{"product_id":"wine-girl-9780349726250","title":"Wine Girl","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the Fortnum \u0026amp; Mason Food and Drink Awards Drink Book Award 2021\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLonglisted for the André Simon Food \u0026amp; Drink Book Awards 2020\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''Hugely entertaining''\u003c\/b\u003e Jay Rayner\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eA brilliantly Bourdain-ish tale of a young woman making her way through the sexist American fine-dining world'' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eObserver\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAged twenty-one, Victoria James was named the US''s youngest sommelier, working in Michelin-starred restaurants, serving the finest wines. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe groping patrons she learned to handle, but, behind the scenes, the world of high-end dining was a mess of fractious relationships and unacknowledged abuse. It would take hitting rock-bottom for Victoria to find her way back to the industry she adores. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWine Girl\u003c\/i\u003e is the memoir of a young woman breaking free from her traumatic childhood. It''s the story of overcoming a notoriously misogynistic business, and of the restorative power of a glass of wine with friends.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn uplifting story of grit and resilience that will leave you with an appetite for the pleasures that James so vividly describes\u003c\/b\u003e * Mail on Sunday *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHugely entertaining\u003c\/b\u003e -- Jay Rayner * Observer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJames does for wine what Anthony Bourdain did for the high-pressure, low-margin \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eworld of professional restaurants, exposing secrets kept from customers\u003c\/b\u003e . . . James offers a fresh lexicon for a young generation of \"cork dorks\" hungry to know and talk about wine . . . But James's story is edged with the darkness of her experience in hospitality . . . [her] story shows how precarious life on the knife-edge of survival in the restaurant industry really is. Almost unbelievably, she retained an abiding love for wine * Financial Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDon't read this book without \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ewine to hand.\u003c\/b\u003e I glugged at the gossipy bits, sipped at the sad parts . . . In \u003ci\u003eWine Girl \u003c\/i\u003eJames spills all on Manhattan's fine-dining world . . . \u003cb\u003eyou'll raise a glass to her extraordinary resilience\u003c\/b\u003e -- Laura Pullman * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA brilliantly Bourdain-ish tale of a young woman making her way through the \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003esexist American fine-dining world. \u003c\/b\u003eA glass of rich white burgundy, such as Christophe Cordier's, will enhance the experience of the chapter in which James deals hilariously with a chauvinistic mansplainer and a bottle of super-expensive white burgundy -- David Williams * Observer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWine Girl \u003c\/i\u003espeaks to a new \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003egeneration. \u003c\/b\u003eThis memoir is not an easy read. It is, yes, about discovering wine and becoming a sommelier, but also about a difficult upbringing . . . and gender politics, and sexual abuse and harassment in and around the \"toxic world of fine dining\" * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eNeed something quick and escapist? \u003cb\u003eSommelier Victoria James's memoir \u003ci\u003eWine Girl\u003c\/i\u003e of her time in the toxic restaurant industry is addictive\u003c\/b\u003e * Stylist *\u003cbr\u003eFor anyone interested in food, or the dark underbelly and exhilarating fizz of restaurant life, \u003ci\u003eWine Girl\u003c\/i\u003e is \u003cb\u003ea page-turning read\u003c\/b\u003e * the i *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWine Girl\u003c\/i\u003e is funny, bracing, disturbing, and above all necessary.\u003c\/b\u003e Victoria reveals the best and darkest in who we are and how we dine. I couldn't put it down -- Bianca Bosker, New York Times bestselling author of Cork Dork\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn inspiring, captivating story of resilience\u003c\/b\u003e * Kirkus Reviews *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJust the light-yet-escapist read you're in the mood for\u003c\/b\u003e, this memoir by sommelier Victoria James unpicks the institutional misogyny of the fine dining restaurant scene that's perfect for fans of \u003ci\u003eSweet Bitter\u003c\/i\u003e and also reminds you of the nourishing joy of good food, good people and good wine * Stylist *\u003cbr\u003eIn this gritty, eloquent memoir, James, who became America's youngest sommelier at twenty-one, talks about overcoming sexual assault and sexism as she built a career in the restaurant business . . . James grippingly discusses working at several high-end restaurants and wading through ugly swamps of unwanted advances and crude comments before finding a happy home at Michelin-starred Cote, where she is the beverage director. \u003cb\u003eThis is a captivating story of resilience from a sommelier who hustled hard to conquer her profession\u003c\/b\u003e * Publishers Weekly *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne can't help but root for James's hard-won success\u003c\/b\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eSommelier Victoria James's deeply personal book is by turns harrowing and inspiring . . . From \u003ci\u003eWine Girl\u003c\/i\u003e I learned as much about the resilience of the human spirit as I had about the wonders of wine. And turned the last page with a profound feeling of gratitude to Victoria for sharing her story and becoming a model for women everywhere -- Dana Cowin, former editor-in-chief of Food and Wine\u003cbr\u003eThis affecting, informative memoir is crucial reading for wine lovers, food lovers, and anyone thinking about making their way in the rough-and-tumble world of big-time restaurants -- Adam Platt, New York Magazine restaurant critic\u003cbr\u003eJames puts her own career and reputation at risk for writing such a frank book. But it's also crystal clear that she cares passionately about the industry. This is not a pity party - it's written more for other women caught in the place she was. This is not revenge arson, wanting to see the whole show go up in flames - it is\u003cb\u003e a clarion call for \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003echange\u003c\/b\u003e * Jancisrobinson.com *\u003cbr\u003eAmerica's youngest sommelier reveals the sleazy underside of the world of fine dining in this insightful memoir * Sunday Times (Best Paperback of 2021) *\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48733692100951,"sku":"9780349726250","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780349726250.jpg?v=1720001245","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/wine-girl-9780349726250","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}