Humble Pie.Special Edition.Only 1.99. (Quick Reads) [Abridged] [Paperback]

Gordon Ramsay (Author)

Book Description

Series: Quick Reads | Publication Date: March 6, 2008

Everyone thinks they know the real Gordon Ramsay: rude, loud, driven, stubborn. But this is his real story! In this fast-paced, bite-sized edition of his bestselling autobiography Ramsay tells the real story of how he became the world's most famous and infamous chef: his difficult childhood, his brother's heroin addiction, his failed first career as a footballer, his fanatical pursuit of gastronomic perfection and his TV persona - all the things that have made him the celebrated culinary talent and media powerhouse that he is today. Gordon talks frankly about: / his tough childhood: his father's alcoholism and violence and the effects on his relationships with his mother and siblings / his first career as a footballer: how the whole family moved to Scotland when he was signed by Glasgow Rangers at the age of fifteen, and how he coped when his career was over due to injury just three years later / his brother's heroin addiction. / Gordon's early career: learning his trade in Paris and London; how his career developed from there: his time in Paris under Albert Roux and his seven Michelin-starred restaurants. / kitchen life: Gordon spills the beans about life behind the kitchen door, and how a restaurant kitchen is run in Anthony Bourdain-style. / and how he copes with the impact of fame on himself and his family: his television career, the rapacious tabloids, and his own drive for success.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Gordon Ramsay's Humble Pie -- so exuberantly angry boastful, cliche-ridden, expletive-laden and touchingly sincere that I can't believe that a single sentence has been written by anyone but the failed footballer, great cook, telly star and businessman himself. He's the genuine bollocks, as he's so fond of saying, and this is the tale of his personal class struggle.' -- The Observer 'Inspirational stuff.' Heat 'A mesmerising tale. It reads like a conversation and exudes personality. Ramsay finds it hard to dodge the f-word, but despite the defensiveness that comes accross, the book is an inspiration.' Irish Examiner

About the Author

Gordon Ramsay's radical career change at 17 years old led him to London and to huge success as chef, restaurant-empire-builder and celebrity. Gordon has published nine bestselling recipe books and has starred in the hugely successful television series': the Bafta award-winning Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and The F Word. In 2006 he was appointed OBE and saw the launch of his New York restaurant.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Pb; Abridged edition (March 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007270968
• ISBN-13: 978-0007270965
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #171,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Humble Pie, February 16, 2009

By 

Paul Gargan (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Humble Pie.Special Edition.Only 1.99. (Quick Reads) (Paperback)

I've never been a Gordon Ramsey fan - I've always thought he was playing a character on TV and he seemed a little too smug for me. I wouldn't have read this autobiography either except that it was recommended to me. As with all autobiographies, the essence of the man comes through - and he is a lot more likeable than I thought he would be. After finishing the book I'm less inclined to believe that he is "putting it on" for TV and I actually think that he doesn't really give a damm what other people think and that he is fanatically driven by what he does. I'm not sure he's someone that I would want to have a beer with - but I'm not the hater that I was either.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humble Pie, March 5, 2011

By 

Spider Monkey (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Humble Pie.Special Edition.Only 1.99. (Quick Reads) (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book by Ramsay. It is very readable and he comes across as supremely passionate about his cuisine and career. It is written in his own style and reads almost as he would say it. The details of his life, his upbringing, culinary education and family dynamics make for engrossing reading and this makes for an easy couple of days reading without any deeper pretensions. Well worth a go.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read, July 28, 2010

By 

Jodi M. Cornelius (Derrick City, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Humble Pie.Special Edition.Only 1.99. (Quick Reads) (Paperback)

As it says it's a "quick read" which meant I was done with it in one afternoon. But it was very interesting and told me some things that I didn't know about Gordon Ramsay from other books I have read. I highly recommend it for your Gordon Ramsay library.