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42nd out of 248 books
—
117 voters
Typhoid Mary
From the best-selling author of Kitchen Confidential comes this true, thrilling tale of pursuit through the kitchens of New York City at the turn of the century.
By the late nineteenth century, it seemed that New York City had put an end to the outbreaks of typhoid fever that had so frequently decimated the city's population. That is until 1904, when the disease broke out...more
By the late nineteenth century, it seemed that New York City had put an end to the outbreaks of typhoid fever that had so frequently decimated the city's population. That is until 1904, when the disease broke out...more
Hardcover, 160 pages
Published
May 4th 2001
by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
(first published 2001)
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At first, I really enjoyed it. He had chapter titles like "Typhoid Sucks" He was tellilng history with wit, humor, and personality. And then he made, what to me at least, was a glaring error. He started talking about the 1900 Chicago World's Fair. There was no World's Fair in Chicago in 1900. There was one in 1893 and 1933. In 1900 (and I looked it up, because I was pissed), the only World's Fair was in Paris. France, not Texas. And though this is a fairly minor error, it is the kind that's fair...more
Bourdain's breezy essay on Mary Mallon is less factual than speculative, more of a pensee focused on cooks' employment and circumstances than a biography or social history. Some of his assertions are a stretch, and others are factually incorrect. It could have used a good edit for accurate content and consistent style. For maximum effect, read with Susan Sontag's Illness as Metaphor and Gina Kolata's Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused...more
I first read this book in college. I did not know who Anthony Bourdain was at the time, so I probably didn't fully appreciate his viewpoint as a fellow cook. I remember that I did appreciate the approach of book as a more modern take on non-ficton. As a stressed out college student, I probably also appreciated that the book was small and a quick read.
However, upon second reading, the 150ish pages don't seem to offer a ton of fact regarding Mary Mallon, the woman who became known as Typhoid Mary....more
However, upon second reading, the 150ish pages don't seem to offer a ton of fact regarding Mary Mallon, the woman who became known as Typhoid Mary....more
This is a quick, interesting read, but it's often distracting how often the author wants to inject himself in the story. I know, I know. It's Anthony Bourdain, so most people are probably looking for his personality, and are reading this because he is the author. However, the shtick gets tiresome, especially in the intro and epilogue. It took 4 pages before he's making fun of feminism's take on this story, and yet he presents a picture of a woman who he is clearly sympathetic towards. It's hard...more
Anthony Bourdain, considered by some to be the bad boy of novelle cuisine, is best known for his eye-opening exposé of the restaurant business, Kitchen Confidential.That book that caused many people to think long and hard before they stepped foot in a restaurant again. Bourdain has always had food safety on his mind, or so it appears. In this slim biography of Mary Mallon, he does a pretty thorough job of telling us as much as is known about this figure from the turn of the 19th century. It's no...more
My rather floundering attempt at doing NaNoWriMo this year has been writing a fictional, but true to the facts, retelling of "Typhoid" Mary Mallon's story, an idea that came from reading Judith Walzer Leavitt's absolutely superb, but somewhat dry Typhoid Mary: Captive to the Public's Health. A few years later chef Anthony Bourdain decided to write his own book about the beleagured Irish cook: Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical.
Bourdain's Urban Historical has a snappier entertaining narrative, he...more
Bourdain's Urban Historical has a snappier entertaining narrative, he...more
Who knew Anthony Bourdain wrote a history book? This was a highly enjoyable quick read but let's get a few things straight.
Anthony Bourdain is a cook who writes books about cooking, traveling and murder mystery things (haven't read those). So this is quite the departure.
This book is NOT for people looking for an indepth study about typhoid mary. This book is NOT for people looking for a deep analysis and a completely comprehensive storyline.
I knew nothing about typhoid Mary so it was all new to...more
Anthony Bourdain is a cook who writes books about cooking, traveling and murder mystery things (haven't read those). So this is quite the departure.
This book is NOT for people looking for an indepth study about typhoid mary. This book is NOT for people looking for a deep analysis and a completely comprehensive storyline.
I knew nothing about typhoid Mary so it was all new to...more
Anthony Bourdain has a touching amount of sympathy for his subject, Mary Mallon, but it's probably to a fault. Although Mallon was likely psychologically damaged as a result of her rough and insensitive arrest and incarceration, she also acted quite monstrously. Mary consciously decided to cook in a hospital incognito, spreading Typhoid to newborns and expectant mothers alike. Bourdain, though he offers a perfunctory one-sentence disapproval of this behavior, sees Mallon as a sort of soul-sister...more
I've been drawn to historical books dealing with plagues, outbreaks, and other medical-related history for some time. I'm also familiar with Bourdain's other novels and television series. Although it took me a long time to finally track down a copy of Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical, it was well worth it.
That said, this book is not for everyone.
Typhoid Mary clocks in around 140 pages, making this a short read. The tale of Mary Mallon, dubbed "Typhoid Mary" by the press, is sad and rather depre...more
That said, this book is not for everyone.
Typhoid Mary clocks in around 140 pages, making this a short read. The tale of Mary Mallon, dubbed "Typhoid Mary" by the press, is sad and rather depre...more
Let me first say that as a cultural and food icon, I love Anthony Bourdain. His wit, his style, his love of meat and contempt for vegetarians is absolutely wonderful. His other nonfiction pieces from what I’ve read (currently working through Kitchen Confidential) seems like an extension of his, awesome, television persona.
But as a historian, even a popular culture one, Mr. Bourdain is lacking. This text has factual errors, date of the Chicago World’s Fair, 1893 not 1900 (that one, I gleaned from...more
But as a historian, even a popular culture one, Mr. Bourdain is lacking. This text has factual errors, date of the Chicago World’s Fair, 1893 not 1900 (that one, I gleaned from...more
I started reading by knowing nothing about Typhoid Mary. I came away not knowing much more but having enjoyed the book, none the less.
There's some interesting perspective on social times and customs and beliefs, a little bit about Mary Mallon (I gather there isn't much public information known about Mary) and some interesting speculations thrown in as well.
The author seems to have a soft spot for Mary since they are both professional cooks. He feels for her hardships, whether true or speculated,...more
There's some interesting perspective on social times and customs and beliefs, a little bit about Mary Mallon (I gather there isn't much public information known about Mary) and some interesting speculations thrown in as well.
The author seems to have a soft spot for Mary since they are both professional cooks. He feels for her hardships, whether true or speculated,...more
Loses stars (as other readers have said) for factual sloppiness but gains them back, in my opinion, for Bourdain's admirable sense of craft solidarity: not only was Mallon treated outrageously (due process of law? not likely), she was a cook, so she deserves his loyalty. (To paraphrase what FDR said about Anastasio Somoza, she may be a disease-carrier, but she's our disease-carrier.) And as he says, while it's true Mallon getting work in a hospital kitchen after the first infection incident was...more
Bourdain in un saggio breve su un periodo storico, sulla vita di un personaggio che sembra uscito da un libro di Bourdain.Ma che è stato, e ha vissuto immerso in quel periodo. Non so dire sulla puntualità della ricerca storica, che comunque pare fatta con la passione di un "collega", ma il linguaggio, gli avvenimenti raccontati col trasporto di chi li sente, se non proprio sulla propria pelle, quantomeno molto affini. Il punto di vista di un cuoco sulla storia di Mary Mallon, Typhoid Mary, è di...more
The reading is very easy and interesting, with some really nice words and expressions being used throughout. The style of writing is clever as well, as it non-linearly interconnects several events related to different people and how then they come together in the next chapter. Anthony also employs the entertaining usage of painting a picture through words of the event or the scene or the era.
Story-wise, it's very sad as you read about the struggles of the mary malon and the cruelty of human bein...more
Story-wise, it's very sad as you read about the struggles of the mary malon and the cruelty of human bein...more
Typhoid Mary was a cook.
That's the lens through which Anthony Bourdain filters his telling of her story. This is a bit longer than an essay & a bit shorter than an actual book, but a fun read. I especially enjoyed the parts where he talked about cooks & cooking & about the Irish women who immigrated to America during the potato famine. Also enjoyed reading about the foodies at the time.
I like Anthony Bourdain. He's smart & funny & passionate about food. He writes well, too.
I'...more
That's the lens through which Anthony Bourdain filters his telling of her story. This is a bit longer than an essay & a bit shorter than an actual book, but a fun read. I especially enjoyed the parts where he talked about cooks & cooking & about the Irish women who immigrated to America during the potato famine. Also enjoyed reading about the foodies at the time.
I like Anthony Bourdain. He's smart & funny & passionate about food. He writes well, too.
I'...more
Great melange of history and life of the times. I was surprised at first, then the real story began to unfold. I felt sorry for the families infected by Mary and for Mary herself. The social strata of the times had no place for her or people who served the rich..Also the medical treatment and physicians are well explained.
I read this book years ago so it isn't really that fresh in my mind. I would say to you to read it; it is a quick read, good for a long flight or a couple days on the beach. Of...more
I read this book years ago so it isn't really that fresh in my mind. I would say to you to read it; it is a quick read, good for a long flight or a couple days on the beach. Of...more
As a factual account, this book frustrated me a great deal, because it's really such an overview into the topic. Granted, Bourdain's interest in Mary Mallon stems from his experience as a cook (and he riffs on this topic continually) -- I simply wanted a deeper factual account (and make sure the facts are correct, please -- there are some glaring errors in the book!). The idea of a cook of his caliber writing about Typhoid Mary is brilliant, but I think he could have developed these ideas in the...more
From the best-selling author of Kitchen Confidential comes this true, thrilling tale of pursuit through the kitchens of New York City at the turn of the century.
By the late nineteenth century, it seemed that New York City had put an end to the outbreaks of typhoid fever that had so frequently decimated the city's population. That is until 1904, when the disease broke out in a household in Oyster Bay, Long Island. Authorities suspected the family cook, Mary Mallon, of being a carrier. But before...more
By the late nineteenth century, it seemed that New York City had put an end to the outbreaks of typhoid fever that had so frequently decimated the city's population. That is until 1904, when the disease broke out in a household in Oyster Bay, Long Island. Authorities suspected the family cook, Mary Mallon, of being a carrier. But before...more
In some ways this book was very good (unexpectedly good!) and in some ways I found it rather frustrating.
What is very good about this book - and what surprised me the most - are Mr. Bourdain's assessments of the overarching historical and cultural forces at work in that time and place. He shows himself to be an astute and insightful cultural historian.
The major problem with this book - and it's a major problem, as it speaks to Mr. Bourdain's entire premise - is that he makes far too many assumpt...more
What is very good about this book - and what surprised me the most - are Mr. Bourdain's assessments of the overarching historical and cultural forces at work in that time and place. He shows himself to be an astute and insightful cultural historian.
The major problem with this book - and it's a major problem, as it speaks to Mr. Bourdain's entire premise - is that he makes far too many assumpt...more
This is not the kind of book you read for it’s historical content. As much as I love Bourdain when he writes on food and I enjoyed his fiction books centered around kitchens, drugs and gangsters, he is by no means a history writer. This book didn’t teach me much of anything about Typhoid Mary that was factual. It’s really more of a supposition on what kind of attitude she had and what she might have felt.
Yet, even with learning nothing new about Typhoid Mary and the blatant errors in historical...more
Yet, even with learning nothing new about Typhoid Mary and the blatant errors in historical...more
Nov 06, 2008
Valerie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone interested in microhistory
Shelves:
biography,
nonfiction
Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical by Anthony Bourdain
Popular chef and undaunted traveler Anthony Bourdain (Kitchen Confidential, 2000) interprets the history of Mary Mallon, the infamous “Typhoid Mary” from a chef’s point of view. Bourdain’s careful research shines as he details culinary history, turn-of-the century New York social structure, medical and sanitation issues, and the status of immigrants at the time of the typhoid epidemic of 1907. His vivid descriptions of the grim life of a serva...more
Popular chef and undaunted traveler Anthony Bourdain (Kitchen Confidential, 2000) interprets the history of Mary Mallon, the infamous “Typhoid Mary” from a chef’s point of view. Bourdain’s careful research shines as he details culinary history, turn-of-the century New York social structure, medical and sanitation issues, and the status of immigrants at the time of the typhoid epidemic of 1907. His vivid descriptions of the grim life of a serva...more
This was definitely not my favorite Tony Bourdain book. I decided to read it because I like his writing style, it was short and I was somewhat interested in the history of Mary Mallon. There were some highlights though. I enjoyed his snippets of wisdom regarding cooks and life in a restaurant kitchen as they compared to cooks in the early 1900's. His little interjections here and there were refreshing amongst the rather dull history of this woman. This probably was the best that Bourdain could d...more
Nevermind that I read this for an assignment, Bourdain has done an exceptional job in making a woman of the moniker. He doesn't fall into the trap of delivering asinine praise and excuses, instead choosing to display all Mary's flaws, even the unforgivable ones.
Having sampled a few Typhoid Mary books, none have come close to this one in terms of genuine, unabashed empathy. Not sympathy, mind - he doesn't forgive, he relates. If Mallon had been born a century later and could only choose one spok...more
Having sampled a few Typhoid Mary books, none have come close to this one in terms of genuine, unabashed empathy. Not sympathy, mind - he doesn't forgive, he relates. If Mallon had been born a century later and could only choose one spok...more
A modern bio on the infamous disease-carrier who managed to kill people and sicken many more through her cooking. Bourdain's take on her life is to explain the difficult economic and social situation Mary Mallon would have come from in Ireland, and the reasons she had for continuing to cook for others even after she had been informed of her contagiousness. While not a thick book, it does a lot towards portraying Mallon as more than an unthinking, self-centered woman.
interesting essay from a different perspective. can't say it really changed my view of Mary Mallon, but I like Bourdain's writing style.
Eilidh- I was wrong, it is him!
oh, just a note on the edition from the library. it was a bloomsbury edition but lousey typsetting (Hewer) and printing (Donnelly). the word spacing was erradict with abrupt changes making many lines look like one big run-on word. also, the printing on all the page was crooked, a peeve of mine.
Eilidh- I was wrong, it is him!
oh, just a note on the edition from the library. it was a bloomsbury edition but lousey typsetting (Hewer) and printing (Donnelly). the word spacing was erradict with abrupt changes making many lines look like one big run-on word. also, the printing on all the page was crooked, a peeve of mine.
This was fascinating to me. An interesting perspective to something so historical, often referenced, but never attempted to be understood. We never know everything about history, but this gives me a 'why' that just isn't in a history book. Very human and completely unexpected for Bourdain.
This is easy to read, detailed and new. Here's a relatively short book that I would have loved to hear in school. Great use of his writing, knowledge and flair. Excellent book!
This is easy to read, detailed and new. Here's a relatively short book that I would have loved to hear in school. Great use of his writing, knowledge and flair. Excellent book!
When I started reading this book, I didn't know anything about Typhoid Mary, and I really didn't care. I read it because of who the author was. And he is a good author. He did meticulous research for this book, and his chef's perspective really makes it. I ended up knowing and caring about Typhoid Mary, so I guess Bourdain did his job. I've recommended this book to many people since I read it this past November.
Tony Bourdain is a witty and down-to-earth kinda guy. I love his shows, No Reservations and The Layover. I've had the pleasure of meeting him briefly. He is perfectly frank and has a solid understanding of the world around him. Who knew he would ever write a history book? Well, he did. It's great. I read Typhoid Mary awhile back when it came out. I'll probably read it again soon.
Found this book to be interesting in it's portrayal of turn-of-century 1900s and choice of foods being served. Also, how the Health Department was forced to deal with establishing parameters to fight contagious diseases that were spread through poor hygiene by those preparing the food.
Most have jokingly heard the term "Typhoid Mary", but Anthony Bourdain tries to introduce through this book the real person the term is based on. Unfortunately, I had a hard time relating to her other than the fac...more
Most have jokingly heard the term "Typhoid Mary", but Anthony Bourdain tries to introduce through this book the real person the term is based on. Unfortunately, I had a hard time relating to her other than the fac...more
This book gives a different perspective on the life of Mary Mallon, also known as Typhoid Mary. While I found it interesting to learn about her life beyond what is known by the general public, at times I felt the book was somewhat dry, and Bourdain occasionally seemed to go off onto topics that didn't really relate to Mary. However, overall I thought it was a pretty good read, and it was a great way to learn about the woman famously known as Typhoid Mary.
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Anthony Bourdain is the author of the novels Bone in the Throat and Gone Bamboo, in addition to the megabestsellers Kitchen Confidential and A Cook’s Tour.
His work has appeared in the New York Times and the New Yorker, and he is a contributing authority for Food Arts magazine. He is the host of the popular television show No Reservations.
More about Anthony Bourdain...
His work has appeared in the New York Times and the New Yorker, and he is a contributing authority for Food Arts magazine. He is the host of the popular television show No Reservations.
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Mar 10, 2013 08:23am