Frank Bruni was ALWAYS hungry. He was born that way. His mother cooked amazing meals and loved having people over to enjoy them. If food was eaten in full of one of something left, Franks mom felt as though she had not made enough.
Bottom line was Frank enjoyed eating. he had an epic appetite that later would serve him well as a restaurant critic for the New York Times. Totally in love with his job, Frank had to learn how to deal with his long time love hate relationship with food. What followed was yo yo dieting, and dealing with a painful lifelong addiction to food.
I had heard this audio was pretty good…. and as a self-confessed foody (oh yes… I do love food!) I though it would be an interesting listen. The draw to this audio for me was that I found it interesting that someone like Frank who battled his weight all of his life – would take on a job as a food critic for The New York Times.
Frank, who reads this audio himself, tells an honest portrayal of diet pill abuse, over eating and then working out like a mad man…. going from one extreme ( a hiking adventure that is pretty extreme causing him to lose extreme weight) to another ( refusing dessert at a restaurant but them stopping on the way home for not only a piece of his favorite dessert – but the whole dessert!).
At times I felt the audio was getting long with tale after tale of food event, job, weight battles…. and just about then – frank would come in with a little “comic relief” and share about how many times when critiquing food he would mix up his alias names he used for reservations… or his denial about his pants being tight (certainly it was the cut of the pant… obviously the company has changed that…. or the old shrinkage in the dryer story…)
In the end – the book was satisfying – neither leaving me hungry, or full. I enjoyed learning a little about Frank Bruni.
This review is part of the Weekend Cooking meme at Beth Fish Reads
Interested in this audio? Leave a comment here telling me what your favorite food to go out for is, and I will have a drawing next week and choose one of the comments using random.org as the winner and I will mail you this audio.
The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map has been updated to include Born Round
I purchased this audio from Amazon
Book Journey 
Sheila, my favorite food to go out for is Mexican or Tex-mex! Hubby got me into eating that type of food when we were dating years ago, and I still love it!
I love Mexican food – YUM!!!
I usually enjoy audiobooks read by the author — they can be so personal.
My favorite food to go out for is anything Asian because I don’t cook it myself. Specifically, right this minute, I’d like to go out for the House Special Chow Fun at Good Taste Noodle House in Portland’s Old Town. Delish!
You can reach me at gdumas at q dot com.
I love Aisan, Thia, and Chinese – now I am hungry! 😛
thanks for this giveaway…my favourite food to eat out is…veal. i usually don’t make it at home.
I have never had Veal – at restaurants I like to order salmon as my kids and hubby said I made it to much around the house and no one likes it anymore but me 😀
Ha Ha come over to my house for some salmon. It is one of my favourites-so much that my husband thought it was the only fish they sold in stores.
The idea that someone with a food problem would become a food critic is interesting. Sounds like this was worth the time, even if dragged in places. If it’s on the menu, I always order creme brulee.
I dont think I have ever had Creme Brulee…. I might have to check that out Candice! 🙂
I read this last year, so no need to enter me in the drawing. I felt sort of the same way you did — the book had its moments, but there were definitely parts of it that could have been shorter.
That about sums it up…. 😉
I’ve never seen “Born Round” before, but it looks really good and I’d love a chance to win it.
I love food and can’t pick just one, but I always go out for pizza, authentic Mexican or Chinese.
I love Chinese buffet…. I am sure it is so bad for me…. but I LOVE IT! 😛
I LOVE chinese food and that’s my go-to go-out food! I’d love to win this audio for my mom – we are trying to find good audio books for her since she can no longer read “real” books well with her eyesight.
That is a great idea Sharon! 😀 I did a post a few weeks ago with recommended audio…
I’m trying to remember what Ruth Reichl said about him in her memoir about being a NY Times restaurant critic. I can’t remember if he was before or after her!
I read that book too Jenners… I do not remember him being mentioned and I can not check it as I borrowed it from the library after reading your review! 😀
my favorite food to eat out is Mexican Tacos bean &rice tostadas YUM
OOH that sounds really good Rhonda (no idea why I am sooooo hungry!: 😀
I have been on a quest to find a really good Mexican restaurant because it seems like all the Mexican places in our area are just sort of meh. So my husband and I like to try different Mexican places to see if we can find “the one” that keeps us coming back. We haven’t found it yet.
We dont have one here either that I would say was the best ever….
No need to enter me Sheila but this book does sound really good. As one who loves food I can certainly relate to the struggles and overcoming them. I sure wouldn’t pick a job as a food critic though. Lol.
As for eating out which I don’t do often but when I do it’s for Italian.
As a food critic I would be deadly….LOL 😛
Italian is my go to. I love Olive Garden and a local restaurant called Gio. Grilled Chicken Salad is my go to everywhere though (including McDonald’s who I wish would let you order it without cheese to Wendy’s who does allow orders of no cheese!, to fancier places). There was a week went out 5 times and had 5 different grilled chicken salads.
I loved chicken salads….
I loved this book when I listened to it last year (so no need to enter me). I am glad to see you enjoyed it as well. I thought the tale’s of a food reviewers job was fascinating.
It really is interesting – how fun to walk into a restaurant and have everyone cater to you!
Glad the audio version turned out reasonably well. No need to enter me in the drawing since I read, and enjoyed, the book. Lately, we’ve been enjoying “small plates” — way too much trouble to fix at home and so much fun to eat out.
Thanks Joy!
I’m the opposite righ tnow. Anything that makes me think of winter is more than welcome to come into my home. I’m so tired of summer.
Oh Ryan – LOL 🙂 I know you have some extreme heat this year. Hope you get some relief soon…. it already feels like fall around here – too cool for me.
This does sound like a good one. I’m to look for the audio. I like it when the authors read their own books.
I do too Margot – especially when it is a memoir or biography. 🙂
I love Frank Bruni! I used to read his political stuff, but his restaurant reviews were excellent, so I’m sure this book is interesting. I also liked when he was a judge on Top Chef! 😉 My favorite food to go out for? Um, anything and everything! I love going out to Chicago’s Greektown, though – I think I’ve tried every restaurant there at least twice. Awesome giveaway, Sheila!
I did not know he was a judge on top chef!!! Very cool!
Sharon Chance: Most states have recorded books programs for the blind. You are eligible if your sight is bad enough that you can’t read. You get a lengthy list of available books, the device to hear them on, and mailing back and forth is free. Ask your state rep. or any agency on aging for information. My aunt was an avid reader whose sanity was saved by all the books she was able to listen to.