A review by gretago
Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography by Laurie Woolever

5.0

Spoiler and I don't need to tell you this, but the hero dies at the end. This is a story of the survivors, those left behind after someone takes their own life. It's about how one's pain and depression can hide and then manifest itself in terrible, horrible, irreversible ways. And yes, it's a totally selfish act, but that person thinks it the only way to end all their pain and suffering. But then everyone in their life is left holding that bag of pain and suffering, and not knowing really what to do with it or how to process it all, once that person has completed their act.

This was interesting read, to hear about Bourdain's early life and rise to fame. I had read his novels and Kitchen Confidential when they first came out then watched all the iterations of his shows from Food Network all the way thru CNN when they were all first airing. Reading the accounts from people closest to him about those years and the ones leading up to his death, gave me a deeper appreciation for his life.

I also read Tom Vitale's Book, In the Weeds, before I read this one. And now, on to watch The Road Runner documentary...