“Waiting…The True Confessions Of A Waitress”
This weeks’ Wednesday Bookmobile tells the story of a wildly unappreciated part of our life: the Waitress. While it’s hard to imagine, it is a profession we interact with all the time, yet take for granted and don’t value it at all!
I recently read a terrific memoir that tells the story of a professional Waitress, and how she is viewed by society.
As Amazon points out about the book:
A veteran waitress dishes up a spicy and robust account of life as it really exists behind kitchen doors.
Career Waitress Debra Ginsberg told the story of her life, and her profession, with candor, honesty and wit.
But this terrific autobiography is much more than that – it’s a look inside the mind of a woman who was a “Career Waitress” – something she said no one could ever understand…here is an excerpt:
“In my experience, I’ve noticed that waiting on tables is one of two things that almost everyone thinks they can do. The other is writing. Perhaps its no accident that there is only letter of difference tweet waiter and writer.”
World’s WORST Profession? Really?
Here is her other point about how society feels about the job:
“A general societal attitude toward waiting on tables was outlined for me a few years ago on the game show ‘Family Feud’. The question was ‘what occupation would you least like your wife to have?’ The number one answer, gleaned from a variety of husbands, one assumes, was ‘waitress.’ Not stripper mind you, or prostitute. Waitress.”
Yes, the role of the “Waitress”, who makes our day better with fresh coffee, fast service and a warm smile, is ranked below PROSTITUTE!
Ginsberg fills her book with great anecdotes about interacting with customers, facing questions about what she “really” wants to do for a living, and the unique cast of characters she works with as well.
Amazon goes on to describe the book this way:
Part memoir, part social commentary, part guide to how to behave when dining out, Debra Ginsberg’s book takes readers on her twentyyear journey as a waitress at a soap-operatic Italian restaurant, an exclusive five-star dining club, the dingiest of diners, and more. While chronicling her evolution as a writer, Ginsberg takes a behind-the-scenes look at restaurant life-revealing that yes, when pushed, a server will spit in food, and, no, that’s not really decaf you’re getting-and how most people in this business are in a constant state of waiting to do something else.
Throughout the memoir, the Author talks about wanting to write, but “Waiting” was her first published effort, in 2001. Since then, she has published two other memoirs as well as four novels!
Her second memoir was “Raising Blaze: A Mother and Son’s Long, Strange Journey Into Autism” – which chronicled her longtime struggle to get her son the education he was entitled to. He was born during the narrative of “Waiting”, so in many ways this book is a sequel….
Bravo to Ginsberg for her unflinching look at an dramatically under-appreciated profession!
Recently, my wife and I saw the terrific new musical “Waitress” on Broadway – based upon the hit film of the same name:
The film tells the story of a Waitress who makes pies – pies with a lot of wacky names that are taken from events in her life, like this one:
Here is a look at the recipes from the film:
“Waiting” is a terrific memoir, and this Wednesday’s Bookmobile honors all who toil in this profession. Let me know if you’ve ever served others, and how it impacted your life!
Categories: Art, Books / Media, Food, food blog, Los Angeles, Memoirs, Movies, Pop Culture, Recipes, Restaurants
Awesome review! I probably need to pick up this memoir.
Been there… and a mixed bag as far as the customers go.. but still loved the job and had another stint only a few years ago to help my brother in his restaurant and I had forgotten how tough it was on the legs and feet…but still fun… But, it only takes one rude customer to ruin a shift…
Indeed! Thanks for the comment, it’s viewed as a job someone takes while trying to get a “real” job, and she takes that issue head on in the book in a very entertaining way!
I am always nice to waiters and waitresses but I suppose it is viewed an in between job. Something you do to make money while you are studying or before you go on a year’s tour of the world. It doesn’t seem to have a permanent feel to it like being a lawyer or a plumber.
Indeed, that is a main point of her book, and it does indeed impact how she is treated! Thanks as always for the comment!
Sounds like a great memoir! I waited myself through a couple years of college–and met some great people (staff and customers) that way. I enjoyed it better than bar-tending, which I did once I reached 21, because I could always escape to the kitchen as a server, but it’s harder to escape, stuck behind the bar. Really, both require more friendliness (and organizational skills) than I can muster over long periods of time. I think I would enjoy it more now, seeing it as a social experiment, than I did as a young student, doing it just to pay rent. I would also love to see that Broadway show. I loved that star in the show, The Americans!
The book is candid, funny, and honest about a profession that so many have had, and so few ever want to acknowledge it!
I did enjoy that film.
It has always been a thing of mine to be kind and polite to waiters and waitresses. Unfortunately, some of those who work in some of the places in London seem to regard it as a requirement of their job to be rude and patronising to customers. Since moving to Norfolk, all of the waiting staff we have encountered have been charming, even in the cheapest eateries.
Best wishes, Pete.