Selling'em by the Sack: White Castle and the Creation of American Food

The book was great. But, then again, coming from Dr. Hogan, you shouldn't expect any less. I was a student of Dr. Hogan's at Ohio State, and I must say, the best part of the Dave Hogan experience is having him as a instructor. I have had the book since right after Fall Quarter 2002, and it has been a great read even for the casual White Castle fan. Sorry it took me so long to post a shout out to you Dave, but, I did love the book! Scott Davis

Before there was the fast food hamburger shops of today, there was White Castle. And before White Castle, the lowely hamburger was not a respected food. Selling 'Em By the Sack describes the history of the hamburger in American culture and why White Castle started in Wichita, KS. Not only a history lesson about White Castle but a social history of American eating habits in the 20th century. So forget about those other hamburger joints and read where it all got started.

This is a great book. It very nicely documents the rise of the hamburger and White Castle in 1920's America. Hogan follows White Castle through the early times, when a man could work there and make enough to support a family, through the depression, the rough war years, and more recent competition with the fast food giants. I'm not sure why he waited until the last two pages to tell readers what makes White Castle special and has enabled it to persist for so long....but this is a minor complaint. Excellent!

David Hogan (Heidelberg College) does an excellent job of exploring the interesting story of White Castle. It is a real-life tale of the American Dream come true. The founders of White Castle employed some basic standards to turn hamburgers into a staple food and an American institution. Hogan does an excellent job of putting the evolution into historical context and creating a must read for social historians. White Castle paved the way for future fast food entrepreneurs and the author effectively chronicles the emergence of a mega-industry. The book represents exceptional scholarship and is entertaining and educational!!