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byrd002's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not just for the Jefferson family history, but for a glimpse of the lifestyle during that period in America. The kitchen practices and customs of the time are a fascination to me, and I feel we are so lucky to have had a variation in cuisine introduced to what was clearly a limited variety and lifestyle (to our way of living currently).
The role of the Hemings family, and all of the slaves in Jefferson's household, was complex- this book did much to enlighten that relationship. Reading about the French culture, and the alarming build-up of the French revolution, puts the history of the time in perspective. Jefferson appears to have stayed in France, and brought back the very best it had to offer, right before the country fell to revolution. Good news for us!
I wish the maps and graphics had been better reproduced, but I feel that responsibility sits with the publisher, not the author.
I strongly recommend this book- it is conversational, informative and a wonderfull read!
The role of the Hemings family, and all of the slaves in Jefferson's household, was complex- this book did much to enlighten that relationship. Reading about the French culture, and the alarming build-up of the French revolution, puts the history of the time in perspective. Jefferson appears to have stayed in France, and brought back the very best it had to offer, right before the country fell to revolution. Good news for us!
I wish the maps and graphics had been better reproduced, but I feel that responsibility sits with the publisher, not the author.
I strongly recommend this book- it is conversational, informative and a wonderfull read!
lmt03846's review against another edition
2.0
No new information here, and other books on Jefferson in Paris which are better written.
copper42's review against another edition
2.0
While this was published a few years ago, the language used to describe people that were enslaved was absolutely abhorrent.
Also, it really was more a travelogue about what Jefferson did in France, rather than James Hemings' training in French cooking. He was there, but only rarely. And they mentioned Sally Hemings in passing, but glanced over her import there.
Overall, this was not good.
Also, it really was more a travelogue about what Jefferson did in France, rather than James Hemings' training in French cooking. He was there, but only rarely. And they mentioned Sally Hemings in passing, but glanced over her import there.
Overall, this was not good.
jeannepathfinder's review against another edition
3.0
This book was more about history than food. There was more information about food in the prologue and appendix than in the pages of the book. That said, it was an interesting look at Thomas Jefferson as a gourmand, gardener and connoisseur of fine wines.
pafleser's review against another edition
3.0
This was a little disappointing. It was about Jefferson's life in Paris, but it really only touched on James Hemings and the food aspect.
whiskingthroughtime's review against another edition
3.0
I was really excited at what this book professed to be, and in part I guess it delivered. But it tells more story abut Thomas Jefferson than the slave he dragged to Paris who is the person who learned to cook French cuisine and bring it back to America. However, it was an enjoyable, if not slightly misleading, book.
I would recommend it as a non fiction read for those who love food and history and I guess a little bit of French and American history as well.
I would recommend it as a non fiction read for those who love food and history and I guess a little bit of French and American history as well.
tommcconnell1456's review against another edition
2.0
I read this as part of a reading challenge and was extremely disappointed. The author really doesn’t bring much new insight into the book, while deferring frequently to Annette Gordon-Reed’s The Hemmingses of Monticello, which is by far the superior read. James and Philip hardly garner any mention, beyond they learned how to cook in the French style. While I don’t think you can divorce the food from the politics of the time, it would have been better to provide more insight on the food culture that Jefferson tried to cultivate. The interesting parts were on Jefferson’s attempts to resolve issues like rice or grapes to make American products more palatable or exportable.
bookyjes's review against another edition
3.0
As an almost exclusively fiction reader, I was hesitant to pick up this book. My book club decided to read it this month and I figured even though I no longer live in the same town, or can attend this month's meeting via Skype, that I should at least read it. It turned out to be much more engaging as a novel than I expected! I was pleasantly surprised. I did find some of the chapters redundant, but still, all in all, it was an enjoyable read.
I don't claim to know much of anything about founding fathers or American history (pah!) but I found this book fascinating. Sometimes when we read history lessons, we forget that the people in our textbooks were real. It was interesting to me to think that the author of the Declaration of Independence was also a huge fan of peas. :)
I'd recommend this book to the casual non-fiction reader, or anyone interested in American historical figures. This book is light, easy to read and not heavy in content. Read it in a couple of hours.
I don't claim to know much of anything about founding fathers or American history (pah!) but I found this book fascinating. Sometimes when we read history lessons, we forget that the people in our textbooks were real. It was interesting to me to think that the author of the Declaration of Independence was also a huge fan of peas. :)
I'd recommend this book to the casual non-fiction reader, or anyone interested in American historical figures. This book is light, easy to read and not heavy in content. Read it in a couple of hours.
bookwormmichelle's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting enough little book, but not as indepth as I was hoping. Not a lot about actual cooking techniques, only a few recipes mentioned, and despite the subtitle, almost nothing about either creme brulee or James Hemings. I know there probably weren't many sources on a slave of the period, but then don't put him in the subtitle. There was actually more in the book on the French Revolution than there was either actual cooking information or information on Hemings. So it was a little disappointing there.
bookphair's review against another edition
3.0
I loved it! But if you are more interested in culinary history than T Jeff, then you'll be left wanting. I loved it, but I love food plus history. I think it needed more of one or the other. But I will keep it and remember it. Thank you for the book, GOODREADS!