Toast
by Nigel Slater
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 358)
Read in February, 2008
Nigel Slater was a vaguely familiar name...I have one of his cookbooks somewhere that prevented me from starving in my early 20s - but somewhat like reading Ruby Wax's autobiography, I was totally unprepared for the sadness of this book.
Nigel had inflicted on him all the worst vices of the English character that I remember from living in London (I am not suggesting that even a majority of english people are like this, merely that it was my experience) - avoidant to the point of passive aggres...more
Nigel had inflicted on him all the worst vices of the English character that I remember from living in London (I am not suggesting that even a majority of english people are like this, merely that it was my experience) - avoidant to the point of passive aggres...more
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Read in February, 2008
recommended to Adam by:
Anna
A difficult English 1960s childhood viewed through the lens of food cooked, bought, stolen, eaten, approved and frowned upon.
Uptight parents with no communication skills + pervasive, vaguely draconian social mores + early death of mother + predictable dislike of new stepmother + passage from childhood to adolescence + archetypically "English" (read: cold, aggressive, emotionally repressed and contradictory) father-son relationship + food as the only (sometimes) allowable source of...more
Uptight parents with no communication skills + pervasive, vaguely draconian social mores + early death of mother + predictable dislike of new stepmother + passage from childhood to adolescence + archetypically "English" (read: cold, aggressive, emotionally repressed and contradictory) father-son relationship + food as the only (sometimes) allowable source of...more
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recommends it for:
foodies
I originally bought this book when i was spending 3 weeks in London a few years ago. I started reading it, and was annoyed and bored to death by it's apparent "anecdotal" structure. so, it went to my bookshelf and followed me around for a few years. suffice it to say, i pulled it out again and read it in 3 days. While the ending leaves me a little unsatiated, those anecdote--one page vignettes of his childhood stories that most often revolve around some kind of food--build on themselve...more
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Read in November, 2004
recommends it for:
Food Memoir Lovers
I picked up this book after hearing the author being interviewed on NPR. Nigel Slater's stories focus on his childhood memories, good, bad and ugly, and how he associates those memories with food. Slater's descriptives were so perfect that I felt I could imagine what he was truly feeling. Although I've been to the U.K. and never pass up a trip through a Tesco, there were a few food references that I wasn't familiar with. A glossary at the back might have provided some assistance. This book ...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone
Loved this book,each chapter describes Nigel Slaters memories of growing up in sixties britain through a different food.The boy Nigel finds solace in food when faced with the difficulties of growing up.The part where he cooks the Haddock for his lonely, grief stricken father really moved me.Its a very well written memoir and really draws you into the world of a sad little boy.I could relate to a lot of the food described in it such as burnt toast, butterscotch angel delight and the method of eat...more
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Read in April, 2007
This book, a memior through food, kept showing little glimmers of promise, and then it would go nowhere. It seems the author wants us to beleive his stepmother killed his father by feeding him to death, but there was so little emotion attached to the idea that even this peice of drama was boring. Several highly dramatic moments appeared in this book, but the author gave no real reasons for including them, other than purient value. I'm not one that likes books that spell everything out for you, b...more
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Read in March, 2008
An enjoyable collection of memories linked to food.
I felt sad for Nigel as a young boy. He seemed to lack so much. Gladly, he was able to find happiness as an adult.
When I finished this book, I immediately began to read Orxy and Crake. I was amazed at how many similar themes the two books shared. Mother leaves at a young age. Father is too distracted with life to pay attention to young boy. Many memories around food.
I think the two books make an interesting pair.
I felt sad for Nigel as a young boy. He seemed to lack so much. Gladly, he was able to find happiness as an adult.
When I finished this book, I immediately began to read Orxy and Crake. I was amazed at how many similar themes the two books shared. Mother leaves at a young age. Father is too distracted with life to pay attention to young boy. Many memories around food.
I think the two books make an interesting pair.
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Read in December, 2004
I found this book frustrating, because the author comes accross as a snivelling, whining, ungrateful little bastard with no concept of how well off he was. He grew up in post WWII England, when nobody had much, and some people lived in genuine destitution. Yet the majority of his book is devoted to him complaining that his parents didn't buy him enough knickerbocker glories, and weren't adventurous in the kitchen. This in an era in which olive oil was only available from chemists' shops. Poor Ni...more
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You don't have to be British to feel the underlying themes of this memoir, but it surely must help to sort out all the references to candy. And there are plenty of such references. How Nigel Slater made it to adulthood with a full set of intact teeth is beyond me!
The book is worth reading, it's amusing in spots, it's poignant in others. But it does get tedious and suffers from a sameness as every single memory is hooked to candy or sex and rarely goes deeper than that.
The book is worth reading, it's amusing in spots, it's poignant in others. But it does get tedious and suffers from a sameness as every single memory is hooked to candy or sex and rarely goes deeper than that.
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Read in August, 2006
recommends it for:
Domenica, Vince
This memoir by Nigel Slater, a much-loved British food journalist, is remarkably touching. The book begins comically with childhood memories of his mother's failed attempts at making toast and proceeds to take the reader on a gastronomic journey through middle-class Midlands England. I loved the references to British food, much of what is entirely foreign to me and I laughed out loud when I read about his family's first encounter with spaghetti and parmesan cheese.
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Read in April, 2008
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I guess I really am one of the dreaded American readers he mentions in the foreword---I spent most of the book vaguely wondering whether these foods were as dreary and/or delectable as they sounded. I also found the narrative to be unsatisfying. I like life snippets when they are complete vignettes, but to me these bits and pieces hinted at the story but never came to fruition. I did like the last couple of chapters.
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Autobiographical account of middle class 60s/70s childhood, as defined and recalled by particular foods and his mother's poor cooking - except that it wasn't quite as bad as he makes out. As he is the same age as me, many of the typical foods of his childhood have strong memories for me too (surprise peas, angel delight, space dust). Subtitled "A boy's hunger", which is emotional at least as much as it is culinary. Sweet and sour.
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Toast, the autobiography of cookbook author and columnist, Nigel Slater tells the story of his childhood and young adult life. Each chapter is titled after a food, and food itself is a both a character and theme in this book. After his mother dies, Slater must deal with the agony of adolescence and a stepmother he hates. Funny and poignant, Toast is an engaging story of growing up. Adult fiction recommended for teen readers.
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Read in February, 2006
recommends it for:
Memoir fans
I liked this book a lot! I really enjoyed reading about the food (most of which I had never heard of) and his exploits as a kid, and I felt awful for his childhood. At least he was able to discover a passion and have the drive to pursue it. It was sad he had to struggle so much after his Dad died to make ends meet, even though his Dad had worked hard to build his company and support his family.
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
Foodies/Memoir lovers
Although no Bourdain, this memoir remembered through food was an entertaining read. What's not to love about a story with food as it's vehicle? This is also quite the resource of English food...most definitley not the food of my mouth-watering childhood memories and wow what a sweet tooth, I felt like I needed to go floss and brush my teeth after every chapter.
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Read in January, 2008
I love to eat and have such strong memories attached to certain foods. This is a collection of autobiographical stories from Nigel Slater, a British food writer, recounting key moments of his life, with food being the common thread. Makes sense - most of eat at least three times a day (sometimes more!) - hard not to have food associations . . .
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Read in March, 2008
Wow what a great book, I didn't want it to end. How could a story where every second sentance is an indepth description of food not be repetitive?! That takes talent. It is a very honest open account of his childhood, and I love the fact that now, when I am cooking some of the recipes from Real Fast Food, I will know their origin.
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I've never understood how someone so pursy-lipped could be such a passionate cook. But his miserable childhood might go some way to explaining the thin-lipped look. Somewhat bitter, and being the milk-hater I am, his description of the force-fed milk torture at school made me somewhat nauseous..
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Read in January, 2006
aah!! i thought i would like this a lot more than i did. poor nigel. i enjoyed reading the book, but afterwards i felt kind of empty, like "where did i just spend the last 3 hours?" his cookbooks have the same warm, engaging voice, and i read them over and over again.
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Read in January, 2005
Very enjoyable, possibly comforting (especially the nostalgic food), down-to-earth and frank. (Not for anyone who doesn't like bad language or mild-medium sexual references.)
One particular "scene" had me bawling my eyes out, and yet others had me giggling.
One particular "scene" had me bawling my eyes out, and yet others had me giggling.
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