Reviews for The Raw and the Cooked: Adventures of a Roving Gourmand

The average rating for The Raw and the Cooked: Adventures of a Roving Gourmand based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-11-15 00:00:00 Mark Zappa I had read an excerpt of this book for a class assignment and the macho food talk was oddly enjoyable. It reflected a certain gusto for just living life that resonated with me. I picked up The Raw and the Cooked so I might see what else Harrison's writing had to offer, and I wasn't disappointed. His food porn descriptions had my stomach rumbling like I'd been reading one of Brian Jacques' Redwallian feast passages. His style isn't flowery or ambling, Harrison talks frankly about food, sex, and his love of the outdoors and has some great lines throughout that had me snorting to myself as I read. The book reads like Tony Boudain's No Reservations. Actually I suppose that should be reversed, No Reservations seems to come from Harrison's style and stories. I admire and am a little bit jealous of Harrison's forays into the eating world, his descriptions of places visited and meals tasted left me with a bit of wanderlust. Some of his passages feel name-droppy, but I suppose being able to share meals with those types of people warrants the liberty of doing so. The diction is clear and easy to read. I can imagine sitting with Harrison in some cabin and listening to him talk about being outdoors-y. I'm not much of a woodswoman, but Harrison manages to make it seem like the only way to live. I can believe there's a great deal of enrichment that comes from shooting your own meal and slathering it in as much artery-clogging, delicious butter as possible... No I completely agree with him, and now I'm hungry for game birds that I'm not even sure I would actually like the taste of. I'm in love with the way Harrison works with words. "Life is too short for me to approach a meal with the mincing steps of a Japanese prostitute." Brilliant. I had the biggest grin when I read that line, it's such a silly way to address a typical metaphysical quandry. Life is too short, and Harrison embraces the idea of living it to the fullest in a way that's inspiring. Normally the macho, gung-ho idealism turns me off from any type of entertainment, but Harrison reminds me of a curmudgeonly grandpa that you like to keep around during the holidays thanks to his sharp tongue and great one-liners. What I got from The Raw and the Cooked was an inspiring bit of life experience from someone who's been around for quite a bit longer than I have. Harrison's book only helped to strengthen my need to travel and adventure and taste, because the overarching theme in many memoirs and works is this: we're given only a certain amount of time, and not one moment of it should be wasted. I think that any novel that gives that kind of message is worth reading and taking to heart.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-10-12 00:00:00 Julio Cisneros Harrison has a voracious appetite for three things: the outdoors (ie. hunting), poetry, and cooking and eating obscene amounts of fatty, rich food (mostly of the wild game, organs, and head cheese variety). His writing is assertive and manly -- think Hemingway on the Food Network. I've known people who can't stand Harrison's books and think he's a pompous arrogant lout. I, on the other hand, love this book and am fascinated by the way Harrison approaches life (and his food) with a profound, unapologetic gusto. I tried his poetry and couldn't get into it but I suppose I more than make up for it with my affinity for this particular book. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart or those who prefer their food writing more on the Julia Child side of things. If, however, you are more adventurous in spirit and can keep up with the savage passion by which Harrison lives his life and eats his food, then this is for you.