GOURMET RHAPSODY

M. Pierre Arthens, France's supreme restaurant critic, reminisces about his life of gastronomic delights as he lies on his deathbed. His every waking moment is devoted to mentally identifying the singular taste that represents the apex of his existence . . . paradise . . . a cosmos of pleasure. A chorus of talented voices alternates in delivering a stark portrait of this master of French cuisine. Even his alabaster statue of Venus, as well as his cat and dog, have a voice in depicting the dying man. Epicurean ecstasies are articulated finely by each of the diverse narrators; the infinite details of meals past are conjured with lyrical expression. Arthens describes the art of food criticism as "adornment with an eternity of words," and the novel's profound 29 vignettes support the seductive essence of the cuisine they celebrate—even while some denigrate the man who experienced them. A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2009]