Is less about the history of chili con carne than it is about the personalities surrounding it, espeically those who were still alive when the book was written. Also spends a chapter detailing the history of the World Series Cookoff--that chapter really felt more like a justification and insistance on getting the facts straight because no one else could, than about the supposed topic of the book. He also talks about a lot of little cafes and the quirks to be found in them. The book wasn't bad, but I was expecting something more serious on the food, and less on the personalities. Someone who really enjoyed chili, and enjoyed sampling different varities, would enjoy the meanderings of the book.