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There are certain audiobooks that feel less like “listening” and more like being invited into someone’s life for a while. Stanley Tucci’s What I Ate in One Year is very much that kind of book.
After absolutely loving Taste—which I listened to and reviewed a few years ago—I couldn’t wait to dive into Tucci’s follow-up.
While Taste felt like a love letter to food, family, and identity, What I Ate in One Year is more intimate and observational. As the title promises, it’s essentially a journal of everything Tucci ate over the course of a year—but somehow, it never feels mundane.
If anything, it made me hungry. Constantly.
A Life Told Through Meals
Rather than a traditional memoir, this book unfolds day by day, meal by meal. What Tucci eats is deeply tied to where he is and what is happening in his life—whether he’s filming his role in Conclave, traveling, attending industry events, or simply sitting down to dinner with family.
The meals range from simple to extravagant, but they always feel grounded. Food here isn’t about performance; it’s about connection. You get glimpses of long restaurant lunches, quick bites between obligations, celebratory meals, quiet nights at home, and holiday gatherings that feel both specific and universally familiar.
One moment that truly delighted me: Tucci insisting to his daughter that Santa would absolutely appreciate a shot of Scotch left out on Christmas Eve. I actually cackled out loud during that part—one of those rare audiobook moments where you forget you’re alone on the sidewalk.
Why the Audiobook Is Worth It
Much like Taste, I listened to the audiobook version—and I can’t imagine experiencing this book any other way. Tucci has one of those voices that makes you lean in just a little closer: calm, dry, warm, and perfectly suited to storytelling.
Because this book is structured as a daily journal, the audio format works beautifully. It feels conversational, like Tucci is recounting his year over dinner rather than reading from a page.
Even descriptions of meals feel richer when spoken aloud, and his delivery adds humor and humanity to even the smallest moments.
A Small (but Life-Changing) Reading Habit Shift
This book also marks a small personal milestone for me: I finally added the Libby app to my phone.
I’d only ever had it on my iPad, which meant audiobooks were mostly a stay-at-home activity. Now? I can listen while walking, commuting, or running errands—and it’s completely changed how much I read.
What I Ate in One Year ended up being the perfect companion for those walks: comforting, engaging, and never demanding too much focus. You can dip in and out, miss a detail or two, and still feel fully immersed.
Final Thoughts
If you loved Taste, this book feels like a natural continuation—quieter, perhaps, but no less satisfying. It’s not about recipes or culinary instruction; it’s about how food weaves itself into the fabric of a life.
By the end, I wasn’t just thinking about what Tucci ate over the course of a year. I was thinking about my own meals, my own routines, and how often the most meaningful moments happen around a table.
Highly recommend listening to this one—preferably on a walk, with a good appetite.
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