The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

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Boston Globe: “revelations come fast and frequent”

Apr 23, '08 10:41 AM
by Jennifer for everyone

Wow. They are still running reviews of my book(!). The Boston Globe today printed its review by Ralph Ranalli. Interesting that he is astute to point out that Chinese food has “a veritable buffet of cheap metaphors” (I will note many of which have been used by headine writers (egg drop scoop, lo mein street, wok on)

BOOK REVIEW

‘Fortune Cookie Chronicles’ delivers tasty cultural history
By Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff | April 23, 2008
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food
By Jennifer 8. Lee
Twelve Books, 308 pp., $24.99

For better or for worse, critiquing a book about Chinese food’s place in the modern world presents a reviewer with a veritable buffet of cheap metaphors.

One could say, for example, that the book was a pu pu platter of mixed styles (true, in this case), or that, after finishing, the reader was hungry again for more an hour later (also true). However, unlike in most cases that involve interaction between myself and Chinese food, I’ll try to exercise a bit of self-control.

Thankfully, New York Times reporter Jennifer 8. Lee does the same in her first book, “The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food.” Taking on a project that is ambitious in scope - I would love to have her frequent flier miles - Lee delivers a smart work that is at once fascinating, surprising, and devoid, mostly, of tired similes.