Sign in with Facebook
Their Last Suppers: Legends of History and Their Final Meals
Did you know that Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian and his longtime private chef was Jewish? What dish played an integral role in Marilyn Monroe's unsuccessful bid to woo back Bobby Kennedy? Part historical narrative and part grilling guide and cookbook, Andrew Caldwell's Their Last Suppers: Legends of History and Their Final Meals guides history buffs and gourmands alike thr...more
Kindle Edition
Published
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
379)
This book described some of the last suppers of famous people. Some of the legends were Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther King Jr., Hitler, Napoleon, Elvis and many others. With each person they briefly described their accomplishedments. They also included some interesting facts about each person. Then Andrew Caldwell intricately describes their final meal. Unlike most books it didn't have a storyline but each chapter was like an individual story. At the end of each chapter the author wrote out the...more
Aug 11, 2011
Erin
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historic-nonfiction,
biography
Follow all my reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I picked up Their Last Suppers on a whim, something I didn’t mind since I didn’t have to pay for the privilege. It looked interesting even if it did lean toward the macabre. The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum, a title I greatly enjoyed, had given me a similar first impression. Firmly putting aside any misgivings, I dove in.
Caldwell bills himself as 'the history chef' a title I'm not sure he deserves. I'm going to venture ont...more
I picked up Their Last Suppers on a whim, something I didn’t mind since I didn’t have to pay for the privilege. It looked interesting even if it did lean toward the macabre. The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum, a title I greatly enjoyed, had given me a similar first impression. Firmly putting aside any misgivings, I dove in.
Caldwell bills himself as 'the history chef' a title I'm not sure he deserves. I'm going to venture ont...more
1 like · like · see review
view all 4 comments
This book takes a look at the last meals of historical figures, who at the time, did not know that those were going to be their last meals. The author unearths recipes going back as far as 325 B.C. The people featured in the book include Martin Luther King, Napoleon, Princess Diana, the captain of the Hindenburg Ernst Lehmann, Elvis Presley, and Cleopatra.
It also mentions the Titanic 11 course dinner, the last meal before the ship went down. I'm sure a lot of those passengers probably ate like i...more
It also mentions the Titanic 11 course dinner, the last meal before the ship went down. I'm sure a lot of those passengers probably ate like i...more
i'm not really sure what to think of this book so far. on the one hand, recipes are pretty cool. dude, i can make a dinner that alexander the great would've enjoyed. that's awesome. at the same time, i find myself being way bummed when reminded of some of the deaths, like princess di or jfk (even though that was before i was born, but anyway...). i get to thinking, what if they had lived longer? what difference might that have made? and then i get into this big existential funk and completely lo...more
Now this is an odd little book--part history book and part cookbook. Andrew Caldwell looks at a number of historic figures and uncovers what their last meal was. Then, he gives recipes for those dishes. Oh, and there are some interesting tidbits of information about the individuals included in the collection. Such as Adolf Hitler became a vegetarian in 1931 (although he was often seen sneaking meat often in the form of liver dumplings--figures) and his long-time personal chef was Jewish--until t...more
This was a free download for Kindle. It's not the sort of thing I would have paid for, and I'm certainly glad I didn't. It's a cookbook, containing recipies for the (documented or speculative) "last meals" of a number of historical personages... from Cleopatra to John Candy. That's right, John Candy is a "legend of history". Some of the dishes and preparations are interesting to read about, but the ingredients and techniques are for very experienced amateur or professional chefs only... the hist...more
This book gave a brief history of the 'Legends of History' which were somewhat interesting. Hitler, the Captain of the Titanic, Julius Caesar, Princess Diana, etc. But somehow I never would have considered John Candy a legend of history. A great actor, comedian who was taken much too soon, yes, but on the same level as Julius Caesar? Umm, ok... Other than that it was really just a cook book. And somehow I really don't need to know how to make grilled goat.
I was surprised to find that it was a historical cookbook. It gives a historical sketch of several historical characters, their favorite foods, their last meals, and ....recipes for how to duplicate those last meals. I don't know what I was expecting, but the book was free for Kindle and I gave it a shot. I skimmed the history, and skipped the recipes, which made it about a 30 minute read. It wasn't bad, just....not my thing. Rated G
Marilyn Monroe, Cleopatra, Adolf Hitler, and Napoleon are just a few of the people who are included in this book.
I liked how the author set up the details for each person's last supper. It was interesting to see the recipes for the food that made up their last supper and even included recipes of their favorite dishes as well.
I thought this book could of had a better ending. Maybe an epilogue since the book seemed to end quite abruptly.
I liked how the author set up the details for each person's last supper. It was interesting to see the recipes for the food that made up their last supper and even included recipes of their favorite dishes as well.
I thought this book could of had a better ending. Maybe an epilogue since the book seemed to end quite abruptly.
Caldwell bills himself as the History Chef. This book outlines the last meals of some of history's greatest figures - from Alexander the Great to Princess Diana; Cleopatra to Adolph Hitler. Oh, and he threw in Elvis and John Candy.
When actual meals aren't known he writes of the usual dishes served at that time in history. It includes recipes and cooking instructions. A very brief bio appears for each person.
When actual meals aren't known he writes of the usual dishes served at that time in history. It includes recipes and cooking instructions. A very brief bio appears for each person.
GREAT concept in book topics. The author has chosen famous figures and investigated their last suppers. Each personality (from MLK- JKF- Caesar-Cleopatra, etc) is given a historic review and then a full description of when they died and what they are said to have eaten- followed by the receipes. While this may sound morbid..... it was not. I got a kick out of it. Poor poor Marilyn Monroe.......
This books sounds morbid, but there is history, and recipes. The most interesting ones were the older stories because of the types of food they ate and how it was prepared. But, Marilyn and Elvis were included as well as John Candy and Princess Diana. I would recommend this book for the history of the people and the food. Very different type of book.
Combination cook book/history book. Stories about a historical figure or event are paired with either their actual last meal, a favorite recipe, or something that might have been typically eaten. There were lots of interesting details that I did not know. I liked reading the recipes, even though I may never cook any of them.
While the premise of the book is great and the recipes interesting, I, like so many others, are curious as to where the author got his facts, as there seems to be a lot of inaccuracies and no proof behind the facts.
None the less, for the most part I did enjoy the book, I just with the author had backed up his stories with references as to where he got his facts.
None the less, for the most part I did enjoy the book, I just with the author had backed up his stories with references as to where he got his facts.
Don't read this for in-depth insight into the lives of the famous people depicted. Read it for some funny stories and a morbid curiosity about a doomed person's final meal. For me, it was worth it just to read about the final meal on the Titanic. I also love the idea of hosting a Death Becomes Them dinner party where I highlight a final meal. One of these days I will get around to it!
I love history, I love food but reading the recipes for Elvis's favorite recipes after knowing how overweight and sad he was, not so hungry any more! This is a really good book for insights and details about people not found in traditional history books with the added bonus of recipes!
Eh. Well written, but a little disappointing. I was very much looking forward to the black humor of cooking Hitlers last meal for friends, but Vegetable soup and pumpernickel is just a let down.
It turns out that most people didn't know they were about to die before their last meal, or if they were aware, wanted to spend their last waking hours with loved ones.
Give me an Ornolac stuffed in a pheasant, covered in aspic.
It turns out that most people didn't know they were about to die before their last meal, or if they were aware, wanted to spend their last waking hours with loved ones.
Give me an Ornolac stuffed in a pheasant, covered in aspic.
It was free, so it was worth trying, but while some of it was interesting, the recipes were weird. I know it's hard to adapt ancient or medieval recipes for modern taste, but still, weird. And the people chosen were totally random. Why not stick to all modern people?
Nov 01, 2011
Rosalie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2011,
kindle
What an interesting concept! I really enjoyed the history part of it and learned things that I either never knew or had forgotten. Caldwell did a good job with the recipes. There are some that I would try and some that I certainly would not use.
More of a cookbook than a history book, so I was a little surprised. But still an interesting read. I don't advise reading it on an empty stomach, as you'll end up foraging in your fridge for a snack!
I thought this would be a fun food and history book. It failed on all three parts.
The history isn't even Wikipedia level, and many of the last suppers are purely speculative. The recipes vary wildly in descriptive detail and difficulty - the reader that needs a recipe for garlic bread isn't going to be skinning eels or roasting pheasant, you know. They're also not historically accurate. (I doubt General Custer ate beef jerky flavored with soy sauce.) And finally, the idea of actually cooking and...more
The history isn't even Wikipedia level, and many of the last suppers are purely speculative. The recipes vary wildly in descriptive detail and difficulty - the reader that needs a recipe for garlic bread isn't going to be skinning eels or roasting pheasant, you know. They're also not historically accurate. (I doubt General Custer ate beef jerky flavored with soy sauce.) And finally, the idea of actually cooking and...more
This is one of my free Kindle books - and so far, it is interesting. I like the recipes included at the end of each little story. I think I will even use some of them, or recommend them to the Social Studies department. Maybe use as extra credit assignments???
Very interesting read, great recipes, too!
Very interesting read, great recipes, too!
This was a great book featuring the history and recipes of many famous people throughout time. And then John Candy. It was kind of unusual to see him compared to people like Julius Cesar, General Custard and Martin Luther King. I really enjoyed the brief synopsis of their life. I learned a little bit about them that I hadn't known. Being blessed with culinary skills I also enjoyed the vast variety of unique recipes offered as well. Covering basics, healthy, unhealthy and cultural. I recommend i...more
3 stars is kind. It's an interesting idea, but badly flawed. Part dimestote history, and part cookbook, it's weak on both accounts.
Shame on the author for the unfounded and outright fallacies he has made up in order to sell this book. Shame!
Must have been nice to eat the way these Legends at!! I need to try some of these recipes that are in this book!
sped right thru this. i found this interesting and might just use the recipes to recreate a cool party one day.
A quick read, I found this pretty interesting and entertaining. Part essay on each person, part recipe book.
I got the book as an interesting title. while not my favorite book, it was an interesting look at thebladr meals of some of history's great persons. It's also a fairly easy and quick read for a short escape.
Interesting mix of history and recipes. Not recipes easily used but fun to read.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
