sharpe saw in her. She was, in few words, FUN if somewhat hard work and, potentially at least, dangerous. Still fun though! The baddies, complete with a Spanish Inquisitor, are suitably two dimensional and doomed to failure. If there’s anything I’ve learnt during my reading of numerous Sharpe novels is that the quickest way to an unmarked grave is to try to kill Richard Sharpe – no matter who you are or how big you think you are. Full of interesting ‘scenery’ and actual events (most notably the explosion at a French occupied castle) with the battle at the end both clever and dramatic – although it did result in the death of at least one of my favourite characters – I enjoyed this from the first page to the last. Definitely recommended.

Just Finished Reading: Chamberlain and the Lost Peace by John Charmley (FP: 1989) [212pp] 

The word ‘appeasement’ can hardly be used, it seems, without an accompanying frown, a head shake or the inevitable link between it and war. Appeasement is, without argument, wrong. Or at least so I had been led to believe all through my school years. The Second World War was at least in part due to Prime Minister Chamberlain’s failure to deter Hitler from the relentless expansion of a resurgent Germany inevitably leading to war and the death of millions. It’s quite a lot to lay at the feet of a British Prime Minister, but does the idea hold any water? 

My previous reading on the subject, in both non-fiction and novelised format, painted a much more sympathetic picture of Chamberlain and the obvious strain he was under up to and during the 1938 Munich talks. Rather than concentration on that narrow window, this densely argued book looks at the period May 1937 to September 1939 when it all fell apart. Chamberlain and (most of) his cabinet had one primary aim in mind – to avoid war. With memories of the previous cataclysmic conflict still very fresh and with an accurate reading of British public opinion the PM not only believed that he could negotiate with Hitlers Germany but that he had a moral imperative to do so. Unlike the French (for a whole host of good reasons) the British were not wedded to the workings of the Versailles Treaty and, again in line with public opinion at the time, saw the need to redress what had been done – both for the practical reason of reducing tension and in the name of fairness. Anyone could see that the Versailles Treaty was often overly harsh and more often both counter-productive to the aim of peace and in blatant contradiction to the principles of self-determination which lay at its foundation. So, when German moved troops into the Rhineland the British said little. Likewise, talk of ‘readjusting’ the Versailles imposed borders caused few in England to lose much sleep. Those few, Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden among them, were seen as trouble-makers, alarmist and even warmongers. 

Several things, over and above a deep reluctance to becoming involved in yet another European conflict, drove the arguments for appeasement. For purely economic reasons, it was argued, a strong and prosperous Germany was going for the whole of Europe and, indeed, the world. With many countries only just emerging from the Great Depression (or struggling to do so) not only was war and rearmament to be avoided on cost grounds an economically resurgent Germany could be the locomotive to pull Europe out of the doldrums. Britain had no commitments in the East, where Germany promised any future expansion would take place, so any conflict of interests did not exist. Germany was also seen by many in the West as a bulwark against Communist Russia so at least some expansion East was seen as a good thing. France, however, was a problem. France had a mutual protection pact with the new state of Czechoslovakia and Britain had a pact with France. With growing tensions in the Czech Sudetenland, it was possible that France could be pulled into conflict with Germany and this could also pull Britain into a war it wanted no part of.  

For France to save face and to avoid a war that neither France nor Britain was prepared for an immense pressure was put on the Czechoslovak government to co-operate with the Germans and given them what they wanted. Reluctantly eventually they did. Hitler promised, in writing indeed, that he had no more territorial ambitions and the Sudetenland would be the end of things. History, as we know, told a very different story. The selling of Czechoslovakia in the name, or at least the hope, of peace left a bad taste in everyone’s mouths. The later full occupation of that country by German armed forces showed the world that German could not be trusted. At that point, Britain finally started to seriously rearm for what many started to see as the inevitable coming conflict. When war finally broke out in late 1939 Chamberlain, who had worked so hard to avoid it was a broken man. Appeasement had failed and he knew, all too well, that history would blame him for it – and it did. 

Despite reading about this previously late last year, I still learnt quite a bit about the run up to World War Two. As with the previous book I was actually surprised at how sympathetically Chamberlain was portrayed here. He honestly had very little ‘wriggle room’ in his options – constrained by economics, war readiness, public opinion and our French allies. If he had pushed for a harder line and the Czech invasion had become a trip wire to a European conflict it’s entirely possible – indeed probable - that the combined forces of France and Britain would have been defeated completely. Would a harder diplomatic line and military threat (or actually bluff!) have stopped Hitler’s ambitions? That’s rather doubtful. Chamberlain was stuck between a hot rock and a very hard place. He knew that he had sacrificed Czechoslovakia to buy time for both Britain and France to get into a position where they could fight Germany and win. It didn’t sit well with him and it didn’t sit well with the country. The Czech invasion showed clearly that Europe was on the path to war. This rather thin volume had a rather impressive amount of information and analysis packed into it. I certainly have a great appreciation of what Chamberlain (and others) were going through as they tried to negotiate their way through a diplomatic and potentially military minefield. I really couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Definitely worth a read if you can get access to a copy. More on this subject to come..

100 Questions: Part 2 (‘borrowed’ from Marianne @ Let’s Read).   

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? During my first year at Secondary/High school aged 11. I looked really cute back then. I still have the photograph. 

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy? They can be, yes. But they can also be amazing. My favourite is still the original West Side Story. 

53. Is Christmas stressful? No, quite the opposite.  

54. Ever eat a pierogi? I had to Google that, so no. 

55. Favourite type of fruit pie? Not a HUGE fan of fruit pie. 

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? My first dream job was author. Thinking about it later I’d probably have loved being a Civil Engineer or an Architect. 

57. Do you believe in ghosts? Absolutely not. I’m a deep sceptic about all things supernatural. 

58. Ever have a deja-vu feeling? Yes. I used to have them often when younger. I’ve even described future events to people minutes before they occurred exactly as I’d said they would. I do other ‘tricks’ too but people stop being impressed after a while and just roll their eyes at me!  

59. Do you take a vitamin daily? Yes, plus others for around 30 years now. 

60. Do you wear slippers? No. 

61. Do you wear a bathrobe? No. 

62. What do you wear to bed? NOYB – cheeky! 

63. What was your first concert? I think I only really started going to concerts when I started University. So probably my first concert was The Stranglers. I was later lucky enough to see Queen with Freddie Mercury. 

64. Walmart, Target, or Amazon? No Walmart or Target here (although we have ASDA which is part of the Walmart empire). Generally, I shop ‘through’ Amazon rather than ‘with’ Amazon. 

65. Nike or Adidas? Neither. FAR too expensive! Presently I’m wearing Skechers (though not exactly at the moment as I’m indoors!). 

66. Cheetos or Fritos? Neither. 

67. Peanuts or sunflower seeds? Peanuts – in multiple varieties. Just salted or dry roasted for preference.

68. Ever hear of the group Blackpink? Nope. I had to look them up. Not exactly a fan of K-Pop, although I do like some Japanese pop/rock bands. I even bought some on CD on Japanese import. Weird but fun. 

69. Ever take dance lessons? No. 

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? No, see 92. 

71. Can you curl your tongue? Yes. 

72. Ever won a spelling bee? Not the sort of thing we have here. I’d never heard of them until one was referenced on a US TV show or movie. 

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy? No. 

74. Own any record albums? A few. I have hundreds of 45’s though. I assisted a friend DJ back in the 80’s at University. 

75. Own a record player? Not presently. 

76. Do you regularly diffuse oils? No. 

77. Ever been in love? Oh, once or twice. Back in my youth I used to fall in love every time the wind changed direction.   

78. Who would you like to see in concert? Probably Snow Patrol or Train. They’re always on my Top CD choice. Snow Patrol is playing downstairs right now. 

79. What was the last concert you saw? It’s been a ‘few’ years, so I’m guessing either Counting Crows or Belinda Carlisle.   

80. Hot tea or cold tea? Hot tea if that was the choice. 

81. Tea or coffee? Generally, neither these days although I used to drink a LOT of tea back in the day. Never liked coffee.  

82. Sugar cookies or snickerdoodles? Erm, what?  

83. Can you swim well? No, never learned – although I have both snorkeled and scuba-dived (sort of!) on the Great Barrier Reef. 

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Yes, can’t everyone? 

85. Are you patient? Sometimes, as required. 

86. DJ or band at a wedding? DJ at the last one I attended. 

87. Ever won a contest? Yes, many. 

88. Have you ever had plastic surgery? Nope.  

89. Which are better: black or green olives? Neither. 

90. Can you knit or crochet? No. 

91. Best room for a fireplace? They’re a bit out of date these days. I do quite like an open fire though – except for looking after them. They can be a lot of hard work especially if you’re using coal. Wood burners are probably better. No idea how expensive they are though. 

92. Do you want to get married? Absolutely not (apart from it being a bit late for me now!). I never understood the desire to be honest. 

93. If married, how long have you been married? See 92. 

94. Who was your high school crush? Probably either one of my teachers or a Dr Who companion. I had quite a ‘thing’ about Elizabeth Sladen AKA Sarah Jane Smith. 

95. Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? No, I’m not a child! [lol] 

96. Do you have kids? None that I know of. 

97. Do you want kids? I thought about it but decided that if the opportunity/choice ever arose then I’d say no. As I got older, I moved from indifference to having kids to determination not to. Part of the reason is that I think bad times are coming and that bringing kids into that kind of world just wouldn’t be fair on them.   

98. What is your favourite colour? Sky Blue – although I have developed a liking for Red and even Green.  

99. Do you miss anyone right now? A few people from work maybe. I talk to most of my friends most days – although we haven’t seen each other IRL for a little while now. 

100. Who are you going to tag next? No one. I don’t tag generally, but feel free if the muse takes you. 

Just Finished Reading: Fast Food Nation – What the All-American Meal is Doing to the World by Eric Schlosser (FP: 2001) [289pp] 

I think I bought this when it came out in paperback here in 2002, which means it's been sitting in various book piles, unread, for 20 years. This fact is not particularly uncommon for me. Interestingly 2002 was the early stage of being a full-on vegetarian for me. I’d tried it before, maybe a year or two previously, but had gone back to eating meat. I’d never been a HUGE meat eater even before I took the veg pledge so actually giving it up entirely wasn’t exactly a huge burden. Often, when eating out, I’d choose the veggie option because it, to me anyway, simply tasted better. Sometimes the veggie meal took longer to come out simply because they had to make it from scratch. I liked that. 

Fast food, likewise, had never been a huge part of my life. Growing up in the 60’s (even in a large city) American style fast food joints simply did not exist. Plus, being urban working class, we didn’t exactly have a lot of disposable cash so eating out at all just wasn’t going to happen. It was only when I went to University in the early 80’s that I started eating out – including in fast food places – with any kind of regularity. Still, we didn’t often frequent McDonalds or Burger King. Mostly back then it was local (and looking back on it ‘questionable’) local places for late night burgers or pizza on the way back from the pub. One of our favourite places, I still fondly remember, was Ali Barber Burgers – and my mouth is now watering! I remember his chili sauce was to DIE for, just don’t get it on your clothes! 

Even when we did, occasionally, frequent places like MaccyD’s we knew exactly what we were purchasing – it wasn’t food, it was fuel. Something quick, edible and reasonably cheap to grab on the way to somewhere or the way back from somewhere when you needed something *now*. In other words – convenience. Before the recent apocalypse I probably hit BK maybe once a month prior to a cinema trip. If the only option was McD I’d probably end up with a large strawberry milkshake (NEVER ask what’s in it!) and a large fries. Those two items I’ve always considered the best McD had to offer. At work, if I was visiting our off-site outstation, I’d walk back via McD just to pick up a milkshake... 

But, at long last, to the book. Interestingly, this is not the usual polemic about fast food making you fat. Although there is some of that in here, how could there not be, it’s much, much more than that. Looking at all aspects of the industry – and it is VERY much an industry complete with an industrial product and industrial waste (and not just in the product) - from the cattle, to the slaughterhouse, to the underpaid staff, to the health impacts (fat to food poisoning) to the impact on urban development. Much is made of (US) government inability to control or regulate the industry and the negative impact that lack of regulation has had on all involved except those making lots and lots of money at the top. Unsurprisingly, given the nature of the beast, the vast majority of the book looks at the US experience (despite the sub-title) but near the end of the book the author does look at the impact of fast food in other regions (the rise in obesity in Japan after fast food arrived there) and had a particularly intriguing aside at the very end concerning a libel case in the UK that was, at the time of publication, the longest court case in UK history. More on THAT later!  

Despite the fact that this book is now 20 years old I suspect that little has actually changed in the practice or raising cattle, slaughtering them or how the fast-food workers are paid or treated. As the author recognises, laws and regulations in these areas are generally deemed either unnecessary or harmful (to the bottom line, naturally). I’m sure we’ve all lost count of the times that mega-rich corporations have cried on camera about the fact that they’d sure like to pay people more but if they did that they’d just have to lay people off or go out of business. Funnily enough though, fast food employees in countries outside the US are paid better and do get benefits (that the company said they can’t afford) without going bust or cutting back. Weird that! Likewise, animal husbandry and slaughterhouse practices are regulated heavily in Europe and other places without McD or others taking much of a hit to their profits. Although they might not like laws, regulations and unionisation they don’t have the clout in other countries to restrict or stop them to the extent that they do in the US.  

Finally, the author mentioned the BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) crisis that had just hit the UK and Europe about the time of publication. Governments across the UK and EU were in panic mode regarding the possibility that BSE had managed to cross the species barrier from sheep to cattle and then on to humans causing vCJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) that was both incurable and fatal. There was a real fear that, years down the line, thousands of people could die. It never came to pass but, again across the UK and EU, new regulations came into force regarding the composition of cattle feed – no longer could you feed recycled dead sheep to herbivores! - and slaughterhouse practices – no more removing spinal columns with chainsaws! The industries involved had little choice and were essentially informed that they applied the new rules or ceased to do business. They chose to continue making money, although the publics consumption of meat dropped rather dramatically, and very publicly showed how the new regulations were being applied and that they themselves had been disturbed at the practices of their suppliers... 

I think if I hadn’t already been a veggie (and had read this book soon after publication!) it would’ve put me on that road anyway. So, if you like your burger down at the local franchise and really don’t want to know what goes on before you lift it to your mouth, this may not be the book for you – no matter how out of date it no doubt is by now. Definitely recommended if you have a reasonably strong stomach and don’t mind the occasional nightmare!      

Always say 'Hi' to the guard-dog....

We made it to February! That means it's Love & Relationships Month here @ SaLT. Enjoy that warm and fuzzy feeling coming your way... [lol]