The Bizarre Truth by Andrew Zimmern

I just finished reading a great book by local author and TV show host, Andrew Zimmern. If you have cable, you will know him as the guy who does Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel.

A couple weeks ago I was able to pick up his book at a Book signing. he gave a little talk beforehand about his travels and what he wanted to accomplish with the book. Along with the stories about all the different foods people eat around the world, he stressed his desire to show the cultures and the stories of the people he met as well. He talked a lot about the relationships that he created, however briefly, with the people who cooked the food he was eating. The people who lived it and loved it. And it was his desire to make the world a richer, but also a smaller place by writing the book and making his shows.

So, as I started reading his book, I didn't know exactly what to expect, and he set the book up with come big shoes to fill! After reading it, I can say he succeeded in his endeavor.

The book talks a lot about the different foods that exist around the world. We get glimpses of how other people survive on what is less than a plate garnish in this country and things we would never touch. We learn how some other people in this world eat a lot better than we do, even though they are less wealthy. We learn that food is its freshest when its locally sourced and cultivated.

But we also learn about the cultures that exist alongside the food. The principles that shape how and what different people eat and why. We get a peek into the stories of a few people we would likely never meet otherwise. I like the stories that Andrew tells about other experiences he has with various people as well as the stories about the food.

The book is not heavy or boring though. Its entertaining, engaging, and well written. There is a wry, self deprecating humor on the part of the author that is endearing. AZ is a person you could sit and have a beer with (except of course, for the fact he doesn't drink), and that translates into his writing. Its a fun travelogue along with a great food and culture book, and some of the scrapes he gets into are a riot.

Overall, this is a quality book that I think all would get something out of, whether it be just entertainment, or a little more understanding of the world along the way. Pick it up!