Eating Crow or The Apologist

[bloviatrix]

Several weeks ago a friend said to me "you'll like this, it's got food in it" and proceeded to hand me a reader's proof of Eating Crow, a novel the new book by Jay Rayner.

The book will be published in the US in early August. It's already been published in the UK under the title The Apologist.

In summary, the book is about a restaurant critic named Marc Basset, who is known for his sharp, eviscerating pen. When a chef commits suicide by roasting himself in his oven with Basset's scathing (but hysterical) review pasted to the door, Basset feels compelled to do something unusual for him: he needs to apologize to the widow. Basset comes away from the experience on a high and decides to go through his past and apologize to all those he's wronged over the years.

After one particulary heart-wrenching apology, Basset comes to the attention of the United Nations and is invited to become its Chief Apologist, trotting the world apologizing for colonialism, slavery, and other wrongs.

The book is very humorous. And there is plenty of excellent descriptions of food in the book. For those of you who spend way too much time here on egullet, you'll appreciate many of the references. I read the book over two nights -- it was hard to put down.

Eating Crow

[CompassRose]

Even your summary makes me laugh. I must keep my eye open for this, preferably at a discount price. I hate buying novels at cover price, because I read them in about an hour and it's not worth it.

[bloviatrix]

In order to further whet your appetites, I'm going to quote from Marc Basset's review that sets the whole novel into motion. Now, all reader's poofs say not to "quote for publication until verified with the finished book." So, Jay, if you're reading this ---if there are an errors, please feel free to correct them. I don't want to screw up your words.

Desparately poor cooking is not yet an offense punishable by execution, not even in some of the more enthusiastic states of the Southeastern US. But if it were, you could be certain that John Hestridge would be hanging out right now on death row, counting the days.  It is only to be hoped that should such justice ever catch up with him, he would have the good sense not to order any of his own dishes as his last meal.  No one deserves to leave the planet with that in their stomachs, not even John Hestridge.

Edited June 21, 2004 by Jonathan Day (log)

[jayrayner]

Well, it's the southern US and I think the word 'deserves' is spelt correctly, even in the proof but apart from that it's fine.

CompassRose, as ever amazon.com is offering the book at a pretty good discount. And anybody who would like to read more can go to

www.the-apologist.co.uk

Which is named after the UK title. There you'll find an outline, excerpt from the book, links to british reviews, links to all my restaurant reviews for the past four years and, most importantly, an apology log where you can apologise for all the terrible crimes you have committed.

And that's probably enough hard sell. For now.

[bloviatrix]

Well, it's the southern US and I think the word 'deserves' is spelt correctly, even in the proof but apart from that it's fine.

Mea culpa.

Unfortunately, my window for editing has past.

(Spelling error now fixed -- JD)

[Ling]

I saw it at Chapters yesterday and it sounded interesting. Has anyone read it yet?

[jayrayner]

Forgive me for being so ignorant but is chapters a bookshop? If so it's curious; the books not out in the US for six weeks.

[CompassRose]

Chapters is Canadian. Very often in Canada we'll get UK books before the US release date. (Even better, still with the correct spellings and wording as the author intended.)

That and the chocolate bars are some of the few remaining advantages we subjects of the Queen still enjoy.

[CompassRose]

Well, it's the southern US and I think the word 'deserves' is spelt correctly, even in the proof but apart from that it's fine.

"Deserves" is fine. "Desparately" (sic) is not.

Oops -- mea culpa; "deserves" is already fixed.

Edited June 21, 2004 by CompassRose (log)

[jayrayner]

Chapters is Canadian. Very often in Canada we'll get UK books before the US release date. (Even better, still with the correct spellings and wording as the author intended.)

That makes sense. The Canadian edition, in paperback, was published about three weeks ago: same cover and title as the US, only earlier you lucky things.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Book review from the NYT

The hero of Rayner's new novel, ''Eating Crow,'' also happens to be a restaurant critic -- a roly-poly but hardened gourmand named Marc Basset, who writes reviews so vitriolic that at the book's outset, one of them has led a restaurateur to crawl into an oven and turn himself into chef al forno. Initially, Basset puts the suicide down to ''the vicious realities of the restaurant trade,''

the Apologist website .. and more on this book

Built of delicate layers of heinous crime, forgiveness and outrageous gastronomy, Jay Rayner's new novel is a piquant satire of modern appetite and etiquette.

[Gifted Gourmet]

another review .. this by the Globe and Mail

Now I am literally dying to read this book!

The novel is darkly comic, a winning blend of caustic wit and abject repentance, and finally of the eternal war in the human heart (mind, if you prefer) between the need to smirk, gloat and malign, and the remnant fellow feeling that marks our species at its rare best.

Sundry delicious complications ensue. The personal becomes the political as apology becomes the new diplomacy. Marc, meanwhile, enjoys a perk-laden ride: huge tax-free salary, free New York apartment, world travel, hanging with U2. Of course, things fall apart, as they must.

Has anyone happened to read it yet??

[Blondie]

I'm on my way to pick up a copy now

[tsquare]

Finally got around to reading this - I can't believe how little attention it got. What a hoot - and so clever (well, I'm not quite finished reading.) The Acknowledgements recognize both egullet's Southeastern US bullentin board and Steven A. Shaw. At least in US edition. Thanks for the hoilday read Jay.

[jayrayner]

My pleasure. And, for the record, the acknowledgements are in all the editions (including the upcoming German and Russian editions; expect some cryrillic posts anyday soon.)