Choice Review

Fast Food/Slow Food examines changing food systems around the world, informed by the field experiences of contributors. The book's three sections adeptly present major aspects of the slow food/fast food dichotomy: the place of slow food/fast food issues in different societies; concerns arising from industrial food development; and the compromises and adjustments made in the face of changing food economies. The ethnographic data provide indispensable research tools for specialists in agricultural economic development and offer useful insights into the role food plays in societal and cultural identity. In addition, contributors discuss consumer dynamics and cultural implications on a valuable, highly academic level. The biggest strength of this work is the cohesion created by the contributors' inter-references and understanding of the other essays in the book, helping make even the most detailed studies more understandable through connections outlined throughout the text. Although the cultural and economic details are sometimes very specific and seem most appropriate for readers with subject expertise, the book will inform anyone interested in slow food/fast food issues and debates. An important contribution to the literature on this topic. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and professionals. S. Kowtko Spokane Community College