About Me

My photo
I am a recently retired high school educator who is learning to spend time doing what I want to do. This is a new challenge in its own sense. It's like walking into a buffet and knowing you can eat all you want and not get full or gain any weight and for once you have absolutely no idea what you want. But I look forward to the journey of figuring it out.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

In Memory of Bread

Paul Graham's memoir, In Memory of Bread,  is one of the most entertaining reads I have experienced this summer.  A delightful surprise, Graham's book has taught me a wealth of information about his journey being diagnosed with Celiac disease as an adult and how he eventually learned to live, eat, and bake gluten free.

In choosing this read, I honestly did not expect to be entertained.  My daughter, recently graduated with her dietician and nutrition degrees and acquired her registered dietician licensure.  She helped me to choose this selection to read.  I did so to pass the book on to her after my review.  I expected the book to be a dry account of gluten sensitivity and diet requirements.  Well, I was most whole-heartedly wrong.  Not only was Graham's book full of information about the ideas behind the upsurge of gluten sensitivity in the United States, but his writing was full of humor and voice that I devoured the book with zeal.

I felt sympathy for him when he wrote about missing the hot bread and beers that he loved so in his past. I understood his anger when he tried to bake gluten free breads, make gluten free pastas and the attempts were complete failures that left him throwing a bit of a culinary temper tantrum.  It can happen.   I laughed out loud when he stated another attempt at a gluten free product, crepes, "made me its bitch."  Most of all I learned compassion for his circumstances.

I confess, I did not feel the true struggle someone with gluten sensitivity endures until I read Graham's memoir.  When so many gluten free products flooded the markets during the last couple years, I thought it was a bit of a marketing fad.  Healthy individuals were embracing the gluten free items as if they were a necessary alternative eating regimen.  I thought this was silly.  Now, although I do believe some choose gluten free unnecessarily, I also understand the desperate need for the products for individuals that suffer from gluten sensitivity and full blown celiac disease.  That so many products are now available is a blessing, and I am happy for them.

I certainly enjoyed In Memory of Bread, and recommend this book to anyone living with gluten sensitivity, wanting to learn more about the disease, or those just wanting to read a great piece of writing.  In Memory of Bread is a true joy.


FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review

No comments:

Post a Comment