Merchant of Sonoma: Premium Kitchenware & Cookware for American Homes - Perfect for Cooking, Baking & Entertaining

Fantastic book covering Chuck Williams' life, career, and the establishment and growth of Williams-Sonoma, along with interesting side bars on some of the classics (like that Chuck Williams convinced Le Creuset to make their Dutch ovens and so on in colors other than their trademark "Flame" [British cookery writer Elizabeth David managed to get them to produce a line to match the blue of the package of her cigarettes as well]).The one criticism I have of this book is that in an age of equality and even marriage equality for gay people, the writer (and presumably Williams-Sonoma or Chuck himself) felt the need to whitewash his homosexuality. As a result, his life partner that he outlived is mentioned as a business partner and so on.This shouldn't stop you from buying this wonderful book, but it is regrettable that someone thinks Chuck has something to either be ashamed of or that they feel the need to keep it from the store's potential buyers.From what I've heard from people in Sonoma who knew him when the store was just starting out, he was a passionate man in life as well as in the bedroom, and while I don't need details, it is irritating to see it whitewashed from his very existence