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Katherine's avatar

So well summarized. I also was, and am, a Bourdain fan and this book included a couple details I didn’t know. I think it’s so important to learn from others’ stories. Although he ended his life too soon, his legacy, story, and struggles will likely help many others as they learn about him—and I think he would be happy about that.

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Steve Robinson's avatar

Having wrestled with suicidal ideations for decades this was particularly poignant and, I think, an important biography. I was not a rabid follower but I loved his work and admired his creativity, depth, and breadth he brought to something as ordinary as "local food". I get the tension between creativity and the prison of success: Creativity is always looking past what you have done and are doing to something else you want to do. There is only so much freedom within your current art and when everything you are as a person and all of your relationships and your livelihood and a world of expectations are defined by your fame for your current "stuff" and you don't have something beyond yourself as an antidote, it is an existential cancer. Richard Cory is cliché perhaps, but "all" is inadequate to fill the soul even if we expended our life's energy to get it. Great review. I think you captured the essence of his trajectory. I too think I need to push this to the top of my nightstand wish list.

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