Book info

• Title Hungry
• Author Grace Dent
• Year 2020
• Genre Memoir

From an early age, Grace Dent was hungry. As a little girl growing up in Currock, Carlisle, she yearned to be something bigger, to go somewhere better. Hungry traces Grace’s story from growing up eating beige food to becoming one of the much-loved voices on the British food scene. It’s also everyone’s story – from treats with your nan, to cheese and pineapple hedgehogs, to the exquisite joy of cheaply-made apple crumble with custard. It’s the high-point of a chip butty covered in vinegar and too much salt in the school canteen, on an otherwise grey day of double-Maths and cross country running. It’s the real story of how we have all lived, laughed, and eaten over the past 40 years.

Thoughts

This is a lovely heartfelt memoir from Grace, detailing her life from childhood through family secrets to early career success and stumblings to a more comfortable but still difficult current situation. Everything is described brilliantly and as the memoir is grounded in the food that decorates each moment - from early spaghetti meals with the family to high art crafted meals in posh restaurants. It’s a really good read.

Rating: 4 / 5