Endless Feasts : Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet

Rating:
Summary: A marvelous feast of writing
Review: "Endless Feasts: Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet" is a fine sampler of essays that appeared in Gourmet Magazine. This magazine, which deals with cuisine and travel, offers some of the best prose outside of literary magazines like the New Yorker or Atlantic Monthly.

I already am a fan of M.F.K. Fisher (who isn't?), Paul Theroux and Laurie Colwin. But there are many other authors here whose work I wasn't as familiar with. I was very very glad to read Mary Cantwell and William Hamilton in particular.

If you love travel and food, this book is sure to appeal to you. But these authors are SO good that really, this book is about how we react to the most basic of activities, eating and drinking and how they are inextricably mixed with our emotions and memories.

The list of authors reads like a literary prize list, not only those authors I previously mentioned, but Anita Loos and E. Annie Proulx as well. The essays may deal with eating and drinking in some way, but each of the authors has a very unique way of dealing with the subject. In particular, I loved the story by William Hamilton. His childhood memory where he was promised a mysteriously alluring treat "jellied consomme" is one that recreates childhood emotions with uncanny accuracy and a lot of wry humor.

I happen to be a fan of the publisher, Modern Library. I love their compact format, and the typeface clear and readable. If you love good writing, this book is a real treat.

Rating:
Summary: Endless Feasts: Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet
Review: "Endless Feasts: Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet" is a fine sampler of essays that appeared in Gourmet Magazine. This magazine, which deals with cuisine and travel, offers some of the best prose outside of literary magazines like the New Yorker or Atlantic Monthly.

I already am a fan of M.F.K. Fisher (who isn't?), Paul Theroux and Laurie Colwin. But there are many other authors here whose work I wasn't as familiar with. I was very very glad to read Mary Cantwell and William Hamilton in particular.

If you love travel and food, this book is sure to appeal to you. But these authors are SO good that really, this book is about how we react to the most basic of activities, eating and drinking and how they are inextricably mixed with our emotions and memories.

The list of authors reads like a literary prize list, not only those authors I previously mentioned, but Anita Loos and E. Annie Proulx as well. The essays may deal with eating and drinking in some way, but each of the authors has a very unique way of dealing with the subject. In particular, I loved the story by William Hamilton. His childhood memory where he was promised a mysteriously alluring treat "jellied consomme" is one that recreates childhood emotions with uncanny accuracy and a lot of wry humor.

I happen to be a fan of the publisher, Modern Library. I love their compact format, and the typeface clear and readable. If you love good writing, this book is a real treat.

Rating:
Summary: Endless Feasts: Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet
Review: Drawing from the archives of Gourmet magazine, editor in chief Reichl (Comfort Me with Apples) has chosen a tempting collection of articles and essays that celebrate the pleasures of food and delights of travel. Contributors include some of the leading culinary writers of the 20th century such as M. F. K. Fisher and Elizabeth David, and the range of subjects explored is quite diverse, from a memorable look at Shanghai in the 1920s to the delights of regional cooking in various sections of America. A few profiles of selected culinary notables are mixed into the collections as are the occasional musings on a particular food. Any recipes included appear as they were originally written. From the graceful simplicity of Laurie Colwin's prose to Ruth Harkness's evocative descriptions of living and eating in a Tibetan lamasery, there is a remarkable bounty of riches awaiting readers in this soon-to-be classic collection of culinary writings. Highly recommended for all libraries, this is a book worth savoring .-

Rating:
Summary: Delicious tidbits from well-known food writers
Review: This collection of essays from food writers of Gourmet magazine brings the reader to different places and times, from the summer of 1939 when M.F.K. Fisher stumbled upon a cozy Swiss inn, to 1970 when Richard Cassin writes about a dinner intivation in Taos, New Mexico.

My favorite essays were "The Garlic War" by E. Annie Proulx (author of The Shipping News), where the author recounts her Uncle Herbert's eventual acceptance of garlic, and "An Indian Reminiscence" where Madhur Jaffrey fondly writes about her experiences with food as a child growing up in North India.

To keep the historical accuracy of the essays, recipes that are included in the book have been kept as they were first printed. This provides us with a peek into what people ate and how they liked their food through the years. This book will definitely be a great addition to a food-lovers' library.