The Anthony Bourdain Reader

The definitive, career-spanning collection of writing from Anthony Bourdain, assembled for the first time in book form, with an Introduction by Patrick Radden Keefe

Anthony Bourdain represented many things to many people—and he had many sides. But no part of his identity was more important to him than that of a writer; it was one of the central ways he saw himself. Revealing Anthony Bourdain’s observant, curious, and hungry mind, The Anthony Bourdain Reader is a collection of Bourdain’s best writing and touches on his many pursuits and passions, from restaurant life to family life to the “low life,” from TV to travel through places like Vietnam, Buenos Aires, Paris, and Shanghai.

With pointed opinions on the specific use of brioche buns, the devastation of Western foreign policy, and the pain and pleasure of hot pot, this new collection encapsulates the unique brilliance of a once-in-a-generation mind and one of our most distinctive writers. After Bourdain’s years of traveling the globe in search of the very best of cuisine and culture, The Anthony Bourdain Reader is a testament to the enduring and singular voice he crafted, with eclectic and curated chapters, including visceral graphic novel excerpts, some of his most well-loved recipes, and never-before-published pieces.

Edited by Bourdain’s longtime agent and friend Kimberly Witherspoon, and with a new Introduction by Patrick Radden Keefe, this is an essential reader for any Bourdain fan as well as a vivid and moving recollection of his life and legacy.