Reviews
"A nostalgic, truly American journey from impoverished immigrant to the eponymous owner of one of the country's most iconic restaurants, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Handwerker relates every knowable detail about Nathan's Famous: employee tensions, how the potatoes were sourced, even who painted the signed. He also nestles his grandfather's story in the greater context of family struggles, Coney Island, the history of hot dogs, and the evolving American landscape...Even though Nathan is gone and his business has been corporatized, his commitment and character still live on in the heart of the American dream." -- Publishers Weekly "A flavorful paean to his grandfather topped with heartwarming anecdotes about Nathan's Famous and Coney Island in its heyday as the proletarian Riviera." - The Wall Street Journal "Famous Nathan captures the tender and funny story of the man and the immigrant family behind the Coney Island hot dog stand that generations of New Yorkers will instantly recognize as an American icon. The American Dream lives on in Grandpa Nathan." -- Tilar Mazzeo, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It and The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris "Handwerker's book about Nathan's is an entertaining, anecdote-filled romp through the ups and downs of the Coney Island food icon. The book is chock-full of colorful stories and quotes. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the gastronomic history of New York." -- Ted Merwin, author of Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli "From Eastern Europe to the Lower East Side. From immigrant to icon. Our stories are similar. Only the food is different: theirs, the hot dog; our's, bagels and lox. This is a tale often told, but here told exceedingly well. A must-read for lovers of food and food history." --Mark Russ Federman, author of Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built "Everyone's a wiener in this frank account by a scion of hot dog nobility... A well-made, evenhanded, sometimes cautionary story of business, told with the affection and exasperation of an insider." - Kirkus "[ Famous Nathan ] is more than just a business case study or a rosy-colored family portrait." - The Daily Beast, "A nostalgic, truly American journey from impoverished immigrant to the eponymous owner of one of the country's most iconic restaurants, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Handwerker relates every knowable detail about Nathan's Famous: employee tensions, how the potatoes were sourced, even who painted the signed. He also nestles his grandfather's story in the greater context of family struggles, Coney Island, the history of hot dogs, and the evolving American landscape...Even though Nathan is gone and his business has been corporatized, his commitment and character still live on in the heart of the American dream." -- Publishers Weekly "Famous Nathan captures the tender and funny story of the man and the immigrant family behind the Coney Island hot dog stand that generations of New Yorkers will instantly recognize as an American icon. The American Dream lives on in Grandpa Nathan." -- Tilar Mazzeo, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It and The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris "Handwerker's book about Nathan's is an entertaining, anecdote-filled romp through the ups and downs of the Coney Island food icon. The book is chock-full of colorful stories and quotes. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the gastronomic history of New York." -- Ted Merwin, author of Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli "From Eastern Europe to the Lower East Side. From immigrant to icon. Our stories are similar. Only the food is different: theirs, the hot dog; our's, bagels and lox. This is a tale often told, but here told exceedingly well. A must-read for lovers of food and food history." --Mark Russ Federman, author of Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built "Everyone's a wiener in this frank account by a scion of hot dog nobility... A well-made, evenhanded, sometimes cautionary story of business, told with the affection and exasperation of an insider." - Kirkus "[ Famous Nathan ] is more than just a business case study or a rosy-colored family portrait." - The Daily Beast, "A nostalgic, truly American journey from impoverished immigrant to the eponymous owner of one of the country's most iconic restaurants, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Handwerker relates every knowable detail about Nathan's Famous: employee tensions, how the potatoes were sourced, even who painted the signed. He also nestles his grandfather's story in the greater context of family struggles, Coney Island, the history of hot dogs, and the evolving American landscape...Even though Nathan is gone and his business has been corporatized, his commitment and character still live on in the heart of the American dream." -- Publishers Weekly "Famous Nathan captures the tender and funny story of the man and the immigrant family behind the Coney Island hot dog stand that generations of New Yorkers will instantly recognize as an American icon. The American Dream lives on in Grandpa Nathan." -- Tilar Mazzeo, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It and The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris "Handwerker's book about Nathan's is an entertaining, anecdote-filled romp through the ups and downs of the Coney Island food icon. The book is chock-full of colorful stories and quotes. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the gastronomic history of New York." -- Ted Merwin, author of Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli "From Eastern Europe to the Lower East Side. From immigrant to icon. Our stories are similar. Only the food is different: theirs, the hot dog; our's, bagels and lox. This is a tale often told, but here told exceedingly well. A must-read for lovers of food and food history." --Mark Russ Federman, author of Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built "Everyone's a wiener in this frank account by a scion of hot dog nobility... A well-made, evenhanded, sometimes cautionary story of business, told with the affection and exasperation of an insider." - Kirkus, "From Eastern Europe to the Lower East Side. From immigrant to icon. Our stories are similar. Only the food is different: their's, the hot dog; our's, bagels and lox. This is a tale often told, but here told exceedingly well. A must read for lovers of food and food history."? - Mark Russ Federman, author of Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built "Famous Nathan captures the tender and funny story of the man and the immigrant family behind the Coney Island hot dog stand that generations of New Yorkers will instantly recognize as an American icon. The American Dream lives on in Grandpa Nathan." -Tilar Mazzeo, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It , and The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris "Handwerker's book about Nathan's is an entertaining, anecdote-filled romp through the ups and downs of the Coney Island food icon. The book is chock full of colorful stories and quotes. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the gastronomic history of New York.'" -Ted Merwin, author of Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli, "A nostalgic, truly American journey from impoverished immigrant to the eponymous owner of one of the country's most iconic restaurants, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Handwerker relates every knowable detail about Nathan's Famous: employee tensions, how the potatoes were sourced, even who painted the signed. He also nestles his grandfather's story in the greater context of family struggles, Coney Island, the history of hot dogs, and the evolving American landscape." -- Publishers Weekly "A flavorful paean to his grandfather topped with heartwarming anecdotes about Nathan's Famous and Coney Island in its heyday as the proletarian Riviera." - The Wall Street Journal "Famous Nathan captures the tender and funny story of the man and the immigrant family behind the Coney Island hot dog stand that generations of New Yorkers will instantly recognize as an American icon. The American Dream lives on in Grandpa Nathan." -- Tilar Mazzeo, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It and The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris "Handwerker's book about Nathan's is an entertaining, anecdote-filled romp through the ups and downs of the Coney Island food icon. The book is chock-full of colorful stories and quotes. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the gastronomic history of New York." -- Ted Merwin, author of Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli "From Eastern Europe to the Lower East Side. From immigrant to icon. Our stories are similar. Only the food is different: theirs, the hot dog; our's, bagels and lox. This is a tale often told, but here told exceedingly well. A must-read for lovers of food and food history." --Mark Russ Federman, author of Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built "Everyone's a wiener in this frank account by a scion of hot dog nobility... A well-made, evenhanded, sometimes cautionary story of business, told with the affection and exasperation of an insider." - Kirkus "[ Famous Nathan ] is more than just a business case study or a rosy-colored family portrait." - The Daily Beast, "A nostalgic, truly American journey from impoverished immigrant to the eponymous owner of one of the country's most iconic restaurants, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Handwerker relates every knowable detail about Nathan's Famous: employee tensions, how the potatoes were sourced, even who painted the signed. He also nestles his grandfather's story in the greater context of family struggles, Coney Island, the history of hot dogs, and the evolving American landscape...Even though Nathan is gone and his business has been corporatized, his commitment and character still live on in the heart of the American dream." -- Publishers Weekly "Famous Nathan captures the tender and funny story of the man and the immigrant family behind the Coney Island hot dog stand that generations of New Yorkers will instantly recognize as an American icon. The American Dream lives on in Grandpa Nathan." -- Tilar Mazzeo, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It and The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris "Handwerker's book about Nathan's is an entertaining, anecdote-filled romp through the ups and downs of the Coney Island food icon. The book is chock-full of colorful stories and quotes. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the gastronomic history of New York." -- Ted Merwin, author of Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli "From Eastern Europe to the Lower East Side. From immigrant to icon. Our stories are similar. Only the food is different: theirs, the hot dog; our's, bagels and lox. This is a tale often told, but here told exceedingly well. A must-read for lovers of food and food history." --Mark Russ Federman, author of Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built
