I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Title: The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard
Author: John Birdsall
Release Date: 10.6.20
Publisher: W. W. Norton Company
Publisher's Summary:
After World War II, a newly affluent United States reached for its own gourmet culture, one at ease with the French international style of Escoffier, but also distinctly American. Enter James Beard, authority on cooking and eating, his larger-than-life presence and collection of whimsical bow ties synonymous with the nation’s food for decades, even after his death in 1985.
In the first biography of Beard in twenty-five years, acclaimed writer John Birdsall argues that Beard’s struggles as a closeted gay man directly influenced his creation of an American cuisine. Starting in the 1920s, Beard escaped loneliness and banishment by traveling abroad to places where people ate for pleasure, not utility, and found acceptance at home by crafting an American ethos of food likewise built on passion and delight. Informed by never-before-tapped correspondence and lush with details of a golden age of home cooking, The Man Who Ate Too Much is a commanding portrait of a towering figure who still represents the best in food.
In the first biography of Beard in twenty-five years, acclaimed writer John Birdsall argues that Beard’s struggles as a closeted gay man directly influenced his creation of an American cuisine. Starting in the 1920s, Beard escaped loneliness and banishment by traveling abroad to places where people ate for pleasure, not utility, and found acceptance at home by crafting an American ethos of food likewise built on passion and delight. Informed by never-before-tapped correspondence and lush with details of a golden age of home cooking, The Man Who Ate Too Much is a commanding portrait of a towering figure who still represents the best in food.
My Review:
As a foodie I have heard the name James Beard millions of times. I knew he was a gay man and legendary food writer, but beyond that I knew very little about him. Wanting to know more about his life, I dove into The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard. Well, I waded in. The first two chapters about his childhood in Portland, Oregon were so detailed that I thought "I'm not sure I can take 464 pages of this" but the book did pick up speed after that point. John Birdsall, 2014 James Beard Award winner for "America, Your Food is So Gay,” shares great stories about Beard's education, scandals, recipe "stealing" and collaborations. I learned exactly how Beard influenced American cuisine after World War II all the way up to today (he loved "home cooking" and fresh, farm-to-table type eating). Before there was Julia Child hosting "The French Chef" (1963), there was James Beard hosting the live television series "I Love to Eat" (1946–47). I had no idea! This book is a must for any "foodie" interested in not only the life of James Beard but the history of American food and food writing.
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