Garlic and Sapphires

The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

By: Ruth Reichl

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

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.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©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)

Funny, interesting, and like a warm hug

This book was fabulous! It was such an fun, engaging, and interesting read and I learned so much about the life of a food critic. That’s not a topic I’ve ever been interested in and I don’t love cooking like Ruth does, but it does not matter! Because this is a book about the human experience, relationships, family, friends, self-discovery, and warm memories of great meals shared. The sense of place is strong and I feel like I’m in NYC while reading. I can taste the food. Ruth is a great writer. This book is witty and feel good. Couldn’t recommend more highly.

Entertaining

could have done without some of the detailed discussions of the food and the recipes - I now its a book about food but... but I found it very entertaining. Liked the narrator

Had High Expactations...

I had very high expectations of this book from all of the reviews. And yes, I did enjoy it. It was easy to listen to... and entertaining. About 3/4 of the way through the book, I started to think, "Ugh. The same plot. Another disguise, another review, another recipe." There wasn't that much to the plot. With many audiobooks, I can't stop listening to the story. This one I could turn off and come back to later.

It wasn't until the very end of the book, and the interview with the author, that I realized this was a true story. I was surprised that this wasn't part of the book overview. Knowing that, I would have been a little more patient with the plot... I think :)

An amazing storyteller

I had to give this book another listen this last week. Ruth spoke at a Town Hall presentation last week in my hometown. In both her speech and her book, she reminded me of so many things I’ve loved in life. She reminded me about what I love in food; preparing it, sharing it, dining with friends, a simple dinner with my youngest child or entertaining a few dozen in our home. It was refreshing.

Foie gras for the brain!

So much fun I started over and listened a second time. Love all her books.

Thoroughly Entertaining

This book was a real treat. Ruth Reichl's descriptions of both food and settings are mouth-watering. Her attempts at disguise and her alter egos are both hilarious and poignant, and the narration was excellent.

tasty and fun

Where does Garlic and Sapphires rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I was surprised and how fantastic this book was, I knew nothing about the author and wanted something different this was a great choice, the story was so well done a great read and very entertaining I now want to read her other books

What was one of the most memorable moments of Garlic and Sapphires?

The insight into how different a lot of restraunts treat a lay person VS a critic is very interesting.

Which scene was your favorite?

Loved the scene with Carol her friend who passed away from cancer

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

lots of laughing

Enjoyable

Fluff, but enjoyable fluff. Foodies will find it interesting. Inspired me to look up some of the recipes online.

Garlic and Sapphires (Unabridged)

This book is fantastic! It's entertaining from start to finish. I've long been a fan of Ruth Reichl in print, and the audio book gives her writing added life. The story is great, the narrator is just about perfect, and you'll frequently find yourself hungry. The ONLY drawback is that she peppers the book with recipes - that's the one part it would be preferable to have in print.

disappointing

I had been really looking forward to reading this book, having read the author's columns for several years in the Los Angeles Times. However, although the premise of the story was amusing (restaurant reviewer forced to wear a variety of disguises), I found it repetitive after a while (how much foi gras and lobster can anyone eat?). Only moderately entertaining.