Not an avid reader, although Im trying my best!
Couple of years ago found kitchen confidential and absolutely love it. Not so much for the theme but just the way Bourdain writes.
Ive since read KC 3 times as well as medium raw.
Anyone have any suggestions? I’d love to find more books I love!
PS. I struggle with hunter S Thompson…
by Alanshearer420
5 Comments
Check out David Sedaris. Different attitude and subject matter but he definitely has a voice, which is what I remember enjoying about Kitchen Confidential.
I don’t have specific book reccs (that’s a lie, I’ll think of some before I’m done typing out my long bullshit) but if you want to read more, be easier than n yourself, not harder. Go to the library and pick up half a dozen or so books that interest you and sit down to read a sample of each, and don’t worry if you don’t find anything this time. Just try again soon!
Unfortunately the first thing that popped into mind when you said similar to how Bourdain writes was Thompson. Idk why but it sounds like I’m not the first. Maybe it’s been too long since Ive read AB.
Specifically I think it’s a certain quality of open frankness in the writing that I associate as similar between the two.
If it was me, I’d trawl down the auto/biography shelf at the library until I found something similar. Don’t even look at who they’re about or by; just read some paragraphs in the middle and see about the style.
Other writers who give me that same feeling of abject honesty include Burroughs, Palahniuk, Elizabeth McCracken, Barbara Kingsolver, Anton Treuer. Good luck finding the perfect thing, I hope you get many many suggestions!
Blood, Bones, and Butter, by Gabrielle Hamilton
For some reason Bourdain’s frankness reminds me of John Scalzi’s writing. I really liked Starter Villain and Old Man’s War (first one)
Heads in Beds by Jake Tomsky is basically hotel confidential–Tomsky is no Anthony Bourdain, but it’s a fun read about what the staff get up to at an unnamed 5-star hotel in New Orleans.