Status
Available
Collection
Publication
New York : Modern Library, 1995.
Description
"New Yorker" writer A.J. Liebling recalls his Parisian apprenticeship in the fine art of eating in this charming memoir.
Media reviews
It is a memoir, focused mostly on his year as a 22-year-old man in Paris to study at the Sorbonne, but who spent quite a bit of time indulging in French cuisine. (That year Liebling spent studying in France was 1926, about 80 years before David Lebovitz moved to the City of Lights.) Later, Liebling
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went back to France as a World War II correspondent (and won an award from the French government for his reporting), wrote essays on boxing (later compiled in The Sweet Science, named by Sports Illustrated as the best sport book of all time), and wrote “The Wayward Press” for The New Yorker—columns which he wrote as a press critic. All that, and some say Liebling’s best writing is his food writing. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member John_Vaughan
This is one of those books that, as you very reluctantly finish and shelve it you think to yourself ”Damn! Where has THIS author been all my life?” Needless to say perhaps (but then we always go on to say it!) my next order is already in and awaited. Brilliant, witty, readable prose from a
Having blackmailed his father into funding a year in Europe – and having spent his first year’s allowance before he even left! – Liebling actually spent his second adequate monthly released funding studying ”feeding”.
Despite a reputation based on his New Yorker columns on life, boxing and mankind’s foibles it is his writing on food and ‘feeding’ for which he is mostly acclaimed. His editor decried his claims to be a gourmet, and (as was explained by my own ‘feeding’ French mentor many years after his adventures) he was assured that he was actually a gourmand. Our matching shapes at the same stages of maturity confirm this more apt definition!
Wonderfully witty but actually very astute writing on restaurants, food and wine demonstrate this author’s ability to ensnare the reader in his works. Almost weeping for my ‘long lost’ Paris at the end – sated and stuffed – I put aside this greedy ‘foodies’ pornography with reluctant glee.
Great reading!
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professional who earnt his keep as a columnist on the great magazine – as it once was – The New Yorker. Born to a well-off family he was allowed in the summer 1926, to sail to Europe to study French medieval literature at the Sorbonne in Paris. Supposedly. Having blackmailed his father into funding a year in Europe – and having spent his first year’s allowance before he even left! – Liebling actually spent his second adequate monthly released funding studying ”feeding”.
Despite a reputation based on his New Yorker columns on life, boxing and mankind’s foibles it is his writing on food and ‘feeding’ for which he is mostly acclaimed. His editor decried his claims to be a gourmet, and (as was explained by my own ‘feeding’ French mentor many years after his adventures) he was assured that he was actually a gourmand. Our matching shapes at the same stages of maturity confirm this more apt definition!
Wonderfully witty but actually very astute writing on restaurants, food and wine demonstrate this author’s ability to ensnare the reader in his works. Almost weeping for my ‘long lost’ Paris at the end – sated and stuffed – I put aside this greedy ‘foodies’ pornography with reluctant glee.
Great reading!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Faradaydon
Liebling's essay Passable, the last in this too-small volume, is one of the best five I have ever read: a gem!
LibraryThing member debnance
If you have never had the experience of reading the prose of one of those old, amazing newspapermen, Liebling is your fellow. And where does he take you? Why, Paris, of course. You just can’t turn down this ride.
LibraryThing member debnance
If you have never had the experience of reading the prose of one of those old, amazing newspapermen, Liebling is your fellow. And where does he take you? Why, Paris, of course. You just can’t turn down this ride.
LibraryThing member EricCostello
Well-written and evocative, though the Liebling tendency towards snark can be a bit off-putting.