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Born Round

A Story of Family, Food and a Ferocious Appetite

Frank Bruni

First published 2009 · 368 pages

A funny, vulnerable exploration of how a lifelong, complicated obsession with food transformed into a professional calling and a balanced life.

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What it feels like

Reading this memoir feels like sitting at a crowded, noisy family dinner table where the conversation swings wildly between uproarious laughter and quiet, vulnerable confessions. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging pace, driven by a deeply candid voice that refuses to shy away from the painful realities of compulsive eating and body image struggles. Yet, despite the heavy subject matter, the atmosphere remains remarkably warm and appetizing, steeped in the rich culinary traditions of an Italian-American upbringing. The prose is sharp and reflective, capturing the chaotic energy of a life ruled by an outsize appetite. It is a perfect read for anyone who appreciates food writing that digs into the messy, emotional core of how and why we eat.

Mood
  • warm
  • chaotic
  • vulnerable
  • appetizing
Tone
  • hilarious
  • heartbreaking
  • candid
  • wry
  • reflective
Pace
brisk
Themes
complicated relationships with food · family dynamics and culture · body image and weight struggles · career transitions · finding balance
The writing
Candid and engaging, balancing sharp humor with vulnerable self-reflection.
The arc
Moves from the chaotic, hungry struggles of youth to a nervous but ultimately balanced acceptance of self and appetite.
Who it's for
Readers who love food memoirs that do not shy away from the messy, emotional realities of eating and body image.
Content notes
  • compulsive eating
  • dieting and weight loss
  • body image struggles

About the book

The New York Times restaurant critic's heartbreaking and hilarious account of how he learned to love food just enough after decades of wrestling with his weightFrank Bruni was born round. Round as in stout, chubby, and hungry, always and endlessly hungry. He grew up in a big, loud Italian family in White Plains, New York, where meals were epic, outsize affairs. At those meals, he demonstrated one of his foremost qualifications for his future career: an epic, outsize appetite for food. But his relationship with eating was tricky, and his difficulties with managing it began early.When he was named the restaurant critic for the New York Times in 2004, he knew enough to be nervous. He would be performing one of the most closely watched tasks in the epicurean universe; a bumpy ride was inevitable, especially for someone whose writing beforehand had focused on politics, presidential campaigns, and the Pope.But as he tackled his new role as one of the most loved and hated...

Description from Open Library.

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