Great book. I really enjoyed the story of Achatz's life, the process of opening his restaurants and his fight against cancer. The only issue I had with this book was the transition between sections written by Achatz and those written by Kokonas. The transitions weren't very well done and made a lot of the book feel very disjointed and confusing. ( )

I enjoyed this read about Achatz & Kokonas, and their drive to build their dream. ( )

I'm not sure why I decided to read this book (listen to book on CD, actually), since I'm definitely not into trying different kinds of foods or eating in fancy restaurants. But I'm glad I did read it. I found the story rather universal - one person's quest for excellence in a certain field. I thought he told the story with honesty, describing the bad side effects that focus can have on a personal life and the sacrifices made. Yet there it is, the undeniable driving force to be the best. I never expected to almost come to tears reading a book about a chef, and yet I did, when he talked about his fight against cancer I had to hold back tears while driving down the road. You don't have to be a "foodie" to be interested in this book. ( )

Very engaging, heartfelt account of the evolution of a creative chef and his trials with cancer. ( )

If you are interested in teeny tiny food and really huge egos, read Life, on the Line.

The first paragraph of the letter that I received with this book says: " At the age of 36, Grant Achatz has already achieved the kind of success that most chefs, and indeed, most people, only dream of. In fact, he was literally at the top of his profession by the age of 32, when his Chicago restaurant, Alinea, was named the #1 restaurant in America by Gourmet magazine. Within months, however, Achatz's world would crumble when he learned he had Stage IV squamous cell carcinoma -- tongue cancer. The diagnosis couldn't have been worse. As Achatz notes, there is no Stage V. At best, doctors told him, he would lose his tongue and the ability to talk and taste, but live for a couple more years -- maybe. Instead, with the unflinching determination he has demonstrated time and again, Achatz opted to do things differently, and better."

Then I expected to get some background information to help us understand what made Achatz tick and then get to the part where he uses that determination to save his own life against overwhelming odds.

After the first 100 pages I was starting to understand his motivation but was not warming up to him or his business partner, Nick Kokonas.

Reading a description of why Achatz's first interpretation of PBJ I wondered if I was going to make it through the book at all. This course consisted of a single grape with the stem still attached, peeled, coated with peanut butter and wrapped in a tiny brioche then lightly broiled. It failed to measure up to his standards until he found a vendor who could supply single grapes on a stem with a leaf still attached.

Nonetheless I slogged through the next 100 pages of blatant advertising for his restaurant, Alinea, and his six-month totally loveless marriage and divorce.

Finally on page 305 Achatz gets cancer. Bang! Like a rocket he skims over his initial diagnosis, second opinion (reacting exactly the same way that I did showing none of the unflinching determination that was promised), third opinion, chemo, breaking out in Erbitux zits, losing his hair, constipation, radiation, losing his sense of taste, burns, throwing up, losing weight, recovering his sense of taste, surgery to remove lymph nodes and getting back to normal.

It is interesting that Achatz used Dr. Singh's real name and that the publisher's lawyers didn't make him use "Dr. X". Assuming that anyone can make Achatz to anything.

I'm adding a sympathy star and recommending instead John Diamond's book, [b:C: Because Cowards Get Cancer Too...|1229015|C Because Cowards Get Cancer Too...|John Diamond|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1182071087s/1229015.jpg|434140].

Later Note: Five publishers rejected Life, on the Line before Penguin took it on and Achatz. Penguin obviously knew that all the publicity Achatz has already had was much more important to sales than a well-written book. Achatz has also bragged in several interviews that he fired his ghost writer -- as if it weren't obvious. ( )