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Amarcord: Marcella Remembers Audiobook
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(3.04) - 170 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Marcella Hazan is known as America's godmother of Italian cooking. The owner of her own cooking schools, and author of bestselling and award-winning cookbooks, she has collected invitations to cook at top restaurants around the world.
Her story begins in Alexandria, Egypt, where an early childhood accident would alter the course of her life and bring her family back to her father's native Italy for medical treatment. In Italy, Marcella was fulfilling her ambition to become a doctor when she met Victor, the love of her life. After their marriage, they moved to America, where Marcella knew not a word of English or a single recipe. She began to recall and attempt to re-create the flavors of her homeland, giving cooking lessons in her tiny New York kitchen. Soon after, Craig Claiborne invited himself to lunch, and the rest is history.
Amarcord means ""I remember"" in Marcella's native Romagnolo dialect. Marcella, now eighty-four, looks back on the adventures of a life lived for pleasure and a love of teaching, and the twists and turns that brought her love, fame, and a chance to forever change the way we eat.
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"Warmly written, this direct and difficult but fascinating woman writes about her life and her work so that you can see and taste everything. For devotees of her cookbooks, it is a fascinating view of what's behind the food and the teaching."
— GraceAnne (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“What is striking about this memoir is the quiet way that preparing food, something Hazan almost took for granted in her first thirty years, became the thing she had to offer the world.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Hazan’s memoir is a terrific history of the expansive, postwar period when Americans were still learning the difference between linguine and Lambrusco, and an engaging chronicle of professional perseverance, chance and culinary destiny.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“This story is a real inspiration to me, how a small town girl became the empress of Italian cooking.”
— Isaac Mizrahi -
“Marcella Hazan’s memoir is as delicious as her food. Full of affection, friendships and deep connections to her roots, she ladles a grand minestrone into our bowls.”
— Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun
Awards
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An Audie Award Finalist
Amarcord Listener Reviews
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" Loved the early part of Marcella and Victor's life. Towards the end she seems a little prima donna - ish. Pictures of wonderful and some famous people not even one of her only child. "
— Lisa, 1/3/2014 -
" Not a bad read - very evocative of the period just before and after WWII in Italy. Don't read when you're hungry though (late subway rides home with this book were accompanied by much stomach rumbling)! "
— Ruru, 1/2/2014 -
" A good read. Not nearly as compelling as Julia Child's "My Life in France" but an enjoyable book from the woman who was instrumental in bringing true Italian cooking to America. "
— Lori, 10/30/2013 -
" A very personal memoir of interest to anyone who lived through the 80s and 90s when good food was serious for the first time and we were all learning to cook well and explore new cuisine at home. She should have titled her books..."more than tomato sauce" because we were all so naive and she introduced a new vision of Italian food you could not get in a restaurant. Marcella's cookbooks saved marriages. The behind the scenes view answers some questions I had - most mostly the "entertainment tonight" variety of questions. If you love her cookbooks, read and remember. "
— Susan, 10/12/2013 -
" Her story is great up to the point that she "makes it," then it feels like a lot of name dropping. But her descriptions of growing up in Italy and food, food, food are wonderful. "
— Alex, 10/8/2013 -
" Marcella Hazan, queen of Italian cooking. A companion to Julia Child's "My Life in France"--Hazan's contemporary. "
— Ann, 8/7/2013 -
" I do like her cookbooks, but this memoir was very disappointing, as in the second half it devolves into bitter recriminations about all the ways she's been wronged. Sigh. "
— Caroline, 3/17/2013 -
" The first half of the book, the origins of her philosophy and taste in cooking, was wonderful. The second half, primarily about marketing and people she met teaching, not as exciting. "
— Christopher, 12/1/2012 -
" Interesting life. This woman remembers every meal she ever ate. I felt like she glossed over some important details of her life, but I guess if I want to know what she is all about, I should read her cookbooks. And cook. "
— Gayle, 4/2/2012 -
" Love Italy, Italians, cooking and Italian cooking. What could be better than this combo? Seriously, a very enjoyable read. "
— Kristina, 2/20/2012 -
" Wonderful memoir. Really made me ache to visit Italy, learn how to cook Italian food, and know Marcella Hazan. "
— Colleen, 1/22/2012 -
" If you love Marcella Hazen's cookbooks then you will probably her memoir interesting as well. No recipes included, but I have most of her cookbooks anyway. "
— Pat, 10/21/2011 -
" As the author says, this is more a book of memories and remembrance than an autobiography. A thoroughly enjoyable read of her travels from Italy to the US, of the woman many of us look to teach us classic Italian cuisine. "
— Bibliovixen, 5/9/2011 -
" Loved the early part of Marcella and Victor's life. Towards the end she seems a little prima donna - ish. Pictures of wonderful and some famous people not even one of her only child. "
— Lisa, 9/15/2010 -
" Love Italy, Italians, cooking and Italian cooking. What could be better than this combo? Seriously, a very enjoyable read. "
— Kristina, 3/31/2010 -
" Interesting bio of Marcella Hazan who brought real northern Italian cooking to the US "
— Mary, 1/18/2010 -
" Wonderful memoir. Really made me ache to visit Italy, learn how to cook Italian food, and know Marcella Hazan. "
— Colleen, 12/9/2009 -
" Agreat read for foodies! Reads more like a collection of memories than an autobiography. "
— Jenn, 11/16/2009 -
" A good read. Not nearly as compelling as Julia Child's "My Life in France" but an enjoyable book from the woman who was instrumental in bringing true Italian cooking to America. "
— Lori, 7/24/2009 -
" Interesting life. This woman remembers every meal she ever ate. I felt like she glossed over some important details of her life, but I guess if I want to know what she is all about, I should read her cookbooks. And cook. "
— Gayle, 7/3/2009 -
" If you love Marcella Hazen's cookbooks then you will probably her memoir interesting as well. No recipes included, but I have most of her cookbooks anyway. "
— Pat, 5/31/2009 -
" Listened to this as a book on cd and really enjoyed it! <br/> <br/>Marcella............imperious, self absorbed, brilliant, cultured, educated and driven. A very interesting life. "
— Diane, 4/17/2009 -
" I wanted to like this book more than I did. Marcella has led an interesting life and I know that her husband has been a big part of that, but I didn't care for him. "
— Marzia, 2/9/2009
About Marcella Hazan
The recipient of two Lifetime Achievement Awards (from the James Beard Foundation in 2000, and the IACP in 2004) and a knighthood from her own country, Marcella Hazan is the author of six classic cookbooks published over the past thirty-five years. She lives in Longboat Key, Florida, with her husband, Victor, her lifelong collaborator and writing partner, himself an authority on Italian food and wine.