In the summer of 2008, when an E.coli outbreak forces the nation’s largest organic salad company to recall millions of products, three women’s lives converge. Stella Gonzalez, a wash- line employee, is determined to provide a better future for her daughter. Ruth Malmquist is left fighting for her son’s life and Jane Janhusen is asked to salvage the reputation of her boss and the company she loves. As federal investigators swoop in to pinpoint the source of the contamination, each woman faces her own struggle of how to deal with a sudden and unexpected tragedy. In the spirit of E.F. Schumacher’s Small is Beautiful Morris explores the notion that bigger is better. With humor, sadness and detailed research Exit Strategy deftly weaves together multiple viewpoints of the farm-to-table movement and corporate agriculture leaving the reader to ponder the true meaning of sustainability and the value of finding work that offers basic human dignity. Ultimately, it’s a story about how life’s most challenging experiences can make us stronger, but only if we’re willing to take chances.
