Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery

Those who loved James Lileks' GALLERY OF REGRETTABLE FOODS will be the best audience for this inevitable but by no means disappointing follow-up, GASTROANOMALIES: QUESTIONABLE CULINARY CREATIONS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN COOKERY. It follows much the same path as its predecessor, with bad photography, overanxious puffery and phallic phoods on display. A treat lies within, though -- A Betty Crocker "Bisquik" booklet, ca. 1940, filled with nervy lies about Bing Crosby's "mammy" (he was born in Tacoma, Washington, for cryin' out loud!), Joan Crawford's housewifery, and Clark Gable's he-mannish "flapjack" breakfasts. Worth a shot, but for the first-timer I'd still recommend GALLERY OF REGRETTABLE FOODS.

James Lileks has done it again. I'm still fondest of THE GALLERY OF REGRETTABLE FOOD and INTERIOR DESECRATORS but GASTROANOMALIES deserves a place of (dis)honour near these worthy tomes. This time there is no attempt to explain the origins of the revolting dishes (with one exception: 'food' from Austalia that explains why that country's liberal immigration laws have greatly improved its cuisine since the time of this 'cookbook's' publication--it couldn't have gotten any worse!) I think Mr. Lileks' creative writing is at its best in the "Please let her pick the bananas" section. I wonder if any of these dishes were actually prepared by the victi--uh, cooks. If people then were like people now, the books were just for lookin'. Maybe some of the pictures were intended for dieters--you won't want to eat after viewing some of the greasier, sugarier examples in this appallingly hilarious book.

If I could, I would give this book six stars. I just bought it at my local Big Box Bookstore and sat down to read it in the store but literally had to leave because I was laughing so hard. People were looking at me funny. So I read it at home, making those alarming laugh-snort-gasping sounds. Now my dog is looking at me funny. Once again, Jame Lileks skewers the horrible foods of the mid-20th century. How could things so bland and tasteless manage to look so disgusting? Why are the colors of these dishes brought to us by Technicolor on steroids? Yes, this was the era when " 'Mexican' meant three entire grains of pepper added to a gallon of tomato juice" and pizza crusts -- when pizza was consumed at all -- seemed to be made of Saltine cracker crumbs. Lileks also shows us what Satan brings to every darn potluck (Silly me. I thought he'd bring lutefisk.), and ponders the secret ingredient in the oceans of white sauce -- bleach, maybe? If you loved Lileks's "Gallery of Regrettable Food" and thought it was one of the best humor books ever, like I did, come back for a hearty, heapin', second helping of lard-filled laughter, held up for your amusement in a colorful yet quivering aspic.

The chapter on "how to drive off your husband with lousy cooking" is some of the funniest, horriblest photography and writing I've had the pleasure of reading in months. Lileks is wonderfully droll. The meat dishes are disgusting. What on earth were these folks thinking? For samples of the author's sense of humor, his website is www.lileks.com. If you like what you see, buy his books and keep him in business.

Lileks does it again, breaths new life into old books and skewers it all like cocktail weenies in a sea of pork and beans. I wanted to point out that I think Bacon'egger is a former action movie star and the governor of a western state.

The latest book from James Lileks does not dissapoint. If you enjoyed The Gallery of Regrettable Food you'll certainly get a kick from Gastroanomalies. I'm amazed that these dishes were ever considered appealing to anyone. Lileks strikes home with his scathing critiques of some truly horrifying culinary creations. If you like absurdist humor with a liberal sprinkling of potty jokes, you should enjoy this book. I had to stop reading this at work for it literally made me Laugh Out Loud. I eagerly await future reader reviews from people who thought they were buying a cookbook or are offended that he pokes fun at "Granny's favorite recipe."