Book Review: Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville
Metro Jacksonville's Kristen Pickrell provides us with a review of Dorthy Fletcher's recently published book, 'Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville.'
Food is highly engrained in our culture, and often acts as a catalyst for some of our fondest memories. More often than not, people can think back to their childhood and remember their favorite place to eat and what their “usual” was, or where they went with their whole family every single Sunday after church.
Dorothy K. Fletcher works to keep these memories alive in her latest historical nonfiction book, Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville. Fletcher’s book is a brief historical journey through twenty-plus of Jacksonville’s oldest restaurants. Fletcher’s book is broken down into three major sections, “City Core Restaurants,” “Over the River,” and “Everywhere Else,” to ensure most of the major districts of Jacksonville were not overlooked. Shying away from commercialize restaurants, Fletcher’s book is a comprehensive overview of favorite “Ma and Pop” places. Fletcher compiles old phone books, newspaper articles, and memories of fellow citizens and kin of the original business owners to paint a picture of what the old food industry in Jacksonville looked and tasted like.
Fletcher’s book works to highlight the locations, operations, and famous menu items of some of Jacksonville’s finest, and works to explain what happened to the restaurants and the implications our growing populations have on the food industry. While Fletcher’s book appears to exclude certain styles of restaurants like sub shops or pizza places, these issues are well addressed in the conclusion. Fletcher’s book is well researched, thoughtful, and a necessary staple in the diets of historical nonfiction readers and foodies alike.
Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville goes for $19.99 at most book stores and would make a great gift this holiday season.
For more information and to purchase your online copy, click HERE.
Review by Kristen Pickrell
Dorothy K. Fletcher works to keep these memories alive in her latest historical nonfiction book, Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville. Fletcher’s book is a brief historical journey through twenty-plus of Jacksonville’s oldest restaurants. Fletcher’s book is broken down into three major sections, “City Core Restaurants,” “Over the River,” and “Everywhere Else,” to ensure most of the major districts of Jacksonville were not overlooked. Shying away from commercialize restaurants, Fletcher’s book is a comprehensive overview of favorite “Ma and Pop” places. Fletcher compiles old phone books, newspaper articles, and memories of fellow citizens and kin of the original business owners to paint a picture of what the old food industry in Jacksonville looked and tasted like.
Fletcher’s book works to highlight the locations, operations, and famous menu items of some of Jacksonville’s finest, and works to explain what happened to the restaurants and the implications our growing populations have on the food industry. While Fletcher’s book appears to exclude certain styles of restaurants like sub shops or pizza places, these issues are well addressed in the conclusion. Fletcher’s book is well researched, thoughtful, and a necessary staple in the diets of historical nonfiction readers and foodies alike.
Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville goes for $19.99 at most book stores and would make a great gift this holiday season.
For more information and to purchase your online copy, click HERE.
Review by Kristen Pickrell