Meistererzählungen: Tristan. Tonio Kröger. Der Tod in Venedig. Mario und der Zauberer

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Meistererzählungen: Tristan. Tonio Kröger. Der Tod in Venedig. Mario und der Zauberer
Thomas Mann
Manufacturer: [Zürich]: Manesse Verlag, Conzett & Huber [1945]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M73SBO

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Tonio Kroger
Thomas Mann
Manufacturer: Basil Blackwell Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

German | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0631018107

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Tonio Kröger / Mario und der Zauberer. Mit Materialien. (Lernmaterialien)
Thomas Mann
Manufacturer: Bange
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 3804417094

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Land About to Go to Waste

The lonesome life of an artist

The lonesome life of an artist

UUUUGGGGHHHH!!! THIS IS NOT ART

Mann dishes up a tale that can relate to the "outsider".

Tonio Kroger (German edition)
Thomas Mann
Manufacturer: Waveland Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Mann, Thomas | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Im Spiegel der Literatur: Kurzprosa aus dem 20. Jahrhundert

Der Besuch Der Alten Dame

Der treffende Ausdruck

ASIN: 0881336556

Book Description

PUBLISHED IN GERMAN. This classic novel examines the theme of the soul divided against itself. Tonio Kroger endeavors to resolve within himself the ever-present conflict between art and life; his life is that of the bourgeois but his soul is that of the artist. In an effort to rise beyond the mundane mechanism of the working class, Kroger associates himself with the Bohemian. Instead of finding freedom and enlightenment, he discovers that their academia has made them cold and aloof, contemptuous of the very warmth, life and honesty that Kroger is trying to find. His "awakening" opens his eyes to the art present in the life around him. Readers will learn a great deal about Mann in what he reveals about himself through Tonio Kroger. Like his character, Mann was born into the bourgeois as the son of a Burgermeister and, as such, felt acutely the separation and isolation of an artist in such a society. Mann reveals his own struggle in Kroger's search to reconcile the dichotomy of an artist's heart coursing with bourgeois blood. A winner of the Nobel prize for literature, Mann shows us the artistic temperament and the agonies and ecstasies inherent in it through a compelling narrative augmented with the use of leitmotif and alliteration.

Customer Reviews:

Land About to Go to Waste.......2007-02-28

In this short novella, more so than in his other works, Thomas Mann parades his artistic pretensions with naïveté and inadvertent honesty. Oh, how the poor artist has to suffer, oh, how he must suppress his feelings in order to arrive at an artistic end-product, oh, how he has to put up with the conventions and inconveniences of surrounding bourgeois life. As thoroughly bourgeois as the man next door, whom he nevertheless sneers at, Mann contrives a tale both silly and flawed. In between the lines, he confesses to homoerotic tendencies, making sure to stay well within a well-honed bourgeois sense of decorum.

To all this there are but two intriguing aspects. First there is the suggestion that Schiller's "Don Carlos" admits of a homoerotic deconstruction, which however is not conclusively explored, and is introduced more as a hint or a tease. Then there is the line, "God damn the spring! ... It is and always has been the ghastliest part of the year" Written in 1903, this is very likely the source of T.S. Eliot's "April is the cruelest month..." written in 1922. Mann has Tonio deliver the spring-damning line to the cardboard character pompously named Elisabeta Ivanovna --- somebody seems to have overdosed on Tolstoy and the other Russians --- while his Anglo-American "disciple" follows up, eleven lines down from his own April-complaint, with "Bin gar keine Russin, stamm' aus Litauen, echt deutsch." Quite appropriate company, if you think of it.

The lonesome life of an artist.......2000-03-01

In this short story, Mann very nicely depicts the problems of the lonely artist, who will always remain an outsider because he is different. In the short story it becomes obvious that it is very difficult for the protagonist Tonio Kroeger to accept this. Tonio Kroeger, who is a writer, falls in love with two people, Hans and Ingeborg, who have blue eyes and blond hair, because they possess the qualities he is longing for. He wants to be as care free as Ingeborg and Hans Hansen, who are not plaged by profound thoughts eliciting them to be depressed. It is extremely well written and will have a lasting effect on you.

The lonesome life of an artist.......2000-03-01

UUUUGGGGHHHH!!! THIS IS NOT ART.......1999-04-17

I Found this story to be the tale of a self-indulgent, self absorbed, and truly arrogant man. Tonio Kroger is an unhappy soul who hides behind the claim of being an artist. How can one put down and demean the people he wishes to be like? Tonio is the victim of poor self esteem that could be easily escapable if he would only see that he is the cause of all his "suffering". As you all can see, I was not particularly fond of this selection but I give two stars anyway due to the fact that I only had to put it down 10 times while I was reading it rather than the 25 that normally accompanies this sort of reading.

Mann dishes up a tale that can relate to the "outsider"........1998-10-25

A story of the artist, of the mad in the world longing nothing more than to walk among the happy and commonplace. Of love and the inability to express it but from afar and embracing the anguish and tumult of it all for that is life! Mann knows the struggle, the mark of Cain as Hesse put it, and offers a guide for those with little dust in their eyes and comfort that you alone my friend are not mad and that the madness is not bad but nothing merely there to embrace and see. I highly recommend this short story for the artist in us all.

Tonio Kroger and Other Stories - A New Translation By David Luke

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Tonio Kroger and Other Stories - A New Translation By David Luke

Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000CRW6RQ

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Six stories of decadence, perversity, pathos and love by the author of "The Magic Mountain" and "Buddenbrooks." Thomas Mann has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

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Death In Venice
Tristan Tonio Kroger
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PDDOVE

Death in Venice - Together with Two Other Stories, Tristan and Tonio Kroger

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Death in Venice - Together with Two Other Stories, Tristan and Tonio Kroger
Mann Thomas
Manufacturer: Penguin (Orange ) Cover 1082, 1955
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UTM8OM

Death in Venice ; Tristan ; Tonio Kroger ; Doctor Faustus ; Mario and the magician ; A man and his dog ; The black swan ; Confessions of Felix Krull, confidence man

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Death in Venice ; Tristan ; Tonio Kroger ; Doctor Faustus ; Mario and the magician ; A man and his dog ; The black swan ; Confessions of Felix Krull, confidence man
Thomas Mann
Manufacturer: Octopus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

German | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0905712382

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DEATH IN VENICE TRISTAN TONIO KROGER
THOMAS MANN
Manufacturer: PENGUIN BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S9H4H0

Death in Venice, Tonio Kroger, and Other Writings (German Library)

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Death in Venice, Tonio Kroger, and Other Writings (German Library)
Thomas Mann
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

German | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

The '80s were a decade that forever redefined the world's first super-hero.The first half of the decade brought the story of Superman to a close, while the latter half of the decade brought a revamped Man of Steel to an all-new audience.Artist/writer Jerry Ordway provides the introduction and historic commentary for this latest addition to DC's "Decades" library.

Customer Reviews:

a valuable reference for any graphic novel library.......2006-12-28

In light of "The Crisis on Infinite Earths" that rest asunder the parallel dimensions of the DC Comics multiverse, the 1980's were a time of innovation and reinterpretation for the Man of Steel.

"Superman In The Eighties" is an anthology giving readers a taste of this costumed hero's adventures on both sides of the Infinite Earths saga.

Rather than a comprehensive chronology, the compilation consists of a series of vignettes providing considerable insight into this beloved icon of contemporary American folklore.

A number of the tales included tug at the heart as much as they regale with action and adventure.

In one story published before the John Byrne "Man of Steel" miniseries where aspects of the Superman mythos were updated or tweaked, aliens transport Jonathan Kent through time to see what becomes of Clark in the future after his adopted father has already passed on.

In another, Superman confronts his own pride when the Specter reminds Superman that they are realms reserved for God Himself.

And in a third, Superman comes face to face with childhood versions of his creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster on an earth where alien invaders have manipulated the timestream to eradicate the concepts of heroism and imagination from human culture in order to make the earth easier to conquer.

"Superman In The Eighties" will make a valuable reference for any graphic novel library or comic collection.

by Frederick Meekins

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Continuation of WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE...

Classic early 80's Foster...

Who needs Enemies...

Who Needs Enemies?
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Foster, Alan Dean | ( F ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Impossible Places

Nor Crystal Tears

Phylogenesis: Book One of The Founding of the Commonwealth (Founding of the Commonwealth, Bk 1)

Sliding Scales (A Pip & Flinx Adventure)

Cachalot

ASIN: 0345316576
Release Date: 1984-05-12

Customer Reviews:

Continuation of WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE..........2002-06-26

Of the 12 short stories herein, only 1 is a Pip & Flinx story, although others share the Humanx Commonwealth universe. Foster provides a short introduction for each, discussing the story's genesis, as well as an introduction for the entire book. The cover art for this edition is from "Wu-Ling's Folly" - not Pip, in other words.

"Swamp Planet Christmas" (1976) A series of e-mail messages, mostly between a little girl writing to Santa Claus and a government computer across the galaxy, this snafu tale is intended to be in the style of Eric Frank Russell (one of Foster's idols; I recommend his NEXT OF KIN).

"Snake Eyes" (1978) - The only Pip & Flinx story in this volume, set between THE END OF THE MATTER and FLINX IN FLUX.

"Bystander" (1978) Chapman was dispatched as sole crew on the rescue ship sent to evacuate the Abraxis colony to escape its flare-prone star. He's just a backup to the tertiary backups, so when the ship awakens him early, he is himself in mortal peril. As if the upcoming freak flare weren't enough, a mysterious Dhabian spacecraft is pacing his ship - those aliens who ordinarily refuse to have anything to do with humanity.

"What Do the Simple Folk Do?" (1979) Picture a future in which "plot it yourself" stories are mixed with first-class medical technology, where network execs argue that viewers expect realism to include *real* damage - after all, what are actors being paid for? No joke when one's ratings slip...

"Gift of a Useless Man" (1979) Lilliputian overtones here. When Peterson, fleeing for his life, crashed on the tiny planetoid, he was left paralyzed as well as hopelessly stranded. But when a tiny, telepathic alien befriends him, he becomes far more valuable than he ever was in his old life...

"Surfeit" (1982) A Humanx Commonwealth story, although not involving Pip and Flinx, but rather the Monsters of Dis - the dream of surfers across the galaxy.

"The Dark Light Girl" (1981) Haskell Wells decided to take the back country roads from L.A. to Dallas, seeing the untouched part of the country while changing jobs to another newspaper. Now he's seeing more of it than he bargained for, stranded for a day in Agua Caliente, New Mexico by a torn-up tire until the mechanic can get another from the next town...

"Instant with Loud Voices" (1982) Twenty years of hard work - continual design improvements integrated into the growing system - have gone into making DISRA the biggest and best computer in the world, and for 6 years it's been able to solve problems from earthquake to crop failure. The world depends on it - but it has weaknesses that no simpler system can have, and its creator is preparing to ask a dangerous question...

"Communication" (1981) Earth is about to have its first contact with aliens, wish to deal a single world leader, based on their analysis of Earth's communication broadcasts, who seems more popular and durable than any other. Who will it turn out to be?

"The Last Run" (1982) Bill "the Wisp" Switch is a genius at souping up engines, and gets a kick out of street racing (where a mere 150 mph isn't worth the gasoline it costs). But after Wisp defeated a Lambourgini and a Ferrari one night, a new challenger offered him the chance of a lifetime.

"Wu-Ling's Folly" (1982) The old West's gold was bound to attract a dragon or two - hard luck on the Butterfield stagecoach line, in a world that doesn't believe in dragons. Fortunately, "Mad Amos" Malone makes a living solving unusual problems. (See Foster's short story collection MAD AMOS for more of the character.)

"Village of the Chosen" (1983) Harvey Vickers has spent 20 years in Africa for UPI, and while he's been in worse places than Mogadishu, recording the endless cycle of devastation has burned him out. Until he collides with a woman in the street - knocking her veil off to reveal a face as exquisite as an emerald, and about the same color...

Classic early 80's Foster..........2000-10-25

Some of my favorite short stories are included: "Gift of a Useless Man", "Communication" and Village of the chosen".

Who needs Enemies..........2000-05-16

This is a collection of short stories with just one of them being the one with Pip and Flinx which is why I bought the book in the first place, but all the stories were greatly enjoyable. I would reccomend this for light reading for anyone.

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?

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With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?
Angela Shelf Medearis
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0439523265

Meet Misty (With a Friend like Darlene...Who Needs Enemies?, Vol. 1, No. 3)

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Meet Misty (With a Friend like Darlene...Who Needs Enemies?, Vol. 1, No. 3)
Marvel Comics
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
ASIN: B000V77WFI

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...WHO NEEDS ENEMIES
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Futura
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000K5Q6RQ

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...WHO NEEDS ENEMIES (ORBIT BOOKS)
ALAN DEAN FOSTER
Manufacturer: ORBIT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Who Needs Enemies?: A Beryl Swallows Mystery

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Who Needs Enemies?: A Beryl Swallows Mystery
Sharon Rose
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1413776388

Book Description

Over the years, first as a police officer and now as a private eye, Beryl Swallows has solved many crimes. But this case is different. Beryl is hired by the victim, Mary Lou Sanders. The police report states that Mary Lou committed suicide. But a letter written by Mary Lou six years before her death says differently. Mary Lou not only claimed that she would be murdered, she also listed the suspects—three close childhood friends of Mary Lou and Beryl. Instead of renewing old friendships, Beryl finds herself making new enemies.

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies (Three-of-a-Kind, No 1)

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It's hard to find sweet yet unpredictable books.
My Feelings
Excellent book- as I recall.

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies (Three-of-a-Kind, No 1)
Marilyn Kaye
Manufacturer: Harpercollins (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0061060011

Customer Reviews:

It's hard to find sweet yet unpredictable books........2001-08-28

Three girls - Cat, Josie, and Becka - are thirteen years old and the oldest orphans at their orphanage. Though they sometimes dream about it, each knows inside that they have very little chance of being adopted. Suddenly, they have an opportunity when a family named Morgan wants to adopt an older girl. Each spends several days at the family's house, and each has different opinions - but all of them want a chance at being adopted. Whom will the Morgans pick? Will the three competitive friends be separated for the first time?

My Feelings.......2001-01-28

This book was one of the best books I've ever read. It's not that often you come across a book that tells so much about how orphans feel and act. I'm in middle school and I feel I can really connect with some of the characters even with an age difference. I recomend this book to you with 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!

Excellent book- as I recall........1999-04-12

I read this book years ago, and it stands out in my mind as being one of the best I ever read. In a world of Sweet Valley High and R. L. Stine, there should be more books like this on the market to tip the scales. Two thumbs up.

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?; Home's a Nice Place to Visit, But I Wouldn't Want to Live There; Will the Real Becka Morgan Please Stand Up? (Three of a Kind)

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With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?; Home's a Nice Place to Visit, But I Wouldn't Want to Live There; Will the Real Becka Morgan Please Stand Up? (Three of a Kind)
Marilyn Kaye
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000T8UWO2

Product Description

Cat, Becka, and Josie, the oldest girls at the Wiloughby Hall Home for Children, have been stuck together for years. Each girl has a desperate wish: to have a real home and real parents all to herself. After they meet the Morgans, they become sisters instead!

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE... and ...WHO NEEDS ENEMIES: Some Notes Concerning a Green Box; Why Johnny Can't Speed; The Emoman; Space Opera; The Empire of T'ang Lang; A Miracle of Small Fishes; Dream Done Green; He; Polonaise; Wolfstroker; Ye Who Would Sing

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WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE... and ...WHO NEEDS ENEMIES: Some Notes Concerning a Green Box; Why Johnny Can't Speed; The Emoman; Space Opera; The Empire of T'ang Lang; A Miracle of Small Fishes; Dream Done Green; He; Polonaise; Wolfstroker; Ye Who Would Sing
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey - Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NH7HKG

With Enemies Like This, Who Needs Friends?(1996 political campaign): An article from: Presidential Studies Quarterly

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With Enemies Like This, Who Needs Friends?(1996 political campaign): An article from: Presidential Studies Quarterly
Stephen J. Wayne
Manufacturer: Center for the Study of the Presidency
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Presidential Studies Quarterly, published by Center for the Study of the Presidency on September 22, 1998. The length of the article is 3361 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Presidential candidates can boost their opponents' campaigns through politically unwise actions or the inability to affect public opinion. In the 1996 presidential election, Republican candidate Bob Dole failed to alter perceptions of accuracy, fairness and relevancy in the party's questioning of Bill Clinton's character. Clinton capitalized on this failure to improve his standing with American voters.

Citation Details
Title: With Enemies Like This, Who Needs Friends?(1996 political campaign)
Author: Stephen J. Wayne
Publication: Presidential Studies Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1998
Publisher: Center for the Study of the Presidency
Volume: 28 Issue: 4 Page: 773(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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GREAT!

One guy's quest for happiness ...

A Cook's Tour: Anthony Bourdain's Love Affair With Vietnam

Classic & caustic & comradely

A fun culinary romp.

A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines
Anthony Bourdain
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Essays | Gastronomy | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
International | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0060012781
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Amazon.com

A Cook's Tour is the written record of Anthony Bourdain's travels around the world in his search for the perfect meal. All too conscious of the state of his 44-year-old knees after a working life standing at restaurant stoves, but with the unlooked-for jackpot of Kitchen Confidential as collateral, Mr. Bourdain evidently concluded he needed a bit more wind under his wings.

The idea of "perfect meal" in this context is to be taken to mean not necessarily the most upscale, chi-chi, three-star dining experience, but the ideal combination of food, atmosphere, and company. This would take in fishing villages in Vietnam, bars in Cambodia, and Tuareg camps in Morocco (roasted sheep's testicle, as it happens); it would stretch to smoked fish and sauna in the frozen Russian countryside and the French Laundry in California's Napa Valley. It would mean exquisitely refined kaiseki rituals in Japan after yakitori with drunken salarymen. Deep-fried Mars Bars in Glasgow and Gordon Ramsay in London. The still-beating heart of a cobra in Saigon. Drink. Danger. Guns. All with a TV crew in tow for the accompanying series--22 episodes of video gold, we are assured, featuring many don't-try-this-at-home shots of the author in gastric distress or crawling into yet another storm drain at four in the morning.

You are unlikely to lay your hands on a more hectically, strenuously entertaining book for some time. Our hero eats and swashbuckles round the globe with perfect-pitch attitude and liberal use of judiciously placed profanities. Bourdain can write. His timing is great. He is very funny and is under no illusions whatsoever about himself or anyone else. But most of all, he is a chef who got himself out of his kitchen and found, all over the world, people who understand that eating well is the foundation of harmonious living. --Robin Davidson, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

The only thing "gonzo gastronome" and internationally bestselling author Anthony Bourdain loves as much as cooking is traveling. Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?," Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail, and in the process turns the notion of "perfection" inside out. From California to Cambodia, A Cooks' Tour chronicles the unpredictable adventures of America's boldest and bravest chef.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT!.......2007-09-07

I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite books that I have read in the past year. Anthony Bourdain is a great writer, and he really takes you on a journey with him as he travels the world searching for "the perfect meal", and if there even is such a thing. Yes, other reviews have said that Bourdain is "a whiner" and "snarky", but that is the beauty of Bourdain's writing style. He tells it as he sees it, if he doesn't like something, he will let you know. There's no sugar coating in his writing, and of all of Bourdain's books, I have to say that this is my absolute favorite. The chapter on Morocco is one of my favorites, as well as the multiple chapters on Vietnam, a place that Bourdain came to adore during his world travels. I would say that I am a discerning book critic, and I love this book. I've read it at least 5 times just to absorb everything, and I think anyone, foodie or not, would love this.

One guy's quest for happiness ..........2007-07-23

Poor Anthony Bourdain ... the world at his feet and he still isn't happy!!! Though "A Cook's Tour" does has it's riveting descriptive moments, it frequently lapses into the whining reflections of a guy who (ashamedly) uses the Food Network's dollar in a failed attempt to find personal happiness. Food Network gave Bourdain the opportunity to do things the rest of us only dream of - and he complains about a lot of it. He's so depressed! He wasn't happy at Les Halles, people drive him crazy, his return to his childhood home was a disappointment ... it goes on and on. He drowns himself in alcohol, stupefies himself with hashish, travels to the far corners of the world ... and just can't find the happiness he seeks.

I did enjoy reading the sarcastic, witty descriptions of places I'll never see in person. However, Bourdain's disdain for regular folks permeates the book and makes the reading experience almost masochistic. Bourdain is just so darn "cool" and his contempt for all things ordinary pervades every page. In the end, I think I'd rather travel the world with someone a little less disdainful and depressed.

A Cook's Tour: Anthony Bourdain's Love Affair With Vietnam.......2007-07-23

Anthony Bourdain is best known for his groundbreaking book "Kitchen Confidential," which details his career as a chef and disclosed that the people creating our fine dining experiences in the world's best restaurants are often "wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts, and psychopaths." He often ridicules Food Network personalities, yet in the end, his success and notoriety led to his very own show on the same network. "A Cook's Tour" launched his television career and gave birth to his book "A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines."

In A Cook's Tour, Bourdain sets out to find the "perfect meal" (or more realistically, a series of really great meals), not based on opulence and cutting-edge, fashionable restaurants, but rather an ideal balance of great food, atmosphere and people. His search leads him to the Moroccan desert for "crispy, Veiny" lamb testicles; saunas and smoked fish in Russia; kaiseki rituals in Japan; French Laundry in California's Napa Valley, and a lengthy series of adventures in Vietnam.

In much of his work, Bourdain make a point of explaining how other cultures have learned to make use of every part of the animal, once because of limited resources, but now because they've perfected the art, and made ears, feet and entrails into truly great meals.

Bourdain's humor is irreverent and he pulls no punches, telling us exactly what he thinks about where he is, what he's doing, and what he's eating, even if it's not very flattering. Unlike other travel personalities, he doesn't sugar-coat his reviews for the sake of political correctness.

The Food network series aired 35 episodes, 10 of which were filmed in Asia (Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand). His book however, narrows down the focus and gives us a look at where his heart truly abides. Five of the book's 17 chapters (including the intro) are set in Vietnam. A Cook's Tour essentially details Anthony's love affair with Vietnam, mingled with other adventures around the globe (other chapters cover Portugal, France, Spain, Russia, Morocco, England, Scotland, Mexico, California, Cambodia and Japan) while filming his show for the Food Network. "I'm in love" he writes about Vietnam. "I am absolutely over-the top gonzo for this country and everything in it. I want to stay forever."

In Saigon, Anthony explores the food offerings of Ben Thanh Market (including hot vin lon, or hard-boiled duck embryos) in-between vivid nightmares induced by anti-malaria medication. In Can Tho on the MeKong Tony drinks rice wine with decorated war vets who would have once considered him the enemy. Later he recounts with heart-pounding fervor, the experience of riding down Highway 1, known for its frequent bloody accidents. Then there is island hopping and fresh seafood dinner in Nha Trang, only to be followed by a revolting meal of bird's nest soup on an already bloated stomach. Of all of Anthony's culinary experiences in Vietnam, his most talked about (and most replayed on YouTube), is drinking the beating heart of a cobra in rice wine.

As interesting as Anthony's food adventures are, the characters in his book are equally memorable. Madame Dai was a lawyer and senator under South Vietnam's former government, who managed to thrive under the new regime by running a small, unadvertised restaurant in the library of her home, called "Bibliotheque." She is a colorful character who keeps Anthony and his government-appointed guide, Linh, on their toes with her sharp-witted humor and kind-hearted jabs.

Madame Ngoc is the owner of Com Nieu Saigon, a restaurant famous for its crispy rice cooked in a clay pot, which is smashed in the dining room, and then the rice is thrown across to the waiters at each table, creating a lively spectacle for the guests. Madame Ngoc is a powerful women, commanding respect and obedience from her staff (and even many of her patrons), but her tender-hearted kindness and persistent mothering endear her immediately to Bourdain and his entourage.

Anthony fell hard for Vietnam. Writing about Saigon, he states "I think I've gone bamboo...I've gone goofy on Vietnam, fallen hopelessly, hopelessly in love with the place." Despite his love for Vietnam, Bourdain apparently hasn't gone through with his plans yet, which may be due to not only his new marriage and baby, but also the success of his show "No Reservations," for the Travel Channel. Later episodes (including features on Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and once again, Vietnam) and subsequent interviews reveal his more broadened appreciation of the region and less obsession over Vietnam alone.

A Cook's Tour is Bourdain's most appropriate entry-level volume for fans of his travel shows, although a book based on his current Travel Channel series, "No Reservations" will be available October 30, 2007. He has authored numerous other books, including The Nasty Bits, Gone Bamboo, Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical, The Bobby Gold Stories, and Bone in the Throat. Many are novels and all contain culinary themes.

Classic & caustic & comradely.......2007-07-06

For those that don't have the means or foolhardiness to sample the cuisines of the trouble spots and high expense parts of the world, Anthony's book is a way to go.

Anthony is an honest opportunist in the kitchen and on the written page.

A fun culinary romp........2007-04-15

I have the feeling that Mr. Bourdain would hate the title that I have given to this review. I have the feeling that he is trying for something harder-edged and more gritty than "a fun culinary romp". All the same, this is how I would characterize it.

A Cook's Tour has obviously had heavier editing and more attention to structure than Kitchen Confidential. It serves the book well, because while in Kitchen Confidential I struggled over Bourdan's attempt to create Fear and Loathing in the Kitchen, I had no such problem with A Cook's Tour. His skill and tone are best suited to these small chapters-- little moments of eating spread out across the world.

The reflexive nature of his observations about the creation of his own television show work well. It is easy to imagine him wondering what he has let himself in for, and the uneasy relationship between his self-image and his new role as the charmingly bad boy chef of American television. I particularly enjoyed the writing about Vietnam and the chapter on the French Laundry. I enjoyed less his political opinions, even when I agreed with them (surprisingly often). It didn't seem to fit with the book and felt like a desire to add a justificatory footnote to the television program.

Recommended for foodies looking for a light, entertaining read.

A Cook's Tour Display: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines

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A Cook's Tour Display: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines
Anthony Bourdain
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060514329

COOK'S TOUR: GLOBAL ADVENTURES IN EXTREME CUISINE

Average customer rating:

COOK'S TOUR: GLOBAL ADVENTURES IN EXTREME CUISINE

Manufacturer: The Ecco Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I84J56

A Cook's Tour - Global Adventures In Extreme Cuisines

Average customer rating:

A Cook's Tour - Global Adventures In Extreme Cuisines
Anthony Bourdain
Manufacturer: Ecco/Harper-collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLIB42

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