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emmabeckman's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, on the one hand, it’s a cool story that I knew nothing about and I found it interesting to learn about how these things came about. On the other hand, I got pretty bored by the end. It was interesting, but I think I would have been happy with it being one chapter in a book rather than a whole book. It just a lot of the same story over and over again, which I get is part of the nature of the story: bad things have to happen over and over to get people to care to enact legislation. Maybe I would have found it more interesting if we learned more about the stories of the people who were ingesting these things and what their lives were like. It mentioned briefly how it tended to be the poor, but I guess I hoped for a bit more social history than what was in here.
itsgolden's review against another edition
too many other books on deck right now. will pick back up later
lis_allenwalker's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars because it was really repetitive in places. Otherwise I was simultaneously freaked out and fascinated.
passionfordeadleaves's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.75
tjoseph4's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Informative, full of historic context. Can drag on a bit in some parts.
paroof's review against another edition
3.0
This is the Go Big Read book for our university this year. It's a fascinating look at the how and why the Food and Drug Administration was formed. My main take-away from the book is overwhelming gratitude for Dr. Harvey Wiley, a chemist in the Agriculture Department who unceasingly advocated for safe food and drug legislation. It was easy to compare the government's struggle to balance science, consumer advocacy and business interests back then to the current day issues.
It's an interesting piece of history, but the book focuses mainly on Wiley's life and advocacy and there is a lot of detail. At the end, the book touches briefly on some more recent food scares and policy issues. For me, I would have preferred a longer section on some of those items. However, I suppose those are left for another book - or as I imagine, quite a few student papers written on those topics.
It's an interesting piece of history, but the book focuses mainly on Wiley's life and advocacy and there is a lot of detail. At the end, the book touches briefly on some more recent food scares and policy issues. For me, I would have preferred a longer section on some of those items. However, I suppose those are left for another book - or as I imagine, quite a few student papers written on those topics.
marmoo's review against another edition
3.0
This deep dive into a consequential epoch of food safety law in the United States is well-researched and well laid out. Though I at times wished it were a tad broader than the “one chemist’s crusade” that’s advertised on the tin, well, I can’t blame it on faulty labeling.
epeecurean's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
Incredible political history of an overlooked area oft taken for granted in our everyday lives. Telling the perspective of a true champion for public interests, it is an inspiring and fascinating account of the ground made and how political opposition can undo the best intentions so quickly not out of animus, but for political interest.