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The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter, and Tears in Paris at the World's Most Famous Cooking School Paperback - 2008

by Kathleen Flinn

In 2003, Flinn, a 36-year-old American living and working in London, cleared out her savings and moved to Paris to pursue a dream diploma from the famed Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. The ultimate wish fulfillment book, her story is a true testament to pursuing a dream.


Summary

Read Kathleen Flinn's posts on the Penguin Blog.

This is the funny and inspiring account of Kathleen Flinn’s struggle in a stew of hot-tempered chefs, competitive classmates, her own “wretchedly inadequate” French, and the basics of French cuisine. Flinn was a thirty-six-year-old middle manager trapped on the corporate ladder—until her boss eliminated her job. So she cashed in her savings and moved to Paris to pursue her lifelong dream of attending the venerable Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. Fans of Julie & Julia and the late Julia Child will be richly rewarded by this vibrant tale of self-discovery, transformation, and ultimately love.

From the publisher


"...engaging, intelligent, and surprisingly suspenseful." --Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

The unforgettable New York Times best-selling journey of self-discovery and finding one's true calling in life
Kathleen Flinn was a thirty-six-year-old middle manager trapped on the corporate ladder - until her boss eliminated her job. Instead of sulking, she took the opportunity to check out of the rat race for good - cashing in her savings, moving to Paris, and landing a spot at the venerable Le Cordon Blue cooking school. The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry is the funny and inspiring account of her struggle in a stew of hot-tempered, chefs, competitive classmates, her own "wretchedly inadequate" French - and how she mastered the basics of French cuisine. Filled with rich, sensual details of her time in the kitchen - the ingredients, cooking techniques, wine, and more than two dozen recipes - and the vibrant sights and sounds of the markets, shops, and avenues of Paris, it is also a journey of self-discovery, transformation, and, ultimately, love.

Details

  • Title The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter, and Tears in Paris at the World's Most Famous Cooking School
  • Author Kathleen Flinn
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reprint
  • Pages 304
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Books, New York, New York
  • Date 2008-09-02
  • ISBN 9780143114130 / 0143114131
  • Weight 0.55 lbs (0.25 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.34 x 5.54 x 0.65 in (21.18 x 14.07 x 1.65 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Themes
    • Sex & Gender: Feminine
  • Library of Congress subjects Cordon bleu (School: Paris, France), Flinn, Kathleen - Knowledge and learning
  • Dewey Decimal Code B

Media reviews

' An engaging story about a fantasy fulfilled. It's Under the Tuscan Sun goes to cookingschool.'
Michael Ruhlman, author of The Elements of Cooking and The Soul of a Chef

' A joy to read . . . A compelling story about learning to cook and learning to love at thesame time, told with humility, humor, and passion.'
Bill Radke, host of NPR's Weekend America

' This tasty offering . . . seems destined to earn an honored place on the crowdedbookshelves of many foodie readers.'
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

About the author

Kathleen Flinn has been a writer and journalist for nearly twenty years. Her work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, USA Weekend, Men's Fitness and many other publications. She is a proud member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the Author's Guild. She divides her time between Seattle and southwest Florida.
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