Bourdain was Bourdain even before everyone knew him. His voice is so clear and his world view seems to have developed but not changed with the years. Noir from the mob goon's perspective can fail 100 ways but Bourdain creates a fun anti-hero in Bobby. The dame in this book is an idiot with impulse control issues, and she had potential to be an interesting character. That was a shame. Filled with sex and money and food and travel this novella is funny and really enjoyable. Listened to this for a commute plus a morning getting ready when I needed a break from the gutting nonfiction book I am reading (We Were Once a Family) and it was a solid 3.5. The reader was excellent. ( )

A great crime novel. Illuminating and human ( )

Ahhhh Bourdain writing fiction. Can it get any better? The premise of this book is a story about Bobby Gold, ex con and hit man. It's basically about him doing his "jobs" for his friend Eddie, finding a girlfriend and realizing living the life of crime isn't the greatest thing. The book was great, funny and sad.

For the rest of the review, visit my blog at: http://angelofmine1974.livejournal.com/80270.html ( )

Scherpe novelle over een bottenbreker die in de handen van de schrijver een man van vlees en bloed wordt.
De tragiek van het hoofdpersonage wordt bij wijlen prachtig beschreven. Een heel leesbaar boek van een bijzonder auteur, thuis in criminele en culinaire geplogenheden. ( )

Anthony Bourdain is an entertaining writer. In this one, he (almost) leaves food out of it, with a tough protagonist who is an enforcer for the mob.