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Toast
- The Story of a Boy's Hunger
- Narrated by: Nigel Slater
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
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Summary
Now a critically-acclaimed play at London’s The Other Palace Theatre.
‘Remarkable' Observer
'Acutely observed, poignant and beautifully written' Daily Telegraph
‘My mother is scraping a piece of burned toast out of the kitchen window, a crease of annoyance across her forehead. This is not an occasional occurrence. My mother burns the toast as surely as the sun rises each morning.’
Toast is Nigel Slater’s award-winning biography of a childhood remembered through food. Whether recalling his mother’s surprisingly good rice pudding, his father’s bold foray into spaghetti and his dreaded Boxing Day stew, or such culinary highlights as Arctic Roll and Grilled Grapefruit (then considered something of a status symbol in Wolverhampton), this remarkable memoir vividly recreates daily life in 1960s suburban England.
Likes and dislikes, aversions and sweet-toothed weaknesses form a fascinating backdrop to Nigel Slater’s incredibly moving and deliciously evocative portrait of childhood, adolescence and sexual awakening.
What listeners say about Toast
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- NMCB
- 07-09-19
Toast is wonderful.
How lovely to be read to by Nigel himself.
His story so endearing, heartbreaking, funny and tasty.
If only there was a way to see this book...
(Oh wait, there is, a play called ‘Nigel Slater’s Toast’ is touring the UK.
Wonderful!
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- Nicky Armstrong
- 27-06-20
Simply told and frankly honest
Flavoured with the taste of remembered dishes and sweets, I enjoyed every mouthful of Nigel's recounting of his childhood.
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- Anonymous User
- 17-03-22
Irritating
I’m sure the author deliberately speaks with his stroppy teenager voice as the book is about the early years of his life. Unfortunately it’s irritating to listen to.
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- Jonathan
- 26-09-19
Memoirs of a foodie's 50s and 60s childhood.
Honest, funny, tragic, reminiscences that will strike a chord with anyone born in 50s UK.
Engagingly read by the author, it finished too soon.
Thank you Nigel
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- T Bromley
- 08-05-23
I think I spat out my coffee more than once!
Another gem of Nigels. I so love his stories of his life. Enthralling, touching, tender and downright funny. This book had a few extras too that I wasn’t expecting but it all made sense in how it formed and shaped his life.
Off to download another book!
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- Louisa
- 13-12-06
Delicious
Even if you don?t like cooking very much, Slater?s passion for food comes across in every chapter, as does his love for his mother despite her appalling cooking. For some reason I?d got it into my head that the book was about an underprivileged boy who doesn?t have enough to eat ? but it?s not that ? it?s about a yearning for the love and comfort of home. I thoroughly recommend this book whether you like cookery or not. Slater reads the text himself and this is what makes the story so moving.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Kirstine
- 26-12-07
A moving autobiography leavened by humour
I found it difficult to give a star-rating to this book: Nigel Slater's writing and reading of his book merit five stars, however I found his understandable bitterness about his unhappy childhood moving, but also unsettling in that it felt as if I was listening to a patient speaking to a therapist. I hope he found this candid exposure of his feelings and sexual experiences cathartic. I'm glad I've read his Kitchen Diaries book so that I know he has found contentment in his later life. I hope he writes the next part of his autobiography.
His memories of food in the 1950s and 60s made this 50 something chuckle with recognition! The descriptions of his developing interest in good food and acquiring his cooking skills are a pleasure to hear about and give an insight into how his easy-going style of cookery evolved and how genuine his delight in producing enjoyable food for himself and other people.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Buyer
- 10-04-07
Great Book Shame About the Audio
I would have given it a 4/5 but for the muffled audio (even at best quality). The content is brilliant - I am a real Slater fan so this comes as no surprise - but I found it hard to lose myself in his vivid imagery because of the annoyingly bad recording. How frustrating. Still, it is an engaging listen. BTW although a foodie book it's not really about food - if you are looking for one of those he's written plenty of others.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Jason
- 17-09-05
A Real Feast
Nigel Slater's warm and funny autobiography is a real joy. Initally I was worried that the food theme would become waring and annoying. It did not as it acts as punctuation to the events that shaped his young life. At times hilarious and at others very sad Slater is very honest about some events that others would write out of their own life story. Throughly recommended, the only reason I give it 4 stars is because I'm hoping to encourage a sequel.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Pete
- 26-04-15
Growing up with food
Autobiographies become interesting when you hear how people have grown up rather than which celebrities they have met. Nigel Slater has produced a remarkable account of his early years which he relates to his memories of particular foods, tastes or smells. A truly enjoyable book.
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1 person found this helpful