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131 reviews for:
We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time
José Andrés
3.9 AVERAGE
131 reviews for:
We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time
José Andrés
3.9 AVERAGE
I desperately wanted to love this book as I so admire the work that Chef Andrés and World Central Kitchen does and how they helped Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, I really struggled making it through. It feels like it focuses more on contract negotiations with FEMA than anything else. It does have bright spots - I loved the parts that Chef talks about the importance of food to community, or about the individual people he met while in Puerto Rico. You can tell he’s passionate about these things and it shines through in the writing. If the book were more of this and less emphasis on the bureaucratic red tape side of things - which you can tell he does not like either - I would rate it much higher.
2022: A rambly and ranty account of a true story that I really enjoyed.
As a logistics person, I ate this up! Andrés goes into a lot of detail about how he and his team were able to pull off a really insane task in an extremely challenging time. Here's the deal tho....I get that Andrés needed to hit a certain number of pages in order to meet his book deadline, but there is absolutely no new information that is added in the last 100 pages of the book. It's just repeating info and stories that he's already told.
This book ends up getting super ranty. I understand that Andrés wanted to impress upon everyone that FEMA wasn't as great at providing aid as their marketing would lead you to believe. I GET IT. And after the first 100 pages, you will too. The book also loses major points for quoting Trump so many times. It was very tiresome and I really did not enjoy having his voice in my head again. Could this book have been a well researched Buzzfeed article and I still would have taken away the same info? Absolutely yes.
On another note, Andrés makes SEVERAL Hunger Games references (like good ones, like he actually read the whole series back to front) and they made me laugh out loud every time. They also totally pulled me out of the narrative and it was disorienting, but I also loved it.
Basically, World Central Kitchen is already high on my list of companies I'd love to work for someday, and this book just made it skyrocket to the top.
As a logistics person, I ate this up! Andrés goes into a lot of detail about how he and his team were able to pull off a really insane task in an extremely challenging time. Here's the deal tho....I get that Andrés needed to hit a certain number of pages in order to meet his book deadline, but there is absolutely no new information that is added in the last 100 pages of the book. It's just repeating info and stories that he's already told.
This book ends up getting super ranty. I understand that Andrés wanted to impress upon everyone that FEMA wasn't as great at providing aid as their marketing would lead you to believe. I GET IT. And after the first 100 pages, you will too. The book also loses major points for quoting Trump so many times. It was very tiresome and I really did not enjoy having his voice in my head again. Could this book have been a well researched Buzzfeed article and I still would have taken away the same info? Absolutely yes.
On another note, Andrés makes SEVERAL Hunger Games references (like good ones, like he actually read the whole series back to front) and they made me laugh out loud every time. They also totally pulled me out of the narrative and it was disorienting, but I also loved it.
Basically, World Central Kitchen is already high on my list of companies I'd love to work for someday, and this book just made it skyrocket to the top.
Certainly from a single perspective, but a glimpse into federal government disfunction. Whether characteristic of this administration or big government in general is perhaps up for debate. Informs the administration's approach to the pandemic.
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
informative
slow-paced
This was a fascinating and sometimes infuriating look at disaster relief, as well as an inspiring tale of how food brings people together and heals. As an avid home cook and baker, it gave me a lot to think about and a lot of good feelings. I also appreciate that it shows insight into World Central Kitchen and the good things they do, which is helpful in knowing where I can donate and feel confident my donation is doing good things in current and future crises.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Good read. I though the frequent complaints about FEMA were refreshing and honest.
The work this group did is fantastic. The book is not that good. Find a good piece of journalism on this and get the same story in more focused concise form!
informative
medium-paced