- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; None edition (April 18 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0618619666
- ISBN-13: 978-0618619665
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 386 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #340,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
A recently widowed American food writer finds solace and love—and the most inspiring food she's ever encountered—during a visit to China in Mones's sumptuous latest. Still reeling from husband Matt's accidental death a year ago, food writer Maggie McElroy is flummoxed when a paternity claim is filed against Matt's estate from Beijing, where he sometimes traveled for business. Before Maggie embarks on the obligatory trip to investigate, her editor assigns her a profile on Sam Liang, a half-Chinese American chef living in Beijing who is about to enter a prestigious cooking competition. Sam's old-school recipes and history lessons of high Chinese cuisine kick-start Maggie's dulled passion for food and help her let go of her grief, even as she learns of Matt's Beijing bed hopping. Though the narrative can get bogged down in the minutiae of Chinese culinary history (filtered through the experiences of Sam's family), Mones's descriptions of fine cuisine are tantalizing, and her protagonist's quest is bracing and unburdened by melodrama. Early in her visit, Maggie scoffs at the idea that "food can heal the human heart." Mones smartly proves her wrong. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Food writer Maggie McElroy fights a losing struggle with grief following her attorney husband's death. When a woman in China files a paternity claim against the estate, Maggie pulls herself together and rushes to Beijing to find the mother and determine her charge's validity. Maggie's editor suggests that as long as Maggie must travel to China anyway, she should research an article about a young American-born Jewish Chinese chef. Determined to open a restaurant dedicated to the most ancient examples and purest principles of Chinese cuisine, this young chef has begun a translation of his grandfather's celebrated book about cooking in the imperial court. Under the guidance of his kitchen-savvy uncles, he must also prepare to compete in a nationwide culinary competition. In Mones' skilled hands, the grandfather's memoir becomes a book within the novel. Mones' achievement appeals not just to devotees of fiction but equally to anyone interested in Chinese cooking. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful story,
By
This review is from: The Last Chinese Chef: A Novel (Paperback)
As a food lover and reader, I found this book wonderful. I greatly enjoyed the development of Maggie's character and her interaction with unexpected elements that she found in China. A beautifully written novel, I found that I became engaged in the story and loved the book.
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Delicious",
By
This review is from: The Last Chinese Chef: A Novel (Paperback)
This book could probably be termed a "Historical Cook Book" rather than a novel It is a lovely read, made all the more so as I had visited China. The descriptions of the origins of many of the traditional dishes were wonderful - one could almost smell them and savour the taste. The novel aspect was a little lightweight, but acceptable by the almost sensual and colorful depictions of the recipes.A very nice book and a great gift for a food lover.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Chinese chef and a widow from San Francisco,
By
This review is from: The Last Chinese Chef: A Novel (Hardcover)
I love Chinese food and gained numerous insights reading this book. The main story is the politics of top chef in China. The other story is that of a recent widow discovering the "leftovers" of her husband in China and dealing with them. The widow and the chef become friends and help each other in their quests. Strong woman, Chinese culture today, food - what is not to enjoy?This book introduced me to Nicole Mones and led me to read the rest of her books. All good reads!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
