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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
So much context and really captivating stories. I especially loved the chapter on his trip to Japan.
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Wow this book kind of broke me. I felt so intertwined in Bourdain’s world, mirroring my experiences and acquaintances in restaurants so his accounts could’ve been in my own past places of employment. My dad has referenced this book multiple times and recurrently talks about Bourdain’s power to run the room; yet, I was completely blown away by his power with words. It was almost chilling to read such an intimate account of an industry so grueling and disturbing with such love and passion for the product, especially considering the excerpts where he discusses drug use and suicide of past employees. I found it extremely tragic to hear (through his audiobook reading) his view of having passed his struggle with addiction and his everlasting love with his wife with current knowledge of his passing and divorce. I feel an overwhelming amount of sympathy, grief and gratitude for Anthony Bourdain’s presence and ability to memorialize my same fascination with the restaurant industry.
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Format: audio book
I respect the hell out of Anthony Bourdain and like most, I was devastated to hear of his passing in 2018. My review of this book is fully separate from that.
I personally didn’t connect with this book. I love to cook but have never worked in the restaurant industry. Regardless, I was excited to listen to this one and for me, it just wasn’t entertaining. I found myself bored or tuning out regularly and had to force myself to finish it in the end.
My personal rating system:
1 - I didn’t like the book and I’m not really sure why anyone else likes the book
2 - I didn’t like the book but I can understand why other people like the book
3 - I liked the book but not enough that I would recommend it when someone asks me for book recs
4 - I really liked the book and would recommend it when someone asks me for book recs within the genre
5 - I loved the book and would recommend to anyone regardless of their preferred genre
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
things i ate and drank whilst reading this:
• scone w/ clotted cream and raspberry jam
• salt and chilli pork belly w/ tenderstem broccoli and egg fried rice
• iced hibiscus tea
• fizzy cola sweets
• cantaloupe and feta salad w/ flat peach and orange segments, cucumber chunks and a raspberry vinegar and olive oil dressing
• ‘moondrop dreams’ rooibos loose leaf herbal tea
• tomato, sicilian lemon and ricotta pasta
(this brave, brave man. there's something incredibly courageous about the ability to know yourself as truly as bourdain does in this book. he's so insistently sure of who he is, and what he's willing to do to become that person. i know a lot of public figures gain a sort of mythos after they die, but i think that's kind of impossible for someone as self assured as bourdain. he's as loved now as he was when he was alive - certainly by me, at least.)
• scone w/ clotted cream and raspberry jam
• salt and chilli pork belly w/ tenderstem broccoli and egg fried rice
• iced hibiscus tea
• fizzy cola sweets
• cantaloupe and feta salad w/ flat peach and orange segments, cucumber chunks and a raspberry vinegar and olive oil dressing
• ‘moondrop dreams’ rooibos loose leaf herbal tea
• tomato, sicilian lemon and ricotta pasta
(this brave, brave man. there's something incredibly courageous about the ability to know yourself as truly as bourdain does in this book. he's so insistently sure of who he is, and what he's willing to do to become that person. i know a lot of public figures gain a sort of mythos after they die, but i think that's kind of impossible for someone as self assured as bourdain. he's as loved now as he was when he was alive - certainly by me, at least.)
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced