Bone in the Throat
by Anthony Bourdain
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Book Reviews of Bone in the Throat
Book Review: The Chef and the Mob
Summary: 5 Stars
Anthony Bourdain, by trade an executive chef in NYC, has written a behind the scenes look at restaurants, with a few members of the mob, the FBI, and other assorted law enforcement agencies thrown in the pot. Bourdain spices up this tale of a young chef caught up in a FBI sting operation targeted at organized crime in NYC with numerous scenes of mouth watering food preparation scenes. The mob characters sometimes behave too much like cartoon versions of the real thing, but the young protoganist, an aspiring chef who happens to be the nephew of mobster Sally Wig (an overweight loan shark, knee breaker, and sloppy eater) is written as a real character looking to escape from his "Family" roots. The frequenly humorous plot is mixed with occasional violence, several interesting supporting characters, and more than a few things you probably don't want to know about restaurants.Book Review: Criminal Recipe
Summary: 4 Stars
Like the last reviewer I too was holding my breath as I began reading this book, wondering if Bourdain's style could translate into a novel. It succeeded -- not in the first few pages but certainly after the first chapter. I'm a fervent fan of Bourdain's food show and enjoy his smack irrevelance on t.v. and his book,"Kitchen Confidential." Frankly, I love his style, like getting hit on my cheek with the flat of a butcher blade.
Yes, "Bone" is a little violent, especially at the end when his chief friend took to sliding down the length of a meat slicer. I had the distinct experience to have one slice a bit off my middle finger as a young tykster. It bled like hell, and I cried like hell!
O.K., Tony. Keep 'em books coming. Good stuff. I'da buy 'nother your good book.
A Fan
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.
Book Review: It was good to read on a long plane ride, but beyond that...
Summary: 3 Stars
It's clear that what Bourdain writes about best are: 1) descriptions of cooking (note the descriptions of making fish soup and the debate about beurre blanc); 2) methadone programs; and 3) the use of the "f" word as every part of speech.The plot in this book is weak which is tolerable if the rest of the features of the book make up for it. But they don't. The disappointment is that the book ends as if Bourdain just decided to stop writing as opposed to any coming together of events.
Parts of the book are very funny, but Bourdain's writing is terribly uneven. At times he'll provide terrific descriptions of something, and other times he gives a sparse view.
Read it at the beach or on a long trip. Borrow someone else's copy.