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Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton
heidilreads's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed hearing the side of her cooking life... that's why I picked up the book. I didn't need the family part, which felt very negative and woe is me - especially the life/family she created (her marriage).
alreadyemily's review against another edition
2.0
Not at all what I expected when I added this to my wishlist years ago after an episode of Splendid Table. My mindset varied between boredom, repugnance and genuine interest. I feel the book was maybe more revealing than it should have been, or that she failed to express herself fully. To me, she came off as a victim a lot. Lastly, I was surprised at how much of the book was not about blood, bones, butter, or cooking.
liakeller's review against another edition
3.0
I love a good chef story. Italy, the workings of a kitchen and a terrible upbringing.
wilhelheim's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
wyvernfriend's review against another edition
3.0
Gabrielle Hamilton tell the story of her drift into being a chef. I don't think that she ever planned to end up as a chef, but she did. This tells part of her story, there are pieces left unsaid and nothing is examined in any great detail in the text, the bare bones are illustrated and it left me with questions.
Bisexual, she cheated on a long-term lesbian partner to marry a man so he could get a green card and then fell in love with his family and their food traditions in Italy, and had two kids with him. Still you can see the disintegration of her marriage was going to happen (confirmed here: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/05/gabrielle-hamilton-family-meal?curren... and I'm glad she was still accepted by his family). She saw her parent's marriage break up when she was young, she dropped out and made choices that weren't always the best (it seems that along with parting, her parents forgot to make plans for the children or watch them in a meaningful way after the divorce)
I wanted more, I wanted to know what her mum did to earn the hatred, what happened to all her siblings, what happened to her dad, more, dammit.
It was an interesting read but it just felt like there was more there not discussed or examined.
Bisexual, she cheated on a long-term lesbian partner to marry a man so he could get a green card and then fell in love with his family and their food traditions in Italy, and had two kids with him. Still you can see the disintegration of her marriage was going to happen (confirmed here: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/05/gabrielle-hamilton-family-meal?curren... and I'm glad she was still accepted by his family). She saw her parent's marriage break up when she was young, she dropped out and made choices that weren't always the best (it seems that along with parting, her parents forgot to make plans for the children or watch them in a meaningful way after the divorce)
I wanted more, I wanted to know what her mum did to earn the hatred, what happened to all her siblings, what happened to her dad, more, dammit.
It was an interesting read but it just felt like there was more there not discussed or examined.
geenyas's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not a huge reader of memoirs, so I may not be the best judge, but I have to agree with Anthony Boudain who commented this is the "best memoir by a chef, EVER". I don't know Gabriell Hamilton, had never heard of her before I read this book, but her writing in the first chapter was so sensual, so visceral that when she writes about a party thrown by her parents you feel as if you were actually there -- or you feel as if you WISH you were there. The best memoir I've read since Rick Bragg's "All Over But the Shoutin'"... what the two works share is a complete, no-holds barred, honesty about the authors' lives and feelings.
erinthelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this book which was read by the author - which gave it a special quality. In particular it was fun to hear Gabrielle do an impression of her husband's Italian husband. This was a compelling and fascinating read. Hamilton had a pretty edgy life after the age of 13 or so when her parents divorced and pretty much abandoned her and her younger brother (the older ones made it out ok). Listening to her talk about food and the role it plays in her life is the best part. Her family, her experiences and her visits to Italy with her husband really make for a great read. She also spend some time in Ann Arbor while getting her MFA so it was fun to hear her impressions of the experience from an outsider. Fans of food, and memoirs will love this book.
wicked_sassy's review against another edition
3.0
A bit too gory for me at times, and a bit hard to follow due to liberties with her personal timelines but otherwise well-written and evocative. Loved the bits about Ann Arbor being full of beautiful buildings and overly-educated folks!