Bone in the Throat
by Anthony Bourdain
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Book Reviews of Bone in the Throat
Book Review: That's tony...
Summary: 5 Stars
A NY chef for 30+ years his favorite books are crime dramas like "the friends of eddie coyle". This is his version of a crime drama but instead of writing from a legal or law enforcement perspective he writes what he knows about. The not so glamorous underbelly of the restaurant world. The focus of the story is tommy an Italian American sous chef who is serious about haute French cuisine. He develops a close friendship with his coked out chef who he admires for his knowledge and skill in the kitchen. The problem with tommy is that his sleezy mafia uncle gets him in deep and he never knows that the restaurant he works in is a set up for the feds to put guys like his uncle away.
Like any good crime drama it is gritty and rough. You find yourself feeling for tommy and his, predictament and despising the brutal mobsters. Bourdain might have spent almost all of his adult life in the kitchen but he doesn't back off at all in depicting violence. It won't take you long to read this book because once you start it is hard to stop a real page turner.
I believe bourdain's personality exists in both the tommy and the chef characters. The chef like tony is part French and has a drug problem something that tony admitted he once had in "Kitchen Confidental". But the tommy character is a punk rock loving kid who maybe resembles tony in his earlier days. Certainly there are some autobiographical moments here and the restaurant name is the same as the first restaurant tony worked at in provincetown. The dreadnaught..
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: Raw meat.
Summary: 4 Stars
Set in the Bronx and Brooklyn, this is a grisly and graphic story of mob murder, dismemberment, and torture, along with the businesses of protection, loansharking, and money laundering. Tommy Pagano, the sous-chef at a small restaurant, who was cared for as a child by his mob-connected uncle Sal Pitera, finds himself up to his prime rib in dangerous mob business when Sally wants payback. Sandwiched between bloodthirsty racketeers on one side and equally threatening and sinister investigators who want him to give up Sally and his "friends" on the other side, Tommy has more than ample reason to fear for his life.
Suspense and horror are leavened throughout by humor, which comes mainly from absurdities--a hitman standing naked while he dismembers a body in order to protect his clothes, a chef upset because someone used his kitchen knife instead of a boning knife, a mobster telling a hitman that his actions were "bush." This is primarily is a fast-paced story of murder and mayhem, with humor on the side and lots of insights into the restaurant business. Local color, realistic-sounding (and often funny) wise-guy dialogue, an engaging main character with whom we sympathize, and investigators who are sometimes as venal as the men they investigate will keep you reading well into the night. Mary Whipple
Book Review: Wonderful Characters Abound in Fantastic Mafia Story
Summary: 5 Stars
Let's Face it the gangster genre needed some help. Not since Steve Thayer's "Saint Mudd" has there been a solid mafia based novel. I stumbled upon Anthony Bourdain's and found his first novel, "Bone in the Throat" full of vivid characters that jump off the page, a story line that was very tight and not watered down, which also has a good solid pace.The story revolves around Tommy Pagano who after losing his father due to mob ties, decides to try something else. Tommy refuses his Uncle Sal's offer to join the family business and chases down his dream of becoming a famous chef. Tommy however lands a job as a sous-chef at a restaurant, which his Uncle does business at. Tommy ends up doing one (against his better judgment) for his uncle and quickly finds himself in the middle of an FBI investigation. Tommy's friends, mainly Chef Ricard find themselves being pinched for information. Tommy faces hard time, and if he talks he knows what will happen next.
To find out what happens I strongly recommend picking up "Bone in the Throat". It is a true treat for those who enjoy mafia fiction. Even those who don't will enjoy the colorful characters, awesome dialogue and fast paced story.
Book Review: A Great Story And A Book You Won't Want To Put Down
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this book after reading Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" autobiography. I wanted to see Bourdain's fictional styling and was quite impressed. "Bone In The Throat" is the story of Tommy, son of a mafia gangster and is struggles to stay disassociated with the mob while trying to advance his career as a professional chef. Bordain's style of writing is simple and reflects his own upbringing in New York. Although fictional, Bourdain's descriptions of what goes on behind the seens at a NYC restaurant closely reflects the descriptions of his experiences in "Kitchen Confidential." Although long and nearly 300 pages this book is a quick read and something you won't really want to put down. I highly suggest giving this book a read if you want to get sucked into the world of the mob, restaurants, drugs & sex.
I rate this 5 out of 5 stars. Get off your computer and go read it :)