Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography

This book does a remarkable job of telling the story of Anthony Bourdain. I really appreciated how the author utilized the perspective of others to tell the story. It keeps this book, very fresh and inspiring. It’s sad that Tony is no longer with us, but because of a book like this, his legacy lives on.

For prospective readers, this is *not* a biography in the traditional sense. It is a transcription of interviews from selected individuals that include direct family members, friends, and colleagues. These quotes are then stitched together chronologically to form a general timeline of Anthony Bourdain's life but do not have stretches of narratives to bridge the gaps between events like most biographies have. In short, it reads almost like a closed caption of a documentary.But for Bourdain fans like me, it's a thoughtful documentary nonetheless and drove home the points that:1. This was a person who struggled, just like everyone else, and worked very hard to get the job he was so admired and envied for in his later years. Getting from Les Halles Restaurant to CNN was a decades long process that required him to hustle, negotiate, cajole, plead, and pitch his case.2. A confluence of luck, diligence, and timing were major factors into his success. On the other side of the coin, substance abuse, an anxious disposition, and a streak of self-destruction served as counterweights that often shadowed his personal life, to great cost.3. Having "the best job in the world" entailed a highly complex production process that were largely carried by the crew and often involved many stressors. If anything, this book made me understand that Bourdain did not "have it all." The wealth, fame, access, and freedoms he obtained, albeit substantial, also served to exacerbate his personal challenges. He was not immune to the weaknesses of celebrity as quite a number of people reported on his growing arrogance and heightened demands, which ultimately alienated some of his friends.Lastly, as a reader, I'm grateful that the people who participated in these interviews were willing to share so many personal insights and great memories. At the same time, it is surprising what made it to print. It is also eye-opening that key people on Bourdain's team were so unfavorably aligned against Bourdain's relationship with Asia Argento and give the impression that it played a role in his unfortunate passing.

If you are not a part of the scrubby server/kitchen crowd or working in multiple Michelin restaurants?We need to start you off slow.I recommend reading Kitchen Confidential first. Amazing book and I have personally read it 2x.I had the fortune of meeting Tony a few times, he even joked my husband looked like him (he does).Tony: "That is creepy and weird"Me: "Thanks chef...UM.Well? lol"I found myself silenty crying by Chapter 12.Tony has forever changed the landscape and anyone who has come in contact with him. Our lives have never been the same since. His voice. His snide dismissiveness and then "let's go".Read this book. I am halfway done and cannot put it down. Just like Kitchen Confidential.

I think he was truly a sad person always questioning his life. Couldn’t believe his luck. I’m rereading all the books now. Isee a thread thru them. ( Medium raw was In . His words n I see his emptiness thru so much does drugs do that to your brain. )Even if you. Stopped. Addictive people are always vulnerable. He knew millions loved him but. It didn’t satisfy

I was eager to read this oral biography because I wanted to understand why he killed himself. The people closest to him don't give any easy answers, but there are clues. A critical, impossible to please mother; an extreme, impulsive personality; unresolved addiction issues. Bourdain's inability to cut back on the grueling travel, the gorging of food and alcohol for the shows, made him exhausted. His marriage ended. He was lonely. Then, famously, he became absolutely consumed by an affair with Asia Argento, who doesn't come off so great in this book. Still, you can't blame her for his actions - he was a grown man and God knows he could have reached out for help at any point, but something would not let him do that. Ego? A self-destructive desire for oblivion? Interesting read, but it's disturbing to me how even the most gifted and successful people can still be unable to escape the dangers of human frailty.

GREAT READ

Some of Bourdain’s family, his ex-wives, his friends, and his colleagues each give their take on the complex man who was charming, sensitive, and a true romantic. I don’t think his suicide is explained to anyone’s satisfaction; it is obvious his friends still find it almost impossible to believe. Perhaps it simply was an impulsive deed at a time of great fatigue, overwork, and emotional vulnerability. Worth the read.

An interesting collection of stories and opinions regarding Tony Bourdain. He was clearly a complex person who gained an enormous following for his unapologetic, honest perspective on various areas of the world and the food consumed in those places. He will be missed by many.

Usual structure to the book - quite confusing!

Get started on this and you can't switch it off. it barrels along at an absorbing rate and even more so if you enjoyed Tony's books and shows. Who was this dedicated man wandering around foreign parts, tasting the local wares and eating in their kitchens? What drove him, the precise Mr. Cool, to suddenly decide to end it all in such dramatic fashion? Are you curious? Are you a little sad for his loss? Is the world an emptier place without him? Get a copy today...it won't bring him back, but it's at least something to go on with.

I’ve watched/read all the other Bourdain docs, write ups, etc and this was the WORST! It’s a cut and paste of conversations, verbatim. There’s no effort put into creating some sort of cohesion. What a mess! Watch Roadrunner instead.

a great read about anthony bourdain of how he rose in culinary, writing, and tv from many people that he was around with. a sad ending when anthony had everything crash down on him from mental illness, perhaps from past addictions, failed relationships, and the pressure of fame had done him in. a man like anthony could have been more greater if he could have over come his demons.

If you are a Bourdain fan, this is definitely worth reading. You get great insights in his early years, off-screen life and personality. It is based on many interviews that are loosely organized in thematic chapters.