Tender at the Bone
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Tender at the Bone Audible Audiobook – Abridged

Ruth Reichl (Author, Narrator), Random House Audio (Publisher)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,554 ratings
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At an early age, Ruth Reichl discovered that "food could be a way of making sense of the world...If you watched people as they ate, you could find out who they were." Her deliciously crafted memoir, Tender at the Bone, is the story of a life determined, enhanced, and defined in equal measure by a passion for food, unforgettable people, and the love of tales well told.

Beginning with Reichl's mother, the notorious food-poisoner known as the Queen of Mold, Reichl introduces us to the fascinating characters who shaped her world and her tastes, from the gourmand Monsieur du Croix, who served Reichl her first soufflé, to those at her politically correct table in Berkeley who championed the organic food revolution in the 1970s.

Spiced with Reichl's infectious humor and sprinkled with her favorite recipes, Tender at the Bone is a witty and compelling chronicle of a culinary sensualist's coming-of-age.

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  1. Listening Length
    6 hours
  2. Author
    Ruth Reichl
  3. Narrator
    Ruth Reichl
  4. Audible release date
    December 15, 1999
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Random House Audio
  7. ASIN
    B0000544ZD
  8. Version
    Abridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 6 hours
Author Ruth Reichl
Narrator Ruth Reichl
Audible.com Release Date December 15, 1999
Publisher Random House Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Abridged
Language English
ASIN B0000544ZD
Best Sellers Rank #23,156 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#14 in Gastronomy (Audible Books & Originals)
#84 in Gastronomy Essays (Books)
#263 in Rich & Famous Biographies

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,554 global ratings
Exceptionally Enjoyable
5 Stars
Exceptionally Enjoyable
I read Ruth Reichl's GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES years ago and enjoyed it so much that I bought this book when it was published, but didn't get around to reading it until recently. I am sorry it took so long because I enjoyed this book as much as the earlier one.Ruth was loved, but her home life with her mother was hectic for many years. Ruth would try any food--in fact, she wanted to taste everything. I wonder if she got that way because her mothers cooking was so terrible, but she had to eat it to survive. I don't know any kids who aren't picky about what they eat just like I was.This book is about Ruth's life and her passion for food and the people who were patient enough to teach her about food and cooking. I am not a foodie, but I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading her others.
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Top reviews from the United States

HeyJudy
5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious!
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2001
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That Ruth Reichl is an excellent writer is proven by her career, as she moved east from reviewing restaurants in California to doing the same for the NEW YORK TIMES, on to her current position as Editor-in-Chief of GOURMET Magazine. There is no question that the quality of her prose makes TENDER AT THE BONE a quick-paced and fascinating read.
By her own account, Reichl's parents politely would be described as "eccentric." This eccentricity led them unceremoniously to dump her in a boarding school in Montreal, indifferent to the fact that French was spoken there exclusively, while their Ruth talked only English. Of course, the situation forced Ruth into learning French, which she came to speak with fluency. And this fluency greatly has assisted her with her career in the food industry.
Her mother was a dreadful cook and, even worse, she was a dangerous one. Reichl's report of the party her mother had hosted which ended with two dozen guests being admitted to the hospital with food poisoning is hilarious, just as long as the reader also wasn't one of that group of guests.
Therefore, not surprisingly, her parents failed to notice Ruth's keen appreciation of good cooking. Her epiphany came when she was a guest at the home of one of her French-Canadian classmates, and her description of this revelation is writing at its best.
TENDER AT THE BONE is a linear tracking of events which formed the woman Ruth Reichl became, each event illustrated by a food anecdote which displays the evolution of her growing appreciation of high-level cuisine. By some fortuitous quirks of fate, Reichl has been in the right places at the right times, such as Northern California when cooks there--she among them--were giving form to fine American cookery.
Ruth Reichl is food writing royalty and, in consequence, her memoir makes for delicious reading.
17 people found this helpful
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Meran Sanders
4.0 out of 5 stars in good condition, great book
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2015
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Arrived promptly, in good condition, great book. Spoilers ahead: if you started with Garlic and Sapphires, and are looking for the same sort of foodie/flavor discussion that was present in that book, it's not as present in this one. It's still there, Reichl is great at bringing to life flavors that you are vaguely aware of but don't really know how to process, but it felt to me that the book isn't as dedicated to food as Garlic and Sapphires. The recipes in the book are great and a lot of fun, some of them take a lot of work and a lot of prep. The only thing that disappointed me was the lessening of food discussion. It was great to read about the author's life and background, and her journey, though. Good book
11 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer Charlie 82
5.0 out of 5 stars Love a book and author who make you laugh out loud!
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2020
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If you are of a certain age and lived near or in the New York area in the 60s,
you might recall how life felt living in the bright lights and excitement of the times. Reich takes you personally on a journey with her delightful use of words as you feel like you are in a personal conversation now. I can identify with having a mother with manic depression and the confusion constantly of wondering if she even likes you. Life is nuts and your dad is passive and just accepts and excuses the situation. Moving to Berkeley to get away is one solution!

Cooking was a lifetime interest and passion she learned not from her mom who spent time away traveling and spending money, but from her delightful care givers who are given fabulous characterizations. Best are her recipes
on in every chapter, which made me long for the past. She was 26 in 1977, a year I remember well, my son was seven and we were starting over after a bad divorce. What else is new? Her cooking, friends, Doug and joy of life kept the early years busy, sometimes hectic and great material for a memoir.
8 people found this helpful
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Zaptec
3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, but needs magnifying glass to read!
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022
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The content of the book is 5 stars, but Random House needs to be knocked on the head for printing it in tiny font just to make it fit in under 300 pages. WTH! Just print the darn thing in a font size that normal humans can read without a magnifying glass!!
3 people found this helpful
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Helen Ford
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent from beginning to end.
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2012
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Reading is my number one hobby. I read my favorite books over and over finding something new each time I re-read them. As I buy lots of books, of necessity, I am very fussy about which books I keep to re-read. They have to be VERY special which Ruth Reichl's "Tender at the Bone" is and will be kept to be re-read over and over with great pleasure.
For reason's unknown I hadn't heard of Ruth Reichl until I read this book. How lucky I am to have stumbled on a great writer to add to my list of favorite authors. This very well written book kept me awake far later than usual as it was so very entertaining reading the hilarious tales and mouth watering recipes. Her antics at school, descriptions of her parents lifestyle, her teenage and young adult years all made for excellent reading. Ruth's writing style is very enjoyable and I look forward to reading her other books.
One person found this helpful
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Work N. Stiff
4.0 out of 5 stars Touching, Poignant and Hopeful
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2006
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Tender at the Bone gives the reader a closer glimpse of Ms. Reichl and the factors that made her the fine food critic she is today. Alternating between touching, funny, poignant and outright tragic, Tender at the Bone is a different sort of book than Garlic and Sapphires. Here we see Ms. Reichl as a young girl, caught between the mood swings and impulsive (and often nonsensical) behavior of a clearly disturbed mother and a father who isn't quite sure how to manage it all. The tales are absorbing, and Reichl again grabs the reader and takes them along for the ride. Be prepared to gasp with laughter and horror at the experiences she relates. Like her recipes, you'll be looking for more!
2 people found this helpful
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SCHUHSHINE
5.0 out of 5 stars Love the way Ruth Reichl tells a story
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2014
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Given how long ago this book was first published, and the fact that I just read it, I feel like someone who arrived late to a party ... but better late than never! Over the years, I've had the pleasure of seeing many of Ruth Reichl's foodie projects and have always had an appreciation for her public personna. This book gives an inside peek into Ruth's early family years and her first forays into the world of food. I've always liked Ms. Reichl's honest writing style, and I love the way she tells her story here. I also love the fact that she included a number of actual recipes (rather matter-of-factly for us foodies) for various menu items that were woven into the fabric of her tale. Thoroughly enjoyable read - highly recommended!
10 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Falé Do
5.0 out of 5 stars Relatable
Reviewed in Canada on July 14, 2019
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Love the book! It's funny and has life lessons. The author tells the story of her life in a way that her readers can relate.
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Sharon
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I ever read
Reviewed in India on April 21, 2020
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I’ve been wanting to read this author for 8 years. I don’t know why I’ve been so dilatory in buying this book. Ruth Reichl shares her life with a warmth, an immediacy of memory, and a generosity that is hard to forget. It was satisfying to read about the development of an unassuming young gourmet as a child/teen/adult and the excellent,
unofficial teachers she met along the way.
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Briona
5.0 out of 5 stars Just as precious as the cover!
Reviewed in Germany on June 23, 2017
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I had long wanted to read this book and am so glad I ordered. Ruth Reichl's fabulous life in print will not disappoint you. In fact, you will just have such a sense of appreciation for this darling, talented woman. I have an old Gourmet magazine when she was Editor and keep thinking I should get rid of it...I just can't let it go and wonder whom I can pass it along to. That is real validation for someone you honor.

Briona
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Barbara
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful description of growing up in a home where the ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 14, 2016
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A wonderful description of growing up in a home where the mother suffers a mental illness. It is both humourous and very moving and includes brilliant recipes which makes reading the book a delight!
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R H TAYLOR
4.0 out of 5 stars Good story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2021
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Great book to read enjoyed it
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