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An Extravagant Hunger: The Passionate Years of M.F.K. Fisher Hardcover – March 15, 2011

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Anne Zimmerman (Author)
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4.2 out of 5 stars 16 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Counterpoint; 1St Edition edition (March 15, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1582435464
  • ISBN-13: 978-1582435466
  • Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1 x 9.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,462,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA must-read for M.F.K. Fisher fans and foodies alike
By Loves to cook on February 17, 2011
Format: Hardcover
Utilizing information painstakingly gathered during years of coast-to-coast research, biographer Anne Zimmerman leads the reader through Fisher's formative years as an author, delving into her complex relationships with family, friends and lovers along the way. As one would expect in the biography of a beloved gastronome, Zimmerman's account often evokes the pleasures of the table--documenting everything from Fisher's simple peasant meals in Mexico to mouth-watering feasts in France.

A page-turner until the end, the book recounts Fisher's personal struggles, scandals, passions, and triumphs in a voice that is almost fond yet always candid. Fans of Fisher will delight in finding her unique, rich voice liberally sprinkled throughout, as excerpts from her private journals and published works seamlessly weave with Zimmerman's easy, flowing narrative. Fisher's numerous exploits and adventures will leave the reader often astounded yet always rooting for the woman whose unapologetic pursuit of pleasure could never be tamed.
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5.0 out of 5 starsHighly Readable
By Nigel Prance on March 18, 2011
Format: Hardcover
I have begun referring to MFK Fisher as the Virginia Woolf of the cucina. I intend the parallel to suggest that so much has been written and continues to be written about the life of Virginia Woolf. How much more can a body stand? Such is also the case with MFK Fisher. After exhausting her own writing, I moved on to the letters and then the writing of others about her. Then I read the Reardon bio and another Reardon edited collection entitled "A Story or a Stew." Friends told me that yet another Reardon production lies out there somewhere, but I was quite sated by all the Fisherama. So, when I read that yet another book about Fisher was set for publication, one that examined her youth, her marriage to and divorce from Al Fisher, as well as her relationship with Parrish, I could not imagine what more could be written? What more unearthed? Well, I am pleased to report that Anne Zimmerman has penned quite the engaging biography, one that moves beyond and behind the somewhat steely narrative Fisher presents to the world in her own writing. Apparently Zimmerman had access to papers others did not and from these she creates a thoughtful and thought provoking work. Now that I am moving toward the end of it, I find myself purposely putting the book aside hoping to drag out its pleasure -- what better recommendation can one offer? So whether you are a Fisher Aficionado or a newcomer, you will enjoy Zimmerman's work.
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3.0 out of 5 starsYou're better off reading Fisher's work
By Malfoyfan on April 20, 2011
Format: Hardcover
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I am a huge fan of MFK Fisher and have sought out books about her life over the years because I was curoius about some things that she didn't say in her own works. However, for me, this current brief biography, An Extravagant Hunger, didn't cut the mustard, so to speak.

As I was reading this book I was trying to figure out why it wasn't working, and after I finished I realized it's because it reads like someone's college term paper. There are a ton of quotes from Fisher's works, to the point where I felt the author might as well have just lifted the relevant paragraphs directly out of her books, rather than trying to constantly paraphrase her. I am sorry to seem harsh, but it reminded me of the way I was taught to write term papers in high school - "packed with facts" (thanks, Mr. Doucette!). There's little insight by the author. It's more just a narrative, and an occasionally repetitive one, and this surprises me since the author states she had access to a lot of papers and letters of Fisher's which provided new information. It seemed to me that most of what was said in this book can be gleaned from reading Fisher's own works.

Also, in covering only "the passionate years", the book feels like it rushes at the beginning and rushes again towards to end, to sort-of cover Fisher's entire life in 236 short pages. This technique did not work well for me. Although I'm fairly familiar with her life story, I felt like the author was being lazy in only covering part of her subject's life, and that not too thoroughly.

Although well-intentioned, this one is not a keeper for me, and I recommend that readers who are interested in Fisher's work actually read her books.Read more ›
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1.0 out of 5 starsHugely disappointing
By KayPac on July 14, 2012
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
As a decades-long MFK Fisher fan, I had hoped to learn something new by reading this volume. Instead, I found this to be largely a re-hash of previously published material written by MFK herself. This author's hop-scotch coverage of MFK's life results in huge holes in her story; in fact, there is more biographical information missing than included. For a more comprehensive biography on MFK, the reader can't do better than delving into Poet of the Appetites by Joan Reardon. For a more lyrical version, of course, one simply cannot do better than reading MFK's own books -- all of which were better proofread than this one.
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4.0 out of 5 starsAn Extravagant Hunger.
By Agatha on May 3, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I would recommend reading Among Friends along with this book for those who have enjoyed the books by MFK Fisher.

For anyone who has spent years reading books and articles by Fisher it is really good to learn more about her life.

These two books give different, but very interesting insights on Fisher's life.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsMFK fangirl....

You couldn't find a better subject as far as my tastes go, and there's a lot of good research here. The writing is bland, though, and towards the end it seems like the author got... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Ashley H. Mattox
1.0 out of 5 starsAn Extravagant Hunger: the Passionate Years of M.F.K. Fisher by Anne...

Not worth the money - extremely boring. I was hoping for more than the book gave me. It would have been better to choose another book about France

Published on December 8, 2012 by Patricia S. Undercuffler
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent read about an icon

As someone who had only a passing familiarity with MFK Fisher, I was assigned this book as part of a writing class. Read more

Published on June 13, 2012 by M. Dunkerley
5.0 out of 5 starsFilling in the blanks

It's hard to read MFK Fisher's work without wanting to know the real story behind the fresh-peas-for-lunch vignettes. Read more

Published on April 29, 2012 by KAL
5.0 out of 5 starsTakes me right into the world of M.F.K. Fisher!

What a beautiful book! Not only has Anne Zimmerman created a fascinating biographical account of M.F.K. Read more

Published on January 5, 2012 by Alana Chernila
5.0 out of 5 starsVery Satisfying

Whether you are a well-read fan of MFK Fisher, a "foodie" or simply looking for a good read, you won't be disappointed with Anne Zimmerman's inside look at a fascinating woman. Read more

Published on January 4, 2012 by Bookworm for Life
5.0 out of 5 starsAn Extravagant Hunger: The Passionate Years of M.F.K. Fisher

I read this book after attending a reading by Anne Zimmerman at the S.F. Public Library. I was captivated by the passages that Anne read and immediately began reading the book. Read more

Published on January 3, 2012 by Karen Salinger
5.0 out of 5 starsFascinating

This book kept me reading late into the night! I'm a huge fan of MFK Fisher, but knew nothing about her life, and this book really illuminated so many things about her. Read more

Published on January 3, 2012 by Amelia P Morris
5.0 out of 5 starsthe real thing

I met Ms Fisher a number of times, I drew her for an article in the SFChronicle, she charmed my then 10 year-old son with her re-telling of Sister Age, and I had a pretty good idea... Read more

Published on January 3, 2012 by cabbage
5.0 out of 5 starsAnne Zimmerman Has Done It Again!

Anne Zimmerman has an eye for what is important about M.F.K. Fisher. Forget the food - one finishes this book with an appreciation for Fisher's wants and needs in her life. Read more

Published on December 6, 2011 by Roger

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