No Reservations

I have been a fan of Anthony Bourdain since Kitchen Confidential and have enjoyed all of his TV series-so I thought it would be fun to revisit "No Reservations" through the companion book, No Reservations: Around The World On An Empty Stomach (2007). It is essentially a picture table book with photos taken by his crew for private and promotional purposes with some commentary from Bourdain. The crew is introduced in"Meet The Band" which is followed by an "Introduction." The next several sections are arranged according to geographical location:"Asia," "Africa," "Beirut," "Europe," "North America," and "South America." Then there are four categories: "Food Porn," "Indigenous Beverages," "Bathrooms Around The World," and "Cooks." Then the usual "Resources," "Acknowledgments," and "Photo Credits." The "Resources" section is particularly helpful to the traveler with the subsections: "Where To Eat"-some suggestions of places to eat in the countries he visited, "Hazards"-photos of some of the problems met while traveling, "Tips For Travelers, and "Equipment." Bourdain has a way with words that makes his style engaging and entertaining-the only problem here is that I am hungry for more. I wish it had been more comprehensive.