Toast cover art

Toast

The Story of a Boy's Hunger

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Toast

By: Nigel Slater
Narrated by: Nigel Slater
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About this listen

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.

©2023 Nigel Slater (P)2023 HarperCollins UK Food & Wine Gastronomy Witty Funny Feel-Good Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Emotionally Gripping Culinary Adventures

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All stars
Most relevant
A real delight. Nigel Slater is the perfect narrator - his humourous, wry and self-deprecating style instantly engages. This warm, funny, yet heart-wrenching memoir is a hugely entertaining and satisfying listen, especially for anyone nostalgic for Angel Delight and Bourbon biscuits.

Angel Delight

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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!

I think I spat out my coffee more than once!

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To be honest I have read the hardback version but it is great to hear Nigel Slater’s performance.

A very good book

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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.


A moving autobiography leavened by humour

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oh gosh. absolutely wonderful. felt like a trip back in time for me...reminded me so much of my own child hood in a lot of ways. Dandelion and burdock...no mention of Tizer though Nigel??

Nostalgia or what??

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