The author of "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the American Meal" speaks Nov. 18 at Ball State University.

Cultural critic Eric Schlosser discusses his book at 6:30 p.m. in Emens Auditorium as part of Ball State's Freshman Connections program. The talk is free and open to the public.

"Fast Food Nation" is Ball State's 2004 Freshman Common Reader. The Freshman Connections program encourages students to read a common book to create a shared learning experience, promote a sense of community and ease the students' transition into college.

Freshman Connections is one aspect of Ball State's freshman programs, which U.S. News and World Report listed this fall under "programs to look for" in the first-year experience category. The publication listed universities that developed a program to make freshmen feel more connected to the campus, which increases retention and overall student success.

Schlosser investigates the hidden realms of American business and culture and their far-reaching effects. He challenges people to think about such issues as food safety, workers' rights, the war on drugs, marketing to children and the epidemic of obesity.

"I feel that a lot of what I write about is what people on some level don't want to hear about," he said.

"Fast Food Nation" reached number one on The Chronicle of Higher Education's list of "What They're Reading on College Campuses." The book uncovers the inner workings of the fast food industry, from working conditions in American meat packing plants to the "flavor industry" along the New Jersey Turnpike that gives fast food its taste.

Detailing the tremendous growth and success of the industry, Schlosser reveals how fast food has transformed America's diet as well as its economy, work force and popular culture.

Schlosser's latest expose', "Reefer Madness," examines marijuana, pornography and illegal migrant workers: three commodities that have defied government laws and regulations and fueled America's black market, now 10 percent of the overall economy.

A graduate of Princeton University, Schlosser has been a correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly since 1996. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone and The New Yorker. Both of his books have been on The New York Times Business bestsellers list.

His next book will explore the question, "How does the land of the free come to have the largest prison population in the history of the world?" 

(Note to Editors: For more information on this story, contact Melissa Messineo, coordinator of the Freshman Common Reader program, at mmessine@bsu.edu or (765) 285-5530. For a downloadable-quality photo of Schlosser, go to www.photoservices.bsu.edu and follow the instructions.)