RIP Anthony Bourdain

Cormac McCarthy is another favorite, but alas, he does not drink. The Palace Hotel’s bar in Silver City NM was in “The Crossing”. That is close enough.

The Mrs. has a thing for bars with a literature connection.

 

There is a nice symmetry between Eiseley, Harrison, and McCarthy. It just made sense to me.I don't travel too much these days, but I'd love to drive back roads between New Mexico and Montana!

 

I lost a good friend, my brother in law and father in law to suicide over the last 7 years. It fucking blows to say the least. It's hard to see when people are suffering, the stigma of seeking help for depression is a huge reason that people don't do it. In hindsight we all say to ourselves " I should have seen this coming", but the reality is we don't always know. I miss my friends, and my family was completely blown apart, and I wish so much that one of them could have let the facade drop for one fucking second and let me know they needed help.

 

Not a fan of Harrison, but the Vierling is an old favorite -- might have to check into the writings.

Lord -- stay the heck out of Ireland.

 

Jim Harrison features in the Montana episode of Bourdain's "Parts Unknown."

 

I believe it was No Reservations, cause I certainly remember seeing that one on Travel Channel, not CNN. Though I haven't seen all Parts Unknown, so it is possible, and sometimes it seems the episodes run together for me. Not unlike some of Harrison's novels/novellas. Though Dalva, The Road Home, Brown Dog, and Returning to Earth are some of my favorites novels. I miss them both

 

Bourdain was with Jim Harrison in episodes of No Reservations and Parts Unknown.

True North and Returning to Earth are a continuation of the story of a family set in Marquette MI. Those could get intense.

The Brown Dog stories are more lighthearted, and the character is a lovable screw up, set in the Escanaba area.

Batalli wrote the intro for his last book, A Really Big Lunch.

 

Thanks, I'm going to check that out tonight.

 

Season 7, episode 4. I think you'll really enjoy it.

 

Thank you very much!

 

I didn't follow enough of Bourdain's work to speak as knowledgeably about it as some of the great comments here, but how he was revered in a way that seems to have transcended run-of-the-mill celebrity reminds me of the way I felt about David Bowie's death. Men who, by all indications, were as different as can be, and yet they shared a common--namely that they not only weren't afraid of going off the traditional path within their chosen industries, but that they actively embraced it.

If I was going to write an SAT analogy-style question involving Bourdain and Bowie, it would look something like this:

Bowie : musical genres :: Bourdain : food styles

Honestly, it's a little odd to me that I'm not more familiar with his work, because I get heavily into all that "foodie" stuff and one of my most memorable culinary experiences was the four-course meal I enjoyed at Eric Ripert's restaurant, Le Bernardin.

I may have to catch a few episodes of Parts Unknown on Netflix now that I know it's going to be running for awhile. And I'm definitely going to checkout Kitchen Confidential. Sounds like a fascinating read.

 

I guarantee he knew more about beer than most of the posters on here. Just by virtue of the fact that the man was willing to try everything. And what he drank on camera was definitely not all he was drinking. The best restaurants I worked in had the best curated beer selections (this was before the craft explosion), and the best chefs and managers I worked with knew beer as well as wine and alcohol. It wasn't uncommon for them to be home brewers, too. These are the people Bourdain interacted with in his day-to-day, so he was undoubtedly privy to more beer knowledge than most of us can even hope to achieve.

 

It is. The restaurant industry has changed, a lot, however. For the better. It's not quite as violent, misogynistic, and drug-addled these days. It's still all of those things, and there are a whole range of good and bad kitchens out there. I have stories to rival what Bourdain writes, as do most kitchen workers. So the book, like most people who've worked in restaurants, really hit home for me when I read it. But like many aspects of American culture, a lot has changed since the time that Bourdain writes about.

 

These statements are doubtful, at best. Might he have known more than the average beer drinker? Sure. More than someone with a dedicated interest in craft beer? Definitely not.

 

Actually, I heard him say that in the last few years he only ever drank booze for his show. Off camera he said he steered clear of liquor.

 

I feel the same way. I lost my cousin to suicide a few weeks ago. No one had any idea.

 

I really personalized his death. I'm generally not affected by celebrity deaths...but I definitely related to him in certain ways. I've been travelling and living in Asia since 2007. I've been to many of the countries he's visited on his shows. So whenever he shares an insight about smells, sounds, and feelings about life as an expatriate/traveller I could really relate.

He did have a deep cynical and jaded view about the world, yet a very human and empathetic view as well. That's the reality of being an expatriate. His international perspective almost was a curse to him.
He was a a compassionate realist who perhaps allowed his deeply jaded feelings to get the best of him. Perhaps the relationship with Asia Argento didn't help him much? He had a schoolboy crush on her and the media started questioning whether or not he was upset with something that happened between them. Not sure...He's irreplaceable and unique.
Cheers to Bourdain! His memories last forever!

 

Ditto. To me, he never seemed particularly happy. Driven and passionate, yes, but not happy.

He was still a great entertainer. Funny how many of these people, though, are really unhappy.

 

About to start up parts unknown on Netflix.

No reservations was one of my favorite shows. His wit and dark, cynical sense of humor got me hooked, but the educational aspect was just as good.

As somebody who has struggled with depression in the past, I definitely always got a depressed, almost nihilistic vibe from him. But that made me like him even more.

 

Total nonsense. Firearm ownership has declined over the last 50 years. Easy to google.

This whole thread makes me sick. A bunch of armchair academics spouting theories without data.