Gordon Edgar (1)

I think I would have really loved each of the essays in this book on their own. As a collection it starts to be overly repetitive. I found Gordon's life and his values to be interesting, strong, delightful, and unusual -- I had never thought about what it would be like to work in a worker-owned co-op store. I enjoyed reading about the thoughtful path that led him there, and about his flowering from cheese enthusiasm to cheese expert. I liked his descriptions of the various cheeses and farmers. I wrote down a list of cheeses to try -- all in all, a success! But it was also kind of a slog to read straight through - it felt like a collection of essays rather than a cohesive autobiography.… (més)

Edgar wanted so much to gain employment at a San Francisco worker's cooperative that he applied for a job in the cheese department despite not knowing much about cheese. This memoir/manifesto tells of his two decades learning about cheese, visiting farms, attending conferences, and dealing with customers. Edgar draws on his past in punk rock to explore the community and ethics of the cheese world. This may be the least pretentious book about cheese possible, and I enjoyed reading Edgar's stories and opinions. I'm also hungry for some cheese.… (més)

Very enjoyable foray into both cheese and Edgar's value system. He's an unreconstructed punk rocker with a job in an employee-owned grocery store in San Francisco's Mission District. What's not to love about any of that, if you're me?

Whole vistas of undiscovered cheeses spread themselves out in front of me after reading this book, but more importantly, I came away with a better knowledge of the cheesemonger's life. Any retail life is fraught with moments which are hilarious only in hindsight, and Edgar's is no exception. He's an extraordinarily gentle man, so the tales from retail hell are tinged with more understanding and compassion than is usual. He's also mordantly witty.

Nicely done memoir is a bit repetitive in spots, but very well worth reading.… (més)