It Ain't All About the Cookin'
These days, my definition of a good book is one that I must read before the week is up (my standards have changed drastically since child #2). Paula Deen’s memoir is a great book! Her book is written in the colorful style that she speaks in and (seems to) live by. She is refreshingly honest with her memories…from her struggles with agoraphobia after her parents dies to a foolish affair with a married man. Recipes are sprinkled throughout the book to emphasize a point in the respective chapter. This is also a great book for entrepreneurs because she candidly shares the various steps she took in her business from catering bag lunches from her kitchen to her restaurants/books/tv programs, etc. She gives great, practical advice on both running a business and “running a life” based on her mistakes and successes. The things that I like the most about the book are:
1. Her Southern charm – I love New York with all my heart, but I will always be a Southern gal
2. The fact that she started her business out of necessity later in life – In our youth-obsessed society, it’s sometimes easy to think that if you haven’t done something “great” by the time you’re 30 that it’s too late. It’s inspiring to learn that Paula didn’t even start the foundation of her future successful business until she was in her 40s.
3. She is a hard worker – At the end of the day, the one common denominator of all truly successful people is that they work hard at what they do….Paula Deen is no exception.
