One man's journey to create the perfect loaf. Not a recipe book but rather an expression of passion for baking. ( )

I just loved this book full of fun, adventure, knowledge, and - dare I say - spiritual enlightenment. Alexander has a penchant for digging deep and he spares no effort from growing his own wheat to travelling abroad for the perfect loaf. His determination is striking and his sense of humour is communicative. The last chapters are nothing less than amazing as he encounters characters as mesmerizing as the author's awakening in a French monastery that he will change forever. It makes one believe in miracles. ( )

I was first attracted to this book by its title. The idea that a man wants to grow his own wheat, harvest it, grind flour and do everything he can to reproduce an artisanal loaf of bread is intriguing to say the least. As a librarian, I must admit that I was more than a tad put off by the idea that he would begin a backyard wheat field without an ounce of research. He didn't know if he was planting the right kind of wheat for the region in which lived, if it was the right kind for the bread he wanted to make...Really? Hello? Call your local library. Finally on page 41 Mr. Alexander "hopped on to the Internet" and did a LOT of research. Many interesting side trips discuss events such as the pellagra epidemic of the early 1900s which caused hundreds of thousands of deaths until dietary experiments determined that dried yeast could prevent the disease. ( )

A great book about the quest for perfection, about connection with the past, about obsession, a spiritual journey and, of course, about bread. Funny, educational, and surprisingly moving. ( )

I enjoyed this book a lot, perhaps partly because I'm a little bread-obsessed right now, but also because it's entertaining and amusing. It's a little formulaic and predictable, perhaps, but I did learn a thing or two from it. It's well-crafted and witty. ( )