Mike Safo with Laurie Woolever

Joined today by podcaster, travel writer, author and former assistant of Anthony Bourdain, Laurie Woolever. Laurie and I talk about her 2 new books: World Travel: An Irreverent Guide and of course, Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Autobiography. We hear why she chose to write the book in an oral format, all of the interviews she conducted and how she actually put this project together. First, we hear about Laurie growing up, being Mario Batali’s assistant and how introduced her to Anthony Bourdain. We chat about Anthony living the lifestyle of a rock star, how he always dreamed of being an author and of course, his book “No Reservations”. We hear about that famous Beirut episode and how that changed his life. We also talk about his addictive personality, whether it be narcotics, Jiu Jitsu, or even love. Laurie talks about all the places she traveled with Bourdain, her favorite time with him at the racetrack and what kind of boss he really was. We talk about the roller coaster ride of his life from the ups of his tv shows and being on CNN to the downs of meeting Asia and his tragic suicide. Laurie and I try to figure out how he is relatable to everyone from all walks of life, her favorite meal after a trip and the coolest person on her phone. The man who has influenced millions to travel and look at the world in a different way left a special legacy, hopefully Laurie’s book put it into words. Follow Laurie here and buy her book wherever books are sold. http://lauriewoolever.com/about https://www.instagram.com/lauriewoolever/ https://twitter.com/lauriewoolever