A review by writerrhiannon
The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard by John Birdsall

5.0

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



As a foodie I have heard the name James Beard millions of times. I knew he was a gay man and legendary food writer, but beyond that I knew very little about him. Wanting to know more about his life, I dove into The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard. Well, I waded in. The first two chapters about his childhood in Portland, Oregon were so detailed that I thought "I'm not sure I can take 464 pages of this" but the book did pick up speed after that point. John Birdsall, 2014 James Beard Award winner for "America, Your Food is So Gay,” shares great stories about Beard's education, scandals, recipe "stealing" and collaborations. I learned exactly how Beard influenced American cuisine after World War II all the way up to today (he loved "home cooking" and fresh, farm-to-table type eating). Before there was Julia Child hosting "The French Chef" (1963), there was James Beard hosting the live television series "I Love to Eat" (1946–47). I had no idea! This book is a must for any "foodie" interested in not only the life of James Beard but the history of American food and food writing.

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