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The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones by Anthony Bourdain

Shane Dunphy, May 17, 2006

I'm a big fan of Tony Bourdain. I think that, beyond being a great food writer, he's actually a hugely talented writer full-stop. He injects everything with a noirish, cynical, dark edge that brings even the most mundane scene to life. The world he inhabits is never dull, and his machine-gun prose drives you on to the next page at a breath-taking rate.
His books up to now (and I'll admit to not having read his fiction) have been a mix-and-match affair. 'Kitchen Confidential' is really his magnum opus, although he's beginning to write it off as a 'testosterone-fueled, machoistic memoir', which I feel cheapens it slightly. Was he exagerrating in places? I'm sure he was. Is it entertaining? Hell yeah!
'A Cook's Tour' is a collection of essays to accompany the series of the same name. Not as good as 'KC', but still brilliant in places. The introductory section in Vietnam is wonderful.
'The Nasty Bits' is a collection of journalism, and reflects that. Some sections are deep and others light and frivolous, as the demands of newspaper and magazine writing dictate. What strikes me most about the book is the level of self-loathing Tony seems to feel on such a regular basis since his new life and career have taken off. The essay 'The Dive' is probably the lowest ebb of this, with the author virtually attempting suicide. There are also hints that alcohol has become more of a comfort than maybe it should be, and I wonder what state the man's marriage is in these days.
But, besides all this shadow, there is much to enjoy. The book is a hoot, and I voraciously consumed it in two days whenever the time allowed. Anthony Bourdain is a great, great talent. I look forward to the next book.

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