Thursday, January 18, 2018

"Serving the broccoli gods" by Mary Purdy, MS, RDN

Contrary to the title, this book is not a religious manifesto devoted to broccoli.  Rather, this book is a funny yet honest summary of the author's life.  Close to 100 pages, this quick read can be consumed in as short as a few days.  Readers learn how a budding actress from New York came to become a registered dietician nutritionist in Seattle.  They will also learn about her love story and eventual marriage.  Somewhere between memoir and short story and satire, Purdy's book offers key insights into the human condition while also not letting a page go by without soliciting a chuckle from the audience.  What I liked was the nutrition information inserted intermittently in the book.  There is enough detail, for example, to make readers know that eggplant is good for them but no so much detail as to intimidate those who have not gone to school for nutrition.  I should also note that this is more of a story and not any sort of reference book / cookbook.  For that, readers should go to Mary Purdy's website or view her online Mary's Nutrition Show.  I really appreciated Mary's spirit of determination and go-getter-ness.  Changing careers is not easy, going back to school is not easy, moving across the country is not easy, and seeing the person you love date other women is not easy (this was before Mary and her now husband were a couple).  Yet, through it all, Mary persevered and kept going after her goals.  Since there is some swearing and references to adult content (not graphic, but still there), this book is not recommended for children.

1 comment:

Mary Purdy said...

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and review the book! - Mary Purdy