"Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain" by Charles Leerhsen is a gritty and unvarnished account of the turbulent life of the "Parts Unknown" host. Leerhsens book is a solidly researched and, despite its press, not especially lurid biography. It is the first book to tell the full Bourdain story, and to show how Bourdains never-before-reported childhood traumas fueled both the demons and the passions that would drive him throughout his life. Leerhsens writing style is straightforward and unapologetic, much like Bourdains own. The book is not the most subtle thing youll ever read, but it is a mass-market rock bio that is hard to put down. Leerhsen leans heavily on unnamed sources, but his admiration for Bourdain is nearly always apparent. Its hard to say if Bourdain would have liked this book, but either way, I suspect he would have admired the authors guts.
The controversy surrounding the book is not unfounded. "Down and Out in Paradise" contains unflattering details about Bourdain and quotes private communications from the final days, and hours, before his suicide in 2018. Bourdains younger brother, Christopher Bourdain, has accused the book of being defamatory, and many of Bourdains friends and colleagues declined to speak to Leerhsen.
Despite the controversy, Leerhsens book is an engrossing portrait of a complex and varied life. The title "Down and Out in Paradise" is an nod to Orwells "Down and Out in Paris and London," a favorite book of Bourdains and the model for his bestselling memoir "Kitchen Confidential." It is also an encapsulation of the question that has haunted his legacy from the time the news first broke of his death in a French hotel room.
Overall, "Down and Out in Paradise" is a must-read for any fan of Bourdains work. It is a fitting tribute to a man who lived life on his own terms and left an indelible mark on the world of food and travel.
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