Scan barcode
zpw1820's review
5.0
This book was absolutely delicious to read; it made me so hungry to read all of the descriptions of food! Also absolutely hilarious; I had not realized the lengths that some food critics go to in order to not be recognized.
aquabooklover's review against another edition
4.0
Spoiler free!
Recommended? Yes!!
I love this book because I felt like I was transported to another world even though that was not the case. Ruth's life as a food critic is so different from my own that I got to experience New York City from a completely new perspective. There was a happy tone during most of the book that was a nice change of pace from some of my other reads. Overall, I found this book to be absolutely fascinating, but I must warn you, reading it will make you hungry!!
Favorite quote: "Time slows down in the kitchen, offering up an entire universe of small satisfactions."
Recommended? Yes!!
I love this book because I felt like I was transported to another world even though that was not the case. Ruth's life as a food critic is so different from my own that I got to experience New York City from a completely new perspective. There was a happy tone during most of the book that was a nice change of pace from some of my other reads. Overall, I found this book to be absolutely fascinating, but I must warn you, reading it will make you hungry!!
Favorite quote: "Time slows down in the kitchen, offering up an entire universe of small satisfactions."
dragonflymorning's review
4.0
This is a book that I never expected to like so well. A blog post describing how a food critic used disguises to sneak into restaurants undetected had unwittingly uncovered the power of personal fashion as well sent me to the library for a copy. The writing was delicious from the descriptions of the food to the way each persona made her act and others treat her differently. I definitely recommend it to anyone!
bonniehikes's review
5.0
This was a great autobiography of Ruth's time as a food critic for the New York Times. The audiobook drew me in and I couldn't wait to hear of her next experience.
heidilreads's review
4.0
Really enjoyable path thru life - the good, the bad and the other. Nice to see that someone so famous is just another person trying to do her job well.
seedssown's review against another edition
3.5
I love the concept of this book and I started off absolutely loving it! Her first disguise was perfect. But by the time we moved to the second and third, the author began using her disguises as excuses to do some pretty morally questionable acts (making a waiter's life living hell for a meal, going on a dinner date with a random guy while she's married). I love the concept of her dressing up so that she knows what the average person's experience is at a restaurant (otherwise, she would get lavish, special treatment when recognized as a critic) -- but her second and third disguises and the way she acted while wearing them completely tainted that concept. The average patron is neither a complete nightmare that sends every dish back, nor a complete bombshell that gets extra service because of her blonde hair. It very much made the whole excerise feel pointless, and more like a fun activity for the author than a way to improve the accuracy of her restaurant ratings. It also was a bit off-putting how the author excused her actions by saying the characters she played "took over". After the third disguise, she had two that seemed reasonable again (though one was apparently inspired by a "sad, lonely woman" she literally followed home and stole the name of), but by the sixth she's back to acting like a irritable, complete jerk to everyone and everything, and using the fact that she based it off a real person as an excuse (she did things like pushing someone out of the way for a taxi, insulting other restaurant patrons). To be fair, this change in personality is addressed near the end of the book, but in a fairly unsatisfactory way.
It all just felt surprisingly egotistical. That said, in general, I was intrigued about what was going to happen next. It just felt more like a fictional drama with an unlikable protagonist than a fun nonfiction book.
It all just felt surprisingly egotistical. That said, in general, I was intrigued about what was going to happen next. It just felt more like a fictional drama with an unlikable protagonist than a fun nonfiction book.
ladymblack's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Reichl always delivers delicious books, and this one is no exception! I’ve known for the last 25% of the book that I have to read “Save Me the Plums” again, which was the book that led me to her wonderful works in the first place. I know I picked a lot of tags here, but like most of her writing, there’s a lot going on.