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cecile87's review against another edition
2.0
DNF. I found the book too frenetic for me. I enjoy a good meal, but I’m not a foodie. So much of his intensity about meals didn’t hold my interest. Neither did his personal emotional states—although now I have some compassion for him—they were too much for him as well.
I enjoyed his TV shows, when I caught them, but the book version was just too wordy, frenetic and dense for me. So I’ve put it down. I’m curious to hear what my bookclub members will say about it.
I enjoyed his TV shows, when I caught them, but the book version was just too wordy, frenetic and dense for me. So I’ve put it down. I’m curious to hear what my bookclub members will say about it.
tregina's review against another edition
4.0
I really do genuinely enjoy the way Tony Bourdain writes, and the way in which he sees the world (even when I think he's an asshole). But what I love most is the way he pulls back the curtain--not just on his life in food and in kitchens (as in Kitchen Confidential), but now on his life as an author an television personality who talks and writes about his life and food an in kitchens. He participates in the artifice of it at the same time as he talks about the artifice of it. I love it.
gracefullypunk's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it. Love his sense of humor, love his honesty, love his descriptions of food and of place. And now I want to travel to Vietnam.
mprophit's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
readordievirgo's review against another edition
4.0
My rating: 3.8 (rating scale at bottom of review)
The content:
Absolutely amazing (high praise considering I’m vegetarian and suffice it to say Bourdain isn’t). This book makes me want to hop on a plane, travel around the world, and meet the people and taste the food he talks about. Although - his descriptions are so vivid and rich, I feel like I already know how the food tastes.
The writing style:
I struggled with this. It felt almost too fast paced and frenzied to me, to the point where it started to get overwhelming. This works well when he’s describing driving on terrible roads and I feel a lump in my throat reading about the near-misses with terrifying drivers. It doesn’t work so well for me when I was basking in his descriptions of the majesty and peacefulness of unending sand and stars in the desert, and I’m suddenly catapulted on the next page into the very same hair-raising driving experience.
Overall:
I read to see the world through other people’s eyes. This book did exactly that for me, and did a loyal job of chronicling Anthony Bourdain’s voice and spirit.
My rating scale:
5: Loved this book, easily a favorite for me.
4: The book masterfully does exactly what it sets out to do. It’s not a forever favorite of mine, but it’s excellent.
3: It’s nice, I enjoyed reading it. Probably will forget about it tomorrow.
2: It’s alright. Probably wouldn’t mind reading it in the doctor’s waiting room.
1: Absolutely not for me.
The content:
Absolutely amazing (high praise considering I’m vegetarian and suffice it to say Bourdain isn’t). This book makes me want to hop on a plane, travel around the world, and meet the people and taste the food he talks about. Although - his descriptions are so vivid and rich, I feel like I already know how the food tastes.
The writing style:
I struggled with this. It felt almost too fast paced and frenzied to me, to the point where it started to get overwhelming. This works well when he’s describing driving on terrible roads and I feel a lump in my throat reading about the near-misses with terrifying drivers. It doesn’t work so well for me when I was basking in his descriptions of the majesty and peacefulness of unending sand and stars in the desert, and I’m suddenly catapulted on the next page into the very same hair-raising driving experience.
Overall:
I read to see the world through other people’s eyes. This book did exactly that for me, and did a loyal job of chronicling Anthony Bourdain’s voice and spirit.
My rating scale:
5: Loved this book, easily a favorite for me.
4: The book masterfully does exactly what it sets out to do. It’s not a forever favorite of mine, but it’s excellent.
3: It’s nice, I enjoyed reading it. Probably will forget about it tomorrow.
2: It’s alright. Probably wouldn’t mind reading it in the doctor’s waiting room.
1: Absolutely not for me.
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
Bourdain is his usual wry & frank self in "A Cook's Tour". This book is a blend of food and travel writing that's a companion to his former Food Network show of the same name. "Cook's Tour" is a series of essays where each one finds Bourdain in a different location trying a different dish.
josepht61's review against another edition
5.0
Bourdain has such a fun and brilliant writing voice. I loved each story and each one felt like it captured the time, place and country so perfectly.