I am a huge fan of Grace Dent's honest and somewhat abrupt writing style from her Guardian column, and also a huge fan of food (and not just fancy food, but just good comforting food) so when I discovered this book, I knew I had to read it.
A distinctly British story, it was interesting to hear some of the truth behind the severe character and I found the sections on her working-class upbringing both refreshing and reassuring. I particularly enjoyed the notes on when the 'big' supermarket started to impact life. Her classic wit and irreverence is present in each anecdote, although there are some more poignant notes along the way.
You could approach this a unique commentary on social class, the cross section of luck and talent, or a behind the scenes look at the media industry, or you can simply take it as a fast paced autobiography and a story framed around the simple pleasure in life - good food and family.
A distinctly British story, it was interesting to hear some of the truth behind the severe character and I found the sections on her working-class upbringing both refreshing and reassuring. I particularly enjoyed the notes on when the 'big' supermarket started to impact life. Her classic wit and irreverence is present in each anecdote, although there are some more poignant notes along the way.
You could approach this a unique commentary on social class, the cross section of luck and talent, or a behind the scenes look at the media industry, or you can simply take it as a fast paced autobiography and a story framed around the simple pleasure in life - good food and family.