Belching Out the Devil: Global Adventures with Coca-Cola [Paperback]

Mark Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2, 2009

Mark Thomasa legendarily seditious comedian and human rights activistis a recovering Coca-Cola addict, a self-described middle-aged fat dad with asthma who decides to trek around the globe investigating the stories and people Coca-Colas iconic advertising campaigns dont mention: child laborers in the sugarcane fields of El Salvador, Indian workers exposed to toxic chemicals, Columbian labor union leaders in Coke bottling plants falsely accused of terrorism and jailed alongside the paramilitaries who want to kill them. At once hilarious and disturbing, Thomas builds a very detailed and damning case against the worlds most ubiquitous drink.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela:
“Thomas’s investigations are gripping.”
— Telegraph --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Mark Thomas has worked as a comedian for over twenty years. His activist, campaigning brand of comedy has been a thorn in the side of many politicians and corporations. He is one of a limited number of people to be awarded a UN Global Human Rights Defender Award and has also been awarded a Kurdish National Congress Medal of Honour amongst other citations. His three-year campaign to stop the building of the Ilisu damn in Turkey was ultimately successful and saved 78,000 Kurds from being displaced. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Nation Books; 1 edition (June 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568584318
• ISBN-13: 978-1568584317
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,235,844 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Coca Cola, sit up, listen and 'do the right thing.', February 8, 2011

By 

M. Ahmed "Mubbisher Ahmed" (Swindon, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Belching Out the Devil: Global Adventures with Coca-Cola (Paperback)

This book really does make you think on how some big businesses actually behave in reality in todays global world. The buzzword, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and associated spin, spun by Coca Cola made me think really hard about a company that I held in high respect, prior to reading this book.

I just hope that Coca Cola learns from the exploits of Mark Thomas, absorbs the feedback and 'does the right thing' for the future of not only its employees but the people and communities, it touches.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Have a Coke and a frown!, September 23, 2009

By 

John Bernhardt (Falmouth, Ma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Belching Out the Devil: Global Adventures with Coca-Cola (Paperback)

Does this book make you not want to drink a Coke? I am not so sure. I have read similiar exposes about Wal-Mart and the fast food industry and this book is not as convincing an indictment. The book seemed more of an indictment of common insidious multi-national practices than an argument that we might actually be better off if the world just drank Pepsi and Big Cola instead of Coke.

The disreputable practices described here such as union busting, worker mistreatment, making Mexican kids fat, and stealing a town's water supply are things that many multi--national companies might well could be accused of.

Practices of American companies in foreign companies are often highly questionable, and sadly it's not exactly a shock or surprise to see that Coca-Cola would be engaging in such practices.

I was interested in what Coke might be doing in America,such as it anti-competitive practices,or attempts to put soft drink machines in schools ,but the book does not cover that subject very well.I do applaud the author's courage and good humour. I also applaud the lady Mexican store owner who had the courage to stock Big Cola in the face of the Coca-Cola intimidation.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, November 5, 2011

By 

Lee J - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Belching Out the Devil: Global Adventures with Coca-Cola (Paperback)

I'm a Mark Thomas fan, and I new that I liked him before buying this book. This was my second book of his after reading 'As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela: Underground Adventures in the Arms and Torture Trade'. This one is very much in a similar vain, ranting but with intellect and proactive actions to back it all up.

Mark Thomas = necessary education.