# Dining in the Dark: A Famed Restaurant Critic's Struggle with and Triumph Over Depression - Hardcover

by **Bryan Miller** (Author)

**The Rise and Fall of the World's Most Powerful Restaurant Critic and His Battle with Severe, Debilitating Depression**

From the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, Bryan Miller was a household name among restaurant goers in the greater New York City area and beyond as the restaurant critic for the _New York Times_, as well as the author of numerous books, a public speaker, and a radio and television commentator. Over ten years as a columnist, he dined out more than five thou­sand times in the United States and abroad, from haute to humble. The _Wine Spectator_, in a front-page profile, declared Miller "the most powerful restaurant critic in America."

And for much of that time, he wanted to die.

_Dining in the Dark_ chronicles Miller's battle with Bipolar II disorder, also known as depres­sion, which ruined his life, professionally and personally. Depression was directly responsible for his surrendering the _New York Times_ restau­rant column and, shortly thereafter, leaving the paper altogether. Everything he had worked for so diligently, rising from cub reporter to big-city columnist in less than a decade, vanished. In the ensuing years, unable to work, he lost his home, his life savings, two wonderful wives, the chance to have a family, and numerous friends and colleagues. He became increasingly reclu­sive; like many victims of serious depression, he reached the point where he was afraid to answer the phone. Pile on a brain tumor, electroshock therapy, a near-fatal bout with Lyme disease, accidental drug overdoses (he was once carried out of the newsroom on a gurney), and you have a life in shambles.

_Dining in the Dark_ tells the story of Miller's battle, but it also brings hope by sharing his jour­ney to coping with, and finally conquering, his depression. The coping mechanisms he employed in order to get through the day will be of benefit to those in need of a helping hand. _Dining in the Dark_ is philosophical, inspirational, educational, and even humorous at times. And, of course, there are lots of inside-the-_New York Times_ anecdotes, as well as lots of food, wine, travel, and celebrity.

### Author Biography

**Bryan Miller** is a writer, editor, author, inter­net journalist, and educator. He has worked as a news reporter, features writer, news editor, writing teacher, and food specialist for a num­ber of newspapers, magazines, and online city guides. From 1981 to 1996, he was a reporter and columnist for the _New York Times_. The author and co-author of nine books, Miller has garnered numerous honors, including the pres­tigious James Beard Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in Westchester County, New York.

**Number of Pages:** 216

**Dimensions:** 1.02 x 9.13 x 6.14 IN

**Publication Date:** September 28, 2021

## Details

- **Price:** 26.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
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- Dining in the Dark: A Famed Restaurant Critic's Struggle with and Triumph Over Depression - Hardcover

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