Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Average Customer Rating:

The whole book needs salt

Customer Rating:

What could have been an interesting book about an interesting experience in an interesting city ended up being boring because it lacked in depth and character development. Flinn reports on her experience in a fairly predictable way and in exceptionally short chapters - tell the story of a lesson, pepper it with an anecdote about a classmate, then relate it to a story about the boyfriend or the City. End with a complicated French recipe that no one is ever going to make. The book is a string of these predictable vignettes, none of which is particularly exciting because there is little lead up - if the triumph over puff pastry had a deeper psychological significance then it would be interesting. Instead, the triumph over puff pastry was because, predictably, she practiced at home. Woo hoo! I ended up putting the book down 3/4 of the way through, realizing I was trudging through not caring about any of the characters and really wishing she explored one or two relationships in depth - her relationship with herself and a cooking teacher, for example. Flinn is frequently criticized for not using enough salt in her sauces, a simple device for bringing out the flavor in the ingredients. In my opinion, this whole book needs salt.

Funny, intellegent, story of life under heat in Paris

Customer Rating:

Over the last few years, I've discovered that reading about cooking can be great fun. And along the way I've also found out how much I don't know about cooking, which just adds fuel to the fire to learn more. One way I've discovered to fill the gap is to find out about other people's experiences. The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry is one of those experiences, seen through the eyes of the author, Kathleen Flinn. It's also a travelogue, the tale of a growing love affair, a close-in look at the French and especially the city of Paris, and most of all, Le Cordon Bleu, one of the best cooking schools in the world. The story begins as Kathleen has to decide on her future. She's in her mid-thirties, has just been let go from her job in London, and is at loose ends. Does she go back to the States, does she stay in London, or does she take an entirely new direction? That's the rather daunting choice that she's facing, but her boyfriend, Mike, suggests, why not follow your dream and go study at Le Cordon Bleu? It's something that she's always dreamed about, and on impulse, she find the on-line application, sends it off, and is amazed when she receives a reply to start in a matter of weeks. Talk about finding new direction in a matter of minutes! With a smattering of French, no where to really live, her boyfriend in Seattle -- and deciding to come live with her -- Kathleen plunges into the world of haut cuisine. It's an eye-opener of a book. Told in a series of small chapters, I laughed and cringed with Kathleen as she battled the language barrier, disdainful chefs, her fellow students, and her own preconceptions. Each chapter goes into learning about a particular food, or nuance of French behaviour, or the author's own struggle in coping. At the end of each one is a recipe, either the one that Kathleen was struggling with, or one inspired by the events in the story. There are references to other chefs, the history of just what is le Cordon Bleu (hint, it has nothing at all to do with chicken), various cooking terms, and at the end of the book, there is a suggested reading list for more exploration for the curious reader. Several sections of the book really touched me. One was learning that in France, a butcher would display rabbits with their heads still attached, as so to assure the purchaser that what they are getting is indeed rabbit -- and not cat. Needless to say, that was a little traumatic to read about. Another was having to endure the harsh critiques by the chefs -- including the opening chapter where a chef tells the narrator that she is wasting her time -- my heart ached for Kathleen, and it was so encouraging to see her own self-confidence and skills mature. But most of all was when Kathleen meets Julia Child, and the marvelous conversations that she had with her. That hit me right to the heart, and I had to go find my partner and read to him those sections as they were so well written. At the end of the story, I smiled, thinking of my own culinary escapades, and immensely cheered. For all of the conflict, and near misses, this is a very happy book to read -- Kathleen Flinn is one of those people who I would never mind meeting and sharing a meal with. Her personality shines through in the stories here, and her own strong will in being able to persevere through the worst criticisms is one that we need to read more about. Most of all, it's about never being afraid to try something new, or try for your own dreams to come true. It's something that I feel that is really needed in our own, rather uncertain, times, and this book fulfills that need admirably. Hands down, a four star read, and happily recommended.

Not very exciting

Customer Rating:

I too was very excited to read this book. I love cooking and I am married to a French man so we go to Paris very often. The story is not bad and gives you insight into Le Cordon Bleu, which I was always curious about. However, you never get the feeling that the author really opens up to the reader so it left me wanting more. A lot more. I am not unhappy that I read the book but I dont think I would recommend it to my friends. I had a hard time finishing it even though it is a very simple book. I am however looking forward to trying some of the receipes included in the book.

Deliciously Excellent!	Customer Rating:
This book is interesting and funny. It is one of those books that make you laugh out loud ... as proven for me at work when I was trying to look like I was working but was actually devouring this book. BUSTED. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the title is the best part - by far...

Customer Rating:

while it is true that certain aspects of this story might strike some readers as unfair or annoying (that she can afford not to work for a year and live in paris, and that she does all of this not as a career move, but more as a means to "find herself") the bottom line is that this is just not a particularly interesting or well- written book. in fact, it reads more like a journal than a compelling narrative. there is no suspense, no stakes, nothing at all to carry a reader through to the end - unless you're dying to know whether or not she graduates, which actually matters not at all, since her diploma is more a "badge of honor" than a means to an end. ultimately, it doesn't succeed on either level - as memoir or food journalism - as it manages to be somehow too small and personal to be universal, and not personal enough for us to care about the characters. anyone truly interested in the subject of cooking would do far better to read "heat", "kitchen confidential", or michael ruhlman's books (if they haven't already) for any real sense of what the life of a "chef" is like.