Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain

Written by:
Charles Leerhsen
Narrated by:
Vikas Adam

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
5
Narrator
2
Release Date
October 2022
Duration
8 hours 40 minutes
Summary
The bestselling, “unvarnished” (The New York Times), “engrossing” (The Guardian), “gritty, well-researched” (The Economist)—and definitely unauthorized—biography of the celebrity chef and TV star Anthony Bourdain, based on extensive interviews with those who knew the real story.

Anthony Bourdain’s death by suicide in June 2018 shocked people around the world. Bourdain seemed to have it all: an irresistible personality, a dream job, a beautiful family, and international fame. The reality, though, was more complicated than it seemed.

Bourdain became a celebrity with his bestselling book Kitchen Confidential. He parlayed it into a series of hit television shows, including the Food Channel’s Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and CNN’s Parts Unknown. But his bad boy charisma belied a troubled spirit. Addiction and an obsession with perfection and personal integrity ruined two marriages and turned him into a boss from hell, even as millions of fans became enamored of the quick-witted and genuinely empathetic traveler they saw on TV. At the height of his success Bourdain was already running out of steam, physically and emotionally, when he fell hard for an Italian actress who could be even colder to him than he sometimes was to others, and who effectively drove a wedge between him and his young daughter.

Down and Out in Paradise is the first book to tell the full Bourdain story, and to show how Bourdain’s never-before-reported childhood traumas fueled both the creativity and insecurities that would lead him to a place of despair. “Filled with fresh, intimate details” (The New York Times), this is the real story behind an extraordinary life.
Reviews
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Monica B.

Really wasn’t impressed with this one. I would recommend watching the Roadrunner doc instead.

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Felice D.

Well researched bio on Bourdain with the most revealing insights from his ex Octavia. I’ve read all the Bourdain biographies and this one delves into his childhood the deepest. Was his downfall really due to Argento? We learn that Tony continued to indulge for years in alcohol, and in the end steroids and Human Growth Hormone. While his heart was broken due to Argento’s poor treatment and ultimate breakup with him, Tony always remained close to and confided in Octavia. This book does not answer the question of why he reportedly died with so little money, and unfortunately does not discuss his relationship with his daughter in any detail. Overall, an excellent read. I felt that the narrator was completely wrong for this project and would have been better as a game show or reality show host and his delivery negatively impacted the tone of the book

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