Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bourdain Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Bone in the Throat
Book Review: Ahem!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
For a first time novelist, "Bone in the Throat" is a grand slam. Tony covers all the bases then knocks it home with a sharp sense of humor in an otherwise depressingly sad story. I like this one better than his later novel, "Gone Bamboo" but they are both great reads.
Book Review: An easy but somewhat bland read
Summary: 2 Stars
I enjoyed Kitchen Confidential a lot more for its witty writing and colourful insights into the restaurant business. This fiction novel however, disappoints as the pace is slow, the action limited and the characters predictable. It is nevertheless unpretentious and an easy read.Book Review: As satisfying as a slice of real New York "garbage pizza" (pizza with everything)
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading Tony's non-fiction works, I was quite interested in giving this a try, albeit with some trepidation (as a former bookseller, I've seen a lot of 'celebrity fiction' that was about as tasty as that 3-week old milk I don't have in the refrigerator.)
I had a feeling, however, that this would work out. I wasn't surprised to find myself entertained from the very first page. Bourdain's senses sight and hearing are as well-honed as his chef skills; his descriptions and dialogue rings completely true as he spins this tale of organized crime, the awesomeness that is New York, fine (and-not-so-much) cuisine, the joys and hardships of familial relationships, and the horrorshow of addiction (his description of scoring heroin via an amazingly efficiently-run system housed in an abandoned building teeming with low-lifes should be required reading for anyone considering experimenting with the hard stuff. And corporate CEOs.)
There's an obvious comparison to make here: if you enjoyed the way the writers of The Sopranos managed to balance these themes, you'll enjoy this book the way you enjoyed the best episodes of that show. Not to mention pick up a new skill or recipe or two.
I'm probably never going to have the opportunity to eat a meal prepared by Anthony Bourdain, but I'd be nearly as satisfied to get a new novel every couple of years. I hope he finds time to do more fiction writing. Soon.
Book Review: Better get out of the kitchen
Summary: 5 Stars
We learn what a mise-en-place is and get a graphic description of cleaning a squid. As a matter of fact, we learn a lot about the restaurant business from purchasing to personnel to controlling cost. The author is a certified expert at this and the next time you go to a restaurant you probably look at it with different eyes (and leave a better tip).But this book is supposed to be a mystery, and so it is - in a way. It is an absolutely hilarious sendup of small-time and small-brained mafia gangsters. From Sally the Wig to Charley Wagons to Skinny they act like the book tells them to: Got to follow the rules! No wonder it gets them into trouble. Only their methods of maiming and killing seems to be innovative.
This is a satire you don't want to miss.
Book Review: Better get out of the kitchen
Summary: 5 Stars
We learn what a mise-en-place is and get a graphic description of cleaning a squid. As a matter of fact, we learn a lot about the restaurant business from purchasing to personnel to controlling cost. The author is a certified expert at this and the next time you go to a restaurant you probably look at it with different eyes (and leave a better tip).But this book is supposed to be a mystery, and so it is - in a way. It is an absolutely hilarious sendup of small-time and small-brained mafia gangsters. From Sally the Wig to Charley Wagons to Skinny they act like the book tells them to: Got to follow the rules! No wonder it gets them into trouble. Only their methods of maiming and killing seems to be innovative.
This is a satire you don't want to miss.