Community Announcement: One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern

The "One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern" (OBOBOK) committee has selected Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser for the 2008 Communitywide read.

Published in 2001, this book is a muckraking examination of the far-reaching societal effects of the fast-food industry in America. It spent two years on the NYT Best Seller list, and a DVD version came out this year.

The kick-off for the book will take place in late January 2008, and a series of related programs will be scheduled throughout the spring with a broad variety of community partners.

Author Eric Schlosser will participate in this 2008 read, with programs on Feb. 7 and 8. In addition to being a fine investigative journalist, Schlosser is a son-in-law to Robert Redford; the author's father served as the Head of NBC. Mr. Schlosser's new book, an examination of the California prison system, will be published Spring 2008.

The book is available at the Kern County Library in regular book format and in large print, books on tape or on CD.  It is also available in paperback for $14.95 at local bookstores.

The "One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern" selection for younger readers is also by Eric Schlosser.  It is entitled "Chew on This: Everything You Don't Want to Know about Fast Food" and deals with the same topic, but for younger readers, also available at many branch libraries.

For more information, click here.