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myhreemma's review against another edition
3.0
This felt impersonal at best and conflated-and-out-of-touch at worst. I'm paraphrasing, but there's this moment when he's talking about how he couldn't make rent for one (1) month in his younger years in New York. But he was too prideful to ask his parents to help him cover rent, and notes that they totally could, and instead shuffled down to this acting guild for rent support. It's moments like this where he tries to seem down to earth by explaining moments of being... poor? And that's not why we picked up this book, right? He obviously had and has privilege. It's a celebrity memoir. And I thought this was about food.
amy_werner's review against another edition
4.0
I'd give this 4.5 stars. I just love Stanley Tucci and his style of writing. If you've watched his show, Finding Italy, you will hear his voice in your head as you read each word. Very funny and engaging.
disc2's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
4.5
haddy's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.75
I really enjoyed this for the most parts, I listened to the audiobook so it was nice to hear Stanley Tucci read it.
I think it was definitely very self indulgent, the audiobook is not the best way to listen to all the recipes and sometimes he went on a bit about things that weren’t really important (do we need to know his daily routine during lockdown??) and other times there were little to no details about other parts of his life that would have been so interesting!
I think it was definitely very self indulgent, the audiobook is not the best way to listen to all the recipes and sometimes he went on a bit about things that weren’t really important (do we need to know his daily routine during lockdown??) and other times there were little to no details about other parts of his life that would have been so interesting!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
chelsnunnenkamp's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
cheerbrarian's review against another edition
4.0
CBR Bingo - Edibles
Very important disclaimer: this book will make you absolutely ravenous for pasta. One part memoir, one part cookbook, Tucci takes us back and forth through his life via his tastebuds growing up in an idyllic childhood as the child of Italian-Americans in Northern New York.
I've always been charmed by Tucci, my favorite performance of his is as one-half of my chosen fictional parenting duo of all time, along with Patricia Clarkson in "Easy A." He has such an affable presence and likability in both his performance and social media that translates well to the written form. Overall, I liked his book. Though a meandering memoir, and I would have preferred a more linear journey, his wit and debonair attitude are welcoming and keep you reading (and drooling over his descriptions of childhood dishes, on-set catering, and home-cooked meals).
But everything isn't always pleasant. He also provides a snapshot of his family life during the covid lockdowns, which provides a presence and realism to this book, written during that time period. He also gives us a shocking and gritty look at his diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer, which decimated his body and left him wondering if he'd ever be able to taste again Spoiler. He can! Thank goodness. This experience gives him gratitude and clarity regarding the role that food plays in his life.
As a Southerner living in the Midwest, I strongly relate to Tucci's attitude toward food as culture and preservation. I consider myself a Louisiana ambassador to the Midwest and any time I can introduce someone to gumbo, etouffee, boudin, or the like I am reminded of home, and have given them a glimpse into where I came from, a place where the fried seafood restaurants were as plentiful as the catholic churches (but maybe that's more for my own memoir).
Finally, and tangentially, I've been working through some of my own food hang-ups and this book illustrated for me that apparently there are people who can eat pasta all the time and not worry about how "balanced" the meal is (whatever that really means) and live life and taste with joie de vivre. In that way, he's reminiscent of Julia Child herself (and another of his film roles), as her love for gustatory delights didn't seem to be tempered by concern about what she looked like or societal expectations. Moving forward I'm challenging myself to embrace food with a Tucci-esque exuberance and worry less about the carbohydrates, and more about how my heart feels after a tasty meal.
In conclusion, Tucci's book is in a word, scrumptious, and in other words, an enlightening look into a self-assured charming man that might make you look into yourself just a little bit and find more zest for life (and zest for zesting).
Very important disclaimer: this book will make you absolutely ravenous for pasta. One part memoir, one part cookbook, Tucci takes us back and forth through his life via his tastebuds growing up in an idyllic childhood as the child of Italian-Americans in Northern New York.
I've always been charmed by Tucci, my favorite performance of his is as one-half of my chosen fictional parenting duo of all time, along with Patricia Clarkson in "Easy A." He has such an affable presence and likability in both his performance and social media that translates well to the written form. Overall, I liked his book. Though a meandering memoir, and I would have preferred a more linear journey, his wit and debonair attitude are welcoming and keep you reading (and drooling over his descriptions of childhood dishes, on-set catering, and home-cooked meals).
But everything isn't always pleasant. He also provides a snapshot of his family life during the covid lockdowns, which provides a presence and realism to this book, written during that time period. He also gives us a shocking and gritty look at his diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer, which decimated his body and left him wondering if he'd ever be able to taste again Spoiler. He can! Thank goodness. This experience gives him gratitude and clarity regarding the role that food plays in his life.
As a Southerner living in the Midwest, I strongly relate to Tucci's attitude toward food as culture and preservation. I consider myself a Louisiana ambassador to the Midwest and any time I can introduce someone to gumbo, etouffee, boudin, or the like I am reminded of home, and have given them a glimpse into where I came from, a place where the fried seafood restaurants were as plentiful as the catholic churches (but maybe that's more for my own memoir).
Finally, and tangentially, I've been working through some of my own food hang-ups and this book illustrated for me that apparently there are people who can eat pasta all the time and not worry about how "balanced" the meal is (whatever that really means) and live life and taste with joie de vivre. In that way, he's reminiscent of Julia Child herself (and another of his film roles), as her love for gustatory delights didn't seem to be tempered by concern about what she looked like or societal expectations. Moving forward I'm challenging myself to embrace food with a Tucci-esque exuberance and worry less about the carbohydrates, and more about how my heart feels after a tasty meal.
In conclusion, Tucci's book is in a word, scrumptious, and in other words, an enlightening look into a self-assured charming man that might make you look into yourself just a little bit and find more zest for life (and zest for zesting).
hayleyh2021's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
cmoo053's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0