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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard
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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard Hardback -

by John Birdsall

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Reader reviews for The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard

From the publisher

In the first portrait of James Beard in twenty-five years, John Birdsall accomplishes what no prior telling of Beard's life and work has done: He looks beyond the public image of the "Dean of American Cookery" to give voice to the gourmet's complex, queer life and, in the process, illuminates the history of American food in the twentieth century. At a time when stuffy French restaurants and soulless Continental cuisine prevailed, Beard invented something strange and new: the notion of an American cuisine.

Informed by previously overlooked correspondence, years of archival research, and a close reading of everything Beard wrote, this majestic biography traces the emergence of personality in American food while reckoning with the outwardly gregarious Beard's own need for love and connection, arguing that Beard turned an unapologetic pursuit of pleasure into a new model for food authors and experts.

Born in Portland, Oregon, in 1903, Beard would journey from the pristine Pacific Coast to New York's Greenwich Village by way of gay undergrounds in London and Paris of the 1920s. The failed actor-turned-Manhattan canap hawker-turned-author and cooking teacher was the jovial bachelor uncle presiding over America's kitchens for nearly four decades. In the 1940s he hosted one of the first television cooking shows, and by flouting the rules of publishing would end up crafting some of the most expressive cookbooks of the twentieth century, with recipes and stories that laid the groundwork for how we cook and eat today.

In stirring, novelistic detail, The Man Who Ate Too Much brings to life a towering figure, a man who still represents the best in eating and yet has never been fully understood--until now. This is biography of the highest order, a book about the rise of America's food written by the celebrated writer who fills in Beard's life with the color and meaning earlier generations were afraid to examine.

Details

  • Title The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard
  • Author John Birdsall
  • Binding Hardback
  • Pages 464
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher W. W. Norton & Company
  • Illustrated Yes
  • Features Bibliography, Illustrated, Index
  • ISBN 9780393635713 / 0393635716
  • Weight 1.85 lbs (0.84 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.3 in (23.37 x 16.51 x 3.30 cm)
  • Themes
    • Topical: Lgbt
  • Category Biography / Autobiography
  • Library of Congress subjects Gay men - United States, Beard, James
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2020015582
  • Dewey Decimal Code B

Media reviews

Citations

  • Booklist, 10/01/2020, Page 20
  • Kirkus Reviews, 06/15/2020, Page 0
  • Library Journal, 08/01/2020, Page 92
  • Publishers Weekly, 05/25/2020, Page 0

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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard
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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard

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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard
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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard

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The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard
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The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard

by John Birdsall

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Norton & Company, Incorporated, W. W., 2020. Hardcover. Very Good. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard
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The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard

by John Birdsall

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard

The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard

by John Birdsall

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  • Hardback
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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780393635713 / 0393635716
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Norton & Company, Incorporated, W. W., 2020. Hardcover. Very Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in excellent condition. Pages are intact and are not marred by notes or highlighting, but may contain a neat previous owner name. The spine remains undamaged. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard

The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard

by John Birdsall

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  • Hardback
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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780393635713 / 0393635716
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Norton & Company, Incorporated, W. W., 2020. Hardcover. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard
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The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard

by Birdsall, John

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The Man Who Ate Too Much : The Life of James Beard

by Birdsall, John

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