About
Jon Reiner is an award-winning author and filmmaker. He is the James Beard Award-winning author of the memoir The Man Who Couldn’t Eat, named a Best Book by The Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. His fiction, essays, criticism and humor have appeared in Esquire, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Daily Beast, many literary publications, and been recorded for NPR. He is the writer-director of the documentary film Tree Man, shown on Netflix and in theatrical release. He is on the faculty of the Gotham Writers Workshop and has taught at Rutgers University and the University of Maryland.
Featured Work
The Man Who Couldn't Eat
“With the spirit and edge of a seasoned sports announcer calling a fight, this gifted writer graphically depicts both the cumulative effects of two decades of living at the mercy of chronic illness and the staggering play-by-play of a recent life-threatening episode. . . In an age when you-are-what’s-eating-you memoirs line the shelves, Reiner’s self-pitiless account stands out for the irony of a foodie being unable to eat, the sheer magnitude of the torment endured, the courage to stare down unrelenting pain, the honest introspection into how suffering made the author insufferable and rocked his family and, above all, his refreshingly snide attitude toward his disease. Reiner’s heart-wrenching description of coveting even the smallest bit of food when he could not eat is as memorable as his behavioral observations when sick and in recovery. . . An inspiring, incredible tale.”
- Kirkus, starred review
“An engrossing and candid memoir by James Beard Award–winning writer Jon Reiner . . . fascinating and heart-wrenching. As a piece of writing it’s fearless and singular.”
- Publishers Weekly, starred review
Other Works
Awards and Recognition
- James Beard Foundation Award for Feature Magazine Writing
- Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award for Best Audiobook
