by: Laurie Woolever

“And I now feel compelled to add that I’d gladly trade this life of being a ‘real writer’ to resume the privileged burden of making his hotel reservations and scheduling his dishwasher maintenance, if it meant that Tony could still be here among us. Barring that, I’ll settle for having helped the people he loved tell the following version of his story,” Laurie Woolever.

I have always been a fan of Anthony Bourdain and was saddened by his tragic death. He was a window to parts of the world that so few of us have had the opportunity to experience. When I saw the press about Bourdain The Definitive Oral Biography, I knew I had to read it. I finished it in one day as I really enjoyed the book, plus I am a really quick reader.

Bourdain The Definitive Oral Biography is based on interviews of ninety-one people who knew Anthony Bourdain. It is organized by the different times in his life. Laurie Woolever did an excellent job of making the stories and anecdotes give a full picture of Anthony Bourdain’s life. His friends and family don’t sugar coat who he was, they tell the stories of love, heartbreak, pain and loss.

I didn’t expect this book to touch me as it did. Most of us remember watching Parts Unknown or reading one of Anthony’s books, and even may have thought he was practically one of our friends. He was a normal human being like all of us, with flaws and virtues. To me it makes Anthony Bourdain even more relatable.

Anyone who watched any of Anthony Bourdain’s shows should read Bourdain The Definitive Oral Biography. If for no other reason than to learn more about the man we invited into our homes to show us parts of the world we haven’t been able to explore on our own.