BOTM: F. Dunlop, Shark's fin soup and sichuan pepper (2008)
C. Achebe, Arrow
of God (1964)
O. Butler, The parable
of the sower (1993)
O. Butler, The parable
of the talents (1997)
P. Carey, Parrot
and Oliver in America (2010)
R. Riordan, Percy Jackson
and the lightening thief (2005)
A. Wilson, The
old men at the zoo (1961)
What a nice book Fuchsia Dunlop's memoir is. There's something thrilling about reading someone's extraordinary enthusiasm, and the detail they take you down. Obviously, that depends on the subject. I doubt I'd be quite so delighted with a memoir about cement, though even then I suspect I may find hidden treasures from a real enthusiast. No issues here. I love Dunlop's cookbooks and I love the food she writes about. And it's the star here too. What elevates the book though is also the context in which it is put - both of a China opening up (Dunlop first visits in the 90s) and a westerner engaging with it. Interestingly, because this is now 14 year's old, it's also a window back to the early part of her career. That all sounds lots heavier than it is. It's a much lighter read than that, and all the better for it.
