Books by Craig Claiborne

[TAPrice]

I've been digging through the Times Select archives recently. It's a great tool for a tracing a subject all the way back to the 19th. When I reached the 1960s and ran across an article by Craig Claiborne, it's amazing what a breath of fresh air he is. His writing is very crisp and engaging.

I'd like to read more, but I don't see any published collections of his work. Everything on Amazon looks to be cookbooks. Any suggestions? I could just search through the Times archives, but that wouldn't be a very efficient approach.

[Music]

I have a wonderful book by Craig Claiborne called "A Feast Made For Laughter, Craig Claiborne's Memoir With Recipes." I don't know if it's still in print, but was published by Doubleday in 1982. It is memoir up to page 226, which is the menu for the famous $4,000 dinner in 1975. Next is a section called "My Recommended Cookbook Library," then "My One Hundred Favorite Recipes." I had forgotten about this book. I'm going to read it again. Good luck finding it.

[TAPrice]

Thanks. It looks like there are some used copies on Amazon.

Does anyone know if he published a collection of his NYT pieces?

[Priscilla]

Todd, I love Craig Claiborne and have all his books. Right up there with Elizabeth David and Madeleine Kamman in his influence on my cooking. He was even, as noted elsewhere on eG, gracious enough to reply to a fan letter back in 1987.

The most important ones, which have come up here on eG from time to time, at least, as above, among me, are just what you're looking for, I think, a 4-volume collection called Craig Claiborne's Favorites comprised of (a selection of) his NYT columns. They are among my most-consulted books.

He was so far ahead of his time in so many ways, the proof saved in in snapshot form in his columns.

A quick look at ABE turned up 179 results.

Be sure to get all 4 volumes!

[ruthcooks]

There are four volumes of "Craig Claiborne's Favorites" which are columns from the NYT. Some are mostly recipes, but many contain a lot of editorial content.

OOOOPS! Cross posting.

Edited July 30, 2007 by ruthcooks (log)

[jgm]

In one of the first two volumes of Favorites, there is an absolutely wonderful article about a dinner in France he purchased at a public television auction. It's followed by an utterly hysterical parody by humorist Russell Baker. Not to be missed!

[Fat Guy]

Both of those commentaries on the infamous Paris dinner are also included in Molly O'Neill's recent anthology, "American Food Writing."

[Priscilla]

Nora Ephron also had an essay, in which collection I ferget, commenting in a critical way on the Chez Denis meal.