Rated of 5
by Jennifer Disappointing
Expecting an interesting combination of food and travel stories, I was quite disappointed in Moira Hodgson's book. Rather than pulling the reader in with interesting characters, she spends too much time in recounting personal encounters with names I didn't recognize. I felt out of step with her stories, but perhaps this book would be a better fit for those growing up in the WWII era.
Rated of 5
by Marge It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: My Adventures in Life and Food
What captured my interest was the title. How could I not want to read this book--I quite enjoy good ideas, life, and food! This book isn't just about food; it starts out with the author, Moira Hodgson, traveling with her parents to different countries and the cuisine she and her family experience in each. An interesting aspect of this book is that it is not a cookbook but there are recipes throughout. They are not hard to follow. The stories in the book are not hard to follow either and if one likes learning and reading about different cultures, social classes, and their cuisines from a participating observer (as Ms. Hodgson is), then this book is for you.
Rated of 5
by Anne An interesting life
I liked this book very much. Possibly because many of the author's experiences paralleled my own. She has a knack for bringing places and times vividly alive in her writing. However, I doubt this book will appeal to a large audience because of the time period. Set in somewhat "mainstream" 50s, 60s, and 70s, the author had an interesting life, but not a fascinating one. I imagine women of a "certain age" would like this book, as I did.
Rated of 5
by Diane Dickinson Not such a good idea....
Being a foodie, I was all set to enjoy a book about Moira Hodgson's adventures in life and food, but I was disappointed. I found her writing to be shallow and disjointed. Unlike Ruth Reichl's books in which I became engrossed in the food and the surroundings, Hodgson did not seduce me into caring where she was or what she was eating. She's obviously led a very interesting life, but falls short of involving her readers.
Rated of 5
by Penny This memoir covers epicurian delights...
Along with travel and other escapades of life. The author rehashes her life in a way that makes the reader hungry for more. The memories are wonderful. Next thing you're trying to guess what's coming up on the menu or what the next recipe is. Stories served up from Great Britain, the Middle East, boarding school and Vietnam are only hints of this banquet of living. At times wordy the reader will still crave more.
Rated of 5
by Marie It Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time
Hodgson takes her readers on an adventurous trip to the many countries she lives in and travels to and along the way introduces us to the culinary traditions (with recipes) from the various areas. She is adept at weaving descriptions of her experiences, places, incidents, and individuals together, thus making this memoir an interesting, enjoyable read.
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