ANTHONY BOURDAIN REMEMBERED

IF I’M AN ADVOCATE FOR ANYTHING, IT’S TO MOVE. AS FAR AS YOU CAN, AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. ACROSS THE OCEAN, OR SIMPLY ACROSS THE RIVER. WALK IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES OR AT LEAST EAT THEIR FOOD. IT’S A PLUS FOR EVERYBODY. ~ ANTHONY BOURDAIN

Anthony Bourdain's death hit me hard. I'm not even sure I can explain why. I'm as far from a foodie as you can get. I was not a religious viewer of his shows. But there was just SOMETHING about Tony that you knew, if you listened to the man for any length of time, was infinitely more than food and television. When I saw a galley of Remembering Anthony Bourdain I didn't even hesitate, just whispered an internal "Hell yes."

Had I looked more closely, I might have thought twice, so I'm glad I didn't. Bourdain worked for CNN and following his suicide the network established a social media portal that allowed fans to send in their thoughts, memories and thanks. The book is full of quotes from fans and famous collaborators, including Barack Obama, Eric Ripert, Ken Burns, and Iggy Pop to name just a few of the varied well-knowns.

At first it seemed a bit cheesy. The e-format did it no favors and it looked as though it had been hastily thrown together. Text didn't line up, photos were offset, you get the picture. Then two things happened. First, I read the book was originally created as a keepsake for Bourdain's daughter Ariane and his estate agreed to share it publicly. That made it seem less like a profit venture for CNN. Second, I saw a physical copy in my local indie. That's when I knew how much the e-galley really did it no favors. Because on nice stock, formatted correctly, it's really beautiful. I leafed through it all over again standing in the store and will definitely be buying a finished copy for my table.

STREET SENSE:  Anyone who was either touched by Anthony Bourdain or wants to feel what it's like for one man to touch so many people should open this book and start perusing.

A FAVORITE PASSAGE: This book is nothing but lovely sentiments, which makes it a bit more difficult to pick a favorite. Here are a few that highlight how Bourdain inspired people to travel, inspired people who couldn't travel, and opened the world to tolerance:

 "My mother had passed away, and one night I was watching him. Feeling lost and alone, I decided I was buying a plane ticket to Asia, one-way, packing a backpack, and going off the grid. I was going to eat with locals, and see the parts of Asia that I thought would only be a dream. I was going to find peace in losing my best friend and mother through travel and food. I would like to think if he would have ever known my story, he would have been proud of a fifty-year old single woman leaving the East Coast (US) and finding my way to new friends and an open mind to try anything even if I did not know what I was eating or even where I was going on a seven-week trip."

"I discovered Anthony Bourdain by accident and since then I have never missed an episode. My husband and I have a disabled son, so we will never get to travel the world, but with his show we got to see all these beautiful countries through his eyes. He has inspired us to be more open-minded."

"Anthony Bourdain traveled to Colombia (more than once) when people were still afraid to go there. He told our stories with respect, honesty, and kindness. He made me feel like Colombians mattered. I had fought the stereotypes of who we are in the US for so long. He showed the beauty and the pain we had gone through. Gracefully. He was my living room friend. An advocate. I am devastated by the loss of his voice."

"I regularly showed the Iran and Nigeria episodes of Parts Unknown in my high school comparative politics course. In Iran, he celebrated the beauty of ancient traditions that exists alongside religious fundamentalism and the oppression of journalists. In Nigeria, he painted a complicated portrait of cosmopolitanism and emerging economic power with extreme poverty and government corruption. Yes, he loved to sample the world’s food and drinks, but he used food and cooking and eating to explain some of the most basic sources of joy and meaning and pride that people can get out of life. Through these shows, he challenged Westerners (especially Americans) to question our perceptions and judgments of other cultures, to acknowledge history, and to embrace our common humanity."

I could go on. Just go get the book.

COVER NERD SAYS: The soul in those eyes.