Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
4.7

In 'Heat,' Bill Buford takes readers on a culinary adventure as he delves into the intense world of professional kitchens. From the fast-paced chaos of New York City's top restaurants to honing his pasta-making skills in Italy, Buford provides a glimpse into the life of a line cook with vivid storytelling and humor. His journey of self-discovery and determination to master the art of Italian cuisine, guided by a Dante-quoting butcher in Tuscany, offers a unique blend of gastronomy, culture, and personal growth. This immersive narrative captures the essence of kitchen life and the passion that drives chefs to perfection.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

About Bill Buford

Bill Buford is an American author and journalist known for his captivating works that delve into the worlds of food, culture, and literature. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Buford studied literature at the University of California, Berkeley before pursuing a career in writing. He served as the fiction editor of The New Yorker and the editor of Granta magazine, showcasing his editorial prowess. Buford's notable works include 'Heat', a culinary memoir exploring Italian cuisine, and 'Dirt', a deep dive into French cooking and culture. His writing seamlessly weaves together personal narrative with culinary adventures, offering readers a unique and immersive experience into the realms of food and literature.

Similar Books

Book cover

My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla

by Nikola Tesla

4.4

Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), a visionary of the electronic age, pioneered much of modern electrical and communication systems. His groundbreaking work included the alternating-current system, radio, the Tesla coil, wireless transmission, and fluorescent lighting. Despite his monumental contributions, Tesla's genius was often misunderstood, leading to others being credited for his innovations. This volume, originally a 1919 magazine series, offers Tesla's own account of his life, from his Croatian boyhood and European education to his collaboration with Edison and his subsequent revolutionary research. Written with wit, his memoir provides fascinating insights into the mind of a true scientific pioneer, covering his early life, inventions, and key discoveries like the rotating magnetic field and telautomatics.

Book cover

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out

by Richard P Feynman

4.6

This collection celebrates the remarkable achievements of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Richard P. Feynman, whose work profoundly reshaped our understanding of quantum electrodynamics. "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out" is a magnificent compilation of Feynman's finest short works, encompassing interviews, speeches, lectures, and articles. Offering an intimate and captivating glimpse into an extraordinary life dedicated to science, this wide-ranging treasury explores Feynman's thoughts on science in culture and includes his insightful Nobel Prize acceptance speech. It's a fascinating read for anyone intrigued by the power of ideas and the scientific mind.

Book cover

Stay True: A Memoir

by Hua Hsu

4.4

Stay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu is a poignant exploration of friendship, identity, and grief. Set in the 1990s at UC Berkeley, Hsu, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, forms an unexpected bond with Ken, a Japanese American student whose mainstream tastes initially clash with Hsu's countercultural leanings. Their deepening friendship, marked by late-night conversations and shared experiences, is tragically cut short when Ken is killed in a carjacking. Hsu's memoir delves into the complexities of their relationship, the nuances of Asian American identity, and the enduring impact of loss. Awarded the 2023

Book cover

Some People Need Killing

by Patricia Evangelista

4.4

In this harrowing and deeply reported memoir, journalist Patricia Evangelista documents Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs in the Philippines. Drawing from years of firsthand reporting, Evangelista chronicles the violence, propaganda, and moral disintegration that defined a nation’s descent into authoritarianism. Through vivid narratives of victims, enforcers, and survivors, the book becomes a powerful indictment of state-sponsored killings and a meditation on fear, complicity, and resistance. Some People Need Killing is both a work of fearless journalism and a profoundly personal reckoning with truth and accountability in the face of terror.