• Garlic and Sapphires

  • The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
  • By: Ruth Reichl
  • Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
  • Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,255 ratings)

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Garlic and Sapphires  By  cover art

Garlic and Sapphires

By: Ruth Reichl
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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Editorial reviews

Reichl, former New York Times restaurant critic, takes you on an undercover tour of the best New York restaurants. She makes you feel like you're right there with her, disguise and all. That's right, disguise. Because her work required anonymity, Reichl had to don new disguises in each restaurant. Her memories of both food and façade are fascinating and highly entertaining.

Her descriptions of food will have even the pickiest eater craving sushi, caviar, even squid ink! She also includes simple recipes for things like New York Style Cheesecake and Spaghetti Carbonara.

Narrator Bernadette Dunne sounds very much like Reichl herself, inhabiting every delicious moment and brining you along for the bite. Whether you're a food fan or not, this is a great memoir.

Publisher's summary

Garlic and Sapphires is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine anonymously. There is her stint as Molly Hollis, a frumpy blond with manicured nails and an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque. The result: her famous double review of the restaurant: First she ate there as Molly; and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic.

What is even more remarkable about Reichl's spy games is that as she takes on these various disguises, she finds herself changed not just superficially, but in character as well. She gives a remarkable account of how one's outer appearance can very much influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites.

As she writes, "Every restaurant is a theater...even the modest restaurants offer the opportunity to become someone else, at least for a little while." Garlic and Sapphires is a reflection on personal identity and role playing in the decadent, epicurean theaters of the restaurant world.

©2005 Ruth Reichl (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This wonderful book is funny - at times laugh-out-loud funny - and smart and wise." (The Washington Post)

"Reichl is so gifted...the reader remains hungry for more." (USA Today)

"Expansive and funny." (Entertainment Weekly)

What listeners say about Garlic and Sapphires

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Just wonderful!

If you love food, and it helps too if you're a fan of Gourmet magazine, you'll find this is a magical book. Beautifully read as well.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

excellent!

great narration. such an interesting story. will be purchasing another of her memoirs. top chef meets tootsie!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

But how do I write down the recipes?

Delightful read AND a real education about food -- I'll never just eat my way through a good meal again without savoring every taste! Even engaged my non-foodie teenage daughter. My only complaint is that it's very difficult to go back and find the recipes -- the audio breaks don't even coincide with chapter breaks, it seems.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyed the journey she led me on !

What a beautiful book! I felt like I was living her life in New York...thanks Ruth! So much fun!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Engaging and Fun

This is my favorite audible book so far. Ruth Reichl's descriptions of everything around her, and not just food, is a treat to listen to. The narrator, Bernadette Dunne, inhabits the charecter so well, that I had to look back to make sure that it wasn't the author reading her own book.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book!

I really enjoyed this book! I was skeptical at first if I'd be able to finish it, but it was not just facts about how to be a food critic, but a truly engaging story that I loved. I was disappointed when it came to an end. My Mom also has listened to this book, and enjoyed it as much as I did. I want more adventures! I also enjoyed the narrator's reading, she did a masterful job, and helped pull me in as well.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely entertaining!

A wonderfully entertaining look at the life of a restaurant critic at the NY Times and the lengths she goes to to avoid being recognized. Really makes a wonderful point that restaurant dining should be a theatrical experience for anyone, regardless of status or fame, and that all patrons deserve to be treated alike. An education on food and cooking as well. I appreciate that her recipes were included in the reading!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • nB
  • 01-09-07

if you love talking about food...

i love hearing about food and restaurants, so this is just perfect! there are fabulous descriptions of places in NYC - tastes and textures of each restaurant's food. you get to hear how some people are given better service than others, depending on our author's disguises. the book makes you want to savor your food more, hold it in your mouth - like good wine, and really enjoy what you eat. it also gives insight you what some restaurant servers may be thinking when they wait on you and the inner workings of some kitchens! i did not want it to end, so i plan to read ruth's previous 2 books. enjoy -- this is entertaing, informative and fun.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Nourishing!

This book and this reading are both fascinating and entertaining. Informative and fun. Loved it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Recipes are Great!

What a fun read! I chose this book for my book group after a string of really dense depressing books and what a wonderful time we had with Ruth's transformations as well as her own candor about her self discovery. We tried many of the recipes offered with much success. The lamb was awesome.

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