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“With food as the common thread, award-winning British journalist and broadcaster Slater weaves a raw portrait of his childhood through a collection of short stories that touch every mood and emotion, from humour to anger to love to loneliness. He admits that it might be the most intimate memoir that any food person has ever written.”
Dennis Marriott wrote this review Wednesday, February 13, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“wonderful way of weaving food into a memoir”
Elaine T wrote this review Monday, August 20, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A lovely little book that works on many levels. Basically, Nigel Slater tells of his childhood by reminiscing about various foods that are associated with incidents in his life. As with all his writing, the food is lovingly described. What is surprising is the descriptions of his childhood. Equally well written, but surprising in it's frankness and in some of the incidents encountered.....
cassandra2020 wrote this review Friday, April 20, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
We hear of his relationship with his parents, the loss of his mother, the arrival of and relationship with his step-mother, his sexual awakening and encounters, but most of all he describes the era and it's food (also dated by the times) and his relationship with food and it's preparation. Oh & I can wholeheartedly understand and concur with his hatred of eggs ;-)”“A good memoir for a mature reader.”
Nydia V wrote this review Tuesday, April 10, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a wonderful biographical account of Nigel Slater's childhood. Mollycoddled by his mother and never able to please his father for whom the boy never seemed good enough or comparable with his older brothers. His love for his mother whose cooking abilities left a lot to be desired that a housekeeper was employed to provide some sustenance as well as other housekeeping tasks. Nigel's only friend at home is the young gardener who is unfairly sacked due to an inadvertent comment on Nigel's part. Once Nigel's mother has passed away his childhood takes on a change that is for the worse. His father falls for a woman interested only in his money and bettering herself. Neither have time for the boy who feels he is constantly in the way. The new wife, an exceptional cook and housekeeper competes with Nigel when he starts to bring home his delicacies from cookery class and she suddenly provides three course meals on a daily basis which do nothing for the health of her husband. In spite of the upheaval in his childhood, Nigel goes on to follow his lifelong passion and on leaving school he enters catering college and works in hotels to keep himself. A painful account of a journey through childhood.”
booketta wrote this review Sunday, February 26, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Very easy to read. I love memoirs that are written in short bits so you can put it down and pick it up again easily. The author put a lot of himself into this. It must have been difficult to write but cathartic as well. I wish he'd write about what happened at the Savoy and beyond!”
Laura M wrote this review Saturday, November 12, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I have no interest in food at all - why did I read this? I don't know, but I really rather enjoyed it. The man seems just as obsessed with penises as he is with food.”
Michael wrote this review Sunday, August 28, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Rreaders Group Book.
Caro - PavilionofWomen wrote this review Tuesday, August 16, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
For all of us (of various ages) the book brought back some memories of food and family! Some of us felt that although we had enjoyed that there was also a sad thread running thoughout the book - origin of this lay with the death of his mother? The toast was the comfort of his mother?
Tradition of 'baking day' has died out? School milk and the milky breath afterwards, the crate being left by the heater all morning - yuck!
Many of us remembered adventures with Hostess Trolleys and the electric mixers (Kenwood Chef?).
Food: all was bought locally, often shopped more than once a week,locally sourced - what we are trying to get back to now with food miles and knowing the origin of our food?
Structure of the book and use of food titles - we weren't sure if this device worked, reminded some of the group of Joanna Lumley's autobiography and her use of rooms in her house. Might seem a good idea at the time... This was minor quibble for a book we all enjoyed and found very moving and humourous.”
“If I could give half stars I'd only give this two and a half...I found the story rather bland.
Lorna wrote this review Friday, July 29, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Easy to read though, and some the descriptions of food made me nostalgic. And hungry. So they tip it into "like" rather than "dislike" territory.”
“Lovely read. Sad, happy, funny, whimsical and uplifting in turns. Written anecdotily with the headings being various dishes, such as 'toast', spaghetti bolognaise, apple crumble etc. Very refreshing style. I really enjoyed it very much.”
ROSEBUD wrote this review Tuesday, May 24, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
