Existential Bread

by Jim Franks

Jim Franks is a baker and a poet who’s written a love story about bread, which is to say he’s written a life story about listening, learning, trying, failing, adapting, and above all, caring. Through humor, history, relentless curiosity, and refreshingly unsentimental poetry, Existential Bread teaches there are many ways to bake a loaf, just as there are many ways to live a life.

Genres: Nonfiction

170 pages, Paperback

Published January 31, 2025

Reviews

[Alaina]

franks refuses to sell his audience a highlight reel of all the impeccable loaves that they could make, if only they were good enough. he steers clear of professional proclamations, surmising instead that "mixing doesn't really matter" unless you find utility (or joy!) in it. the whole poem has a hippy-dippy vibe, sometimes veering into the sentimental, but i do quite like its premise: enjoyment over perfection, be it in bread or life.

even though this book lacks recipes (on purpose!), i did learn from it. as a baker, i avoid tasks like shaping because they necessitate cleaning, dirtying, and re-cleaning a countertop. franks, however, makes me want to reframe this chore as an opportunity to study the dough. i tend not to wonder whether i've built up enough strength in my dough until i dump it into a hot cast-iron skillet, but i'm curious about what i might learn from checking in earlier, and how that intel might shape (hah hah) my future loaves.

[Jillian Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most creative book I’ve read in a long time. Truthfully, Existential Bread exists in its own genre outside the world of traditional cookbooks. While you won’t find any fancy bread formulas in here, you will find a poetic blend of history, bread theory, and Jim’s humorous perspective on the deeper meaning of it all.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit my bias towards the author, but this book is genuinely fantastic and well written. It's funny, genuine, and insightful. It's a great lesson about bread and any creative or worthwhile endeavor. I highly recommend this book.

[Jan Burnham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book first in a slice or two, gettin used to his wonderful quirky writing. Then, I consumed the rest of the “loaf,” enjoying it so much. There is a lot of “don’t take yourself so seriously…advice,” which I always appreciate.

[Amy]

When your bread is ready to bake you want to cut the surface following the the strongest point of tension This is called scoring You can use any kind of sharp edge but typically this is done with a lame pronounced with a long a like in the word llama

[Domino · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most refreshing thing I’ve read in a long time. Also, now I want bread.